How do i hold him....

[Der-Boa-Lieber]

I just tried picking my Albino Blue up to hold him for a min or two, to try and get him used to being handled. As soon as i tried picking him up slowly, he darted right out of my cage and i just spent 45 min trying to catch him. This really sucks because there was no way to gently catch him....he just darts across the room each time i even take a step and now, i am afraid i just made him that much more afraid of me lol.

So how do i handle him if i can't even open the cage and reach in without him darting out of it?

 

[rigo]

Since you just got him/her (yesterday i believe?) i would let your tegu adjust to its new home for about a week or so. Then let the taming process begin. Basically do what varnyards artcle on taming says, it really does work. you may have to make some adjustment based on your tegu's personality but the principle idea is the same.

 

[dorton]

Definately let it chill for a week or so, just to get used to its enviroment. I have an old shirt that I had worn sitting in the cage just to allow it to aclimate to my scent. After a few days, just sit with your arm/hand resting in the cage to show your hand is no threat. I also would try not standing while holding it until some trust is built, that way if it bails, no great injury will occur due to the long drop.

 

[AB^]

I wouldnt even worry about trying to pick it up or hold it at this stage.
Just sit by the cage and work with in the cage and not to go for the tegu. if it see's you're not "after it" and that you arent a threat it will become more comfortable with you and around you. that's the first step IMO having it become accustomed to you as non threatening

 

[Swtbrat]

I have a red tegu that simply just seems to hate me and I find they seem to tame down faster if allowed to roam a room.Of course they are small so will be hard to catch.

Once the red was out and he had me running all over so I went to the store and got a fishing net,Thats how I been catching him and he doesn't even seem to mind because I am not forced to handle him too roughly.

Yesterday he jumped out of the cage right into the net and I laughed for 15 minutes at him.He can get out of the net if he needs to.

I have a B&W thats so tame he amazes me,I wish he'd teach the red how to act. :wink:

Brat!

 

[COWHER]

I was havin' a heck of a time taming my guy down, and it was mostly because of bad info on taming down :evil: . Once I read Bobby's method and talking to him I tried the just ignore him method. I went in his enclosure and put a paint can down and started reading a book and with in a hour he was walkin' over and sniffin' me out ! I did this for 1 week and now,,, he comes to me! Also I started to where a t shirt and a big sweatshirt and he loves to go in between them and hide. I can even go cook dinner and he pokes his head out like a chipmunk and watches he really has grown closer to me by doing that as well. 8)

 

[Der-Boa-Lieber]

Thanks for all the info! He is still very small so i might just take it easy on messing with him/her till he/she gets a little bigger, he/she is only like 6-7 in. long from nose to tip of tail.

 

[Guest]

I put on a leather glove and put my hand in his tank, he whipped it, bit it, and gave up. He crawled onto it and I very slowly picked him up. Then like Bobby says, I played the neverending hands game. Give him no option where to go. Just hand over hand til he gets bored.

Now I just always put the glove on because he's used to the smell in the tank. But when he's out and about, I just put my bare hand in front of him and give him no option but to walk onto it.