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The last thing you want in this scenario is your tegu getting accustomed and used to going potty on you.

What could have been an early defense mechanism at play here, can very likely lead to this tegu becoming trained to potty at your touch. Maybe, maybe not but the longer he associates your warm hands with going potty, the more likely he is to become used to this routine.

Perhaps you can arrange your bathroom so that you can allow him to bask close to your tub, then when he's warm you can place him in a tub of warm water and he'll go there instead of your hand(s).

I noticed a pattern with both of my tegus: they're both fussy when cold, and will both potty when their body temp. reaches a certain (warm) level. Like clockwork this happens every day.

I have made this a routine for all of us and it works great:

1) Warming/basking
2) Soak in warm water for potty
3) Feed 1x daily turkey or eggs until they are full
4) Warming/basking
5) Roaming/activity
6) Rest/hide/sleep

Rinse and repeat every single day and with very few exceptions, have had no potty accidents.
For occasions where I think there might be an accident, we set potty-pads under the tegus for a quick, easy, disposable mess.

The reason I have these 6 steps is simple. In the wild the first thing a tegu is going to do is raise his body temp. to his particular liking. He will then opt to forage/hunt for food away from his burrow where on the way he will potty. If he fidns water he will drink or soak then bask if he needs too and then finally return home for the afternoon/night.

My steps help to replicate and mimic this type of behavioral pattern to some extent, as well as keep them in a routine that WE ALL can manage.

Hope this insight helps with your potty problem(s).

<blockquote data-quote="m3s4" data-source="post: 99393" data-attributes="member: 2950">The last thing you want in this scenario is your tegu getting accustomed and used to going potty on you. What could have been an early defense mechanism at play here, can very likely lead to this tegu becoming trained to potty at your touch. Maybe, maybe not but the longer he associates your warm hands with going potty, the more likely he is to become used to this routine. Perhaps you can arrange your bathroom so that you can allow him to bask close to your tub, then when he's warm you can place him in a tub of warm water and he'll go there instead of your hand(s). I noticed a pattern with both of my tegus: they're both fussy when cold, and will both potty when their body temp. reaches a certain (warm) level. Like clockwork this happens every day. I have made this a routine for all of us and it works great:1) Warming/basking 2) Soak in warm water for potty3) Feed 1x daily turkey or eggs until they are full4) Warming/basking5) Roaming/activity6) Rest/hide/sleepRinse and repeat every single day and with very few exceptions, have had no potty accidents. For occasions where I think there might be an accident, we set potty-pads under the tegus for a quick, easy, disposable mess.The reason I have these 6 steps is simple. In the wild the first thing a tegu is going to do is raise his body temp. to his particular liking. He will then opt to forage/hunt for food away from his burrow where on the way he will potty. If he fidns water he will drink or soak then bask if he needs too and then finally return home for the afternoon/night. My steps help to replicate and mimic this type of behavioral pattern to some extent, as well as keep them in a routine that WE ALL can manage. Hope this insight helps with your potty problem(s).</blockquote>

[QUOTE="m3s4, post: 99393, member: 2950"] The last thing you want in this scenario is your tegu getting accustomed and used to going potty on you. What could have been an early defense mechanism at play here, can very likely lead to this tegu becoming trained to potty at your touch. Maybe, maybe not but the longer he associates your warm hands with going potty, the more likely he is to become used to this routine. Perhaps you can arrange your bathroom so that you can allow him to bask close to your tub, then when he's warm you can place him in a tub of warm water and he'll go there instead of your hand(s). I noticed a pattern with both of my tegus: they're both fussy when cold, and will both potty when their body temp. reaches a certain (warm) level. Like clockwork this happens every day. I have made this a routine for all of us and it works great: 1) Warming/basking 2) Soak in warm water for potty 3) Feed 1x daily turkey or eggs until they are full 4) Warming/basking 5) Roaming/activity 6) Rest/hide/sleep Rinse and repeat every single day and with very few exceptions, have had no potty accidents. For occasions where I think there might be an accident, we set potty-pads under the tegus for a quick, easy, disposable mess. The reason I have these 6 steps is simple. In the wild the first thing a tegu is going to do is raise his body temp. to his particular liking. He will then opt to forage/hunt for food away from his burrow where on the way he will potty. If he fidns water he will drink or soak then bask if he needs too and then finally return home for the afternoon/night. My steps help to replicate and mimic this type of behavioral pattern to some extent, as well as keep them in a routine that WE ALL can manage. Hope this insight helps with your potty problem(s). [/QUOTE]

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