New tegu. Couple questions.

[Skyshadow]

We have had Yggdrasil for a week and 4 days. We got her from TegusOnly. She's eaten every day since we got her. Her favorite is ground turkey but she also likes chicken gizzards and hearts and fuzzy mice. I turn her lights on around 9 a.m. and she normally comes out around 2 p.m. eats a bit and basks for about 5 minutes then hides for 30 minutes and repeats this several times till about 5 or 6 then goes to bed. She poops daily in her bath in her cage and spends about 15 minutes a day on patrol, exploring her cage.

We can get within 5 feet of her cage without her hiding but any closer she hides. If I sit by her hide while she's hidden she will come out and eat/bask with me beside her as long as I don't make sudden movements.

She's come out of her cage twice to poop and has wondered around the kitchen. Last time if she crawled out of the block area I could gently lift her and put her back and she didn't freak out. She also lick and pushed my legs and hands (good/bad?)

A few questions, is hiding more than half the day normal or will that go down some?
How long (on average, every tegu is different) will it take for her to not be scared of us?
Should we keep letting her out to poop and explore us even if she often seems stressed or tired after?
Are there any other taming steps we should take?

I'm only able to work with her on weekends because she's never out when I am and my boyfriend doesn't take her out when I'm gone so I am sure that slows things down too.

 

[Walter1]

First of all, that is one beautiful and well-fed tegu. Nice going.

Yggdrasil has his/her very own routine that will change over time. What IS typical is that they are down more often than out and about.

Mine are out a maximum of about three hrs on any given day. Usually less.

Give him another week to really settle in. Talk to him, place a used shirt from sweat in his hide.

You can lift his hide and pet him. Talk continuously. If you're near his eye level, ease your hands underneath him from his side, not ever from above like picking up a ball. Lift a little and put him down on your lap. He can crawl off and around.

 

[Skyshadow]

I thought lifting his hide was a serious no no so we've avoided it?

 

[Walter1]

I've not found that to be the case as long as they're not endlessly being disturbed. 2X/week is fine as you're getting him used to sitting with you he'll be sleepy, and you can sit with him on your lap with his head under your shirt. Mine will seek that out from my lap or climb to my shoulder and pop and prod my shirt to get into it from near my neck. They're monkeys.

 

[Mishaaa]

This seems to be normal. When I first got my guy it took him over 2 months to really get used to me. Now he is full of energy, walks around like he owns the place, and loves my attention. I would keep doing what your doing. Keep the feeding consistent and make sure the husbandry is optimal. Slowly get closer and closer to her, hold her for longer periods of time on the weekends when you are available. Start feeding her with tweezers/tongs so she gets used to your presence. Overall, everything seems to be going well!

 

[snibborsirk]

It took a couple of months for my tegu to get used to me as well. Letting him sleep on my lap and tucked under my shirt or a blanket seemed to work the best to get him used to me. As long as it doesn't completely frighten him, I agree with Walt1 on getting them out of their hide in order to spend some time with them. Mine was a hatchling so he was much easier to manage so it just depends on how much it freaks him out. As far as the hiding goes - mine usually comes out for an hour or so late morning then burrows all day until 6pm - then he's up for 3-4 hrs usually. I get home around 6 during the week and I usually open he cage and see if he's made a mess of it or not. He usually comes out soon after for some attention and hopes of food! I did adjust the timer for his lighting to 10am-10pm so his days correspond more with when I'm home in the evening. This seemed to help considerably with him being out when I'm home.

 

[Skyshadow]

Thanks for all the replies. If she's out of her hide should I attempt to lift her out of her cage or let her come out on her own?

So far I've let her come on her own.