New tegu owner needs help!!!

[Parker Morse]

Hello, I got my baby Argentine b&w from Ty Park about two weeks ago.Ive been working with him everyday and he has been great. But, today I came home from school, and I couldn't find him.i was really scared and I looked everywhere. Then I looked under the water owl, and there we was sleeping. When I woke him, he flew across the tank and started hissing and puffing. He had never done this before. He started wobbling around and looking really disoriented. I don't know what to do, he's my first tegu and he's been perfect before this. Thanks

 

[Tannaros]

Hello, I got my baby Argentine b&w from Ty Park about two weeks ago.Ive been working with him everyday and he has been great. But, today I came home from school, and I couldn't find him.i was really scared and I looked everywhere. Then I looked under the water owl, and there we was sleeping. When I woke him, he flew across the tank and started hissing and puffing. He had never done this before. He started wobbling around and looking really disoriented. I don't know what to do, he's my first tegu and he's been perfect before this. Thanks

You more than likely just startled him. One particular tegu I have will throw a hissy fit (literally) if she's woken up too suddenly. She'll hiss and huff and puff.

I generally just let them do their thing if they're sleeping - I only really interact when they're up and about.

 

[Parker Morse]

You more than likely just startled him. One particular tegu I have will throw a hissy fit (literally) if she's woken up too suddenly. She'll hiss and huff and puff.

I generally just let them do their thing if they're sleeping - I only really interact when they're up and about.

Thank you!! I wouldn't have woke him/her if I knew he was there I just thought he had escaped lol

 

[Tannaros]

Thank you!! I wouldn't have woke him/her if I knew he was there I just thought he had escaped lol

Ha - I've done the same thing with many of my reptiles. Just recently I got some ackie babies, and I incessently check on them.

 

[Aardbark]

When a tegu is buried its generaly bad to dig or wake them up. That is the one place that they feel safest. In the tegus mind, if your bothering it when its in its safe place, you must be some kind of preditor coming to eat him. So of course its going to defend itself with all it has, because it thinks its about to get eaten.

No worries though, he should calm down after a little bit. Just leave him be until he relaxes again.