Nippy Baby

[Yutahji]

I've had my "girl" for 2 months and she certainly loves to explore the world with her mouth. She's given me plenty of bites on the hand, one on the eye, and once on the stomach, which was today. I'm a little concerned that this will carry into adulthood. These don't seem to be defensive bites, as she carefully considers before doing it. She does not get man handled, is fine with me being in her viv, walks up onto my hand willingly, etc.

I'm just wondering if this is a phase, or is there something I should be doing to discourage this? She is fed daily until she's full, and I wash my hands before handling.

 

[Tegu Whisperer]

Welcome to the world of Tegu monitors...I've had this issue with young monitors before there is something you can do to train them against i. They make a vitamin and appetit supplement in a liquid form that they really do not like ... every time it opens it opens its mouth to do an exploratory bite, squirt a little of that in there mouth and it will make them release and then they will associate that action with the bad taste.

 

[Tegu Whisperer]

 

[thatoneguy]

Sounds like curiosity not aggressiveness, which is good, but hopefully as she learns she will stop doing it.

 

[Yutahji]

Sounds like curiosity not aggressiveness, which is good, but hopefully as she learns she will stop doing it.

I figured it was her being curious, as she only bites when she's roaming around. I have never been bitten in her cage, or with a prefaced display of "i'm going to bite you," it just happens. I was just wondering if it was normal or not.