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Taming a ackie

jb62

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Messages
27
Hi.

Just wondering how you tame a ackie!.
Mine is 16 weeks old and I'd love to get s/he take as time goes on.
Any ideas?

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TegusRawsome80

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They are an active, small, high energy species of monitor. I really don't think they're an animal I would recommend trying to "tame". They are something I would observe for the most part, except when absolutely necessary. I hope it was not sold as something you could hold and play with as it is not a species I would recommend handling.
 

DavidRosi

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196
If I went by what was "recommended" I'd never have bought a Colombian tegu. The amount of people "saying" they were aggressive, un-tameable and the likes.
And now I own a 3 foot long, healthy and, dare I say it, tame Colombian tegu. Shazam.
 

TegusRawsome80

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766
There's a large difference between an animal that can get 3 feet and one that can get an absolute max of 2 feet. You could theoretically force handle it but I would personally not mess with it. Just my preference. If you insist on it then you can as it's your animal but I advise against it. They do calm down some once larger.
 

Grendel

Member
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171
2 vs 3 feet makes all the difference? I guess all these people with bearded dragons are lying that their 2 foot animals are tame.
 

tegus4life

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140
I'm confused as to why you're comparing a beardie with an ackie?? They're very different animals especially when it comes to temperament. Ackies are definitely going to be more challenging to tame than, for example, a bearded dragon. Just like a Columbian may be more of a challenge than other tegus.

It could probably be done if you spend a ton of time working with them, but the reality is there's still a chance it will not get as tame as you want no matter how much you work with it, and depending on your ackies temperament it may be content being handled or much happier just being left alone.
 

jb62

New Member
Messages
27
Re: RE: Taming a ackie

KABIKANO said:
Red or yellow?

It's yellow.

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I've owned a male bearded dragon that lived till he was 17.
So I've read and researched ackies and have been told they can settle and in most cases tame down.
But I wanted to know how this was done over time.
If s/he chooses not to tame that's ok.. But from the way s/he has been acting I would think it is likely that taming could be done.
And yes I've also looked in to golden tagu's before choosing a ackie and I'm happy with it.
Mind tegu's do look good :)

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KABIKANO

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Messages
228
DEPENDING ON THE ANIMAL'S TEMPERAMENT, YOU COULD BASICALLY HANDLE A YELLOW ALL DAY. MY REDS ARE A BIT FIESTY BUT CALM DOWN ONCE I GOT A HANDLE ON EM. IT'S CATCHING THEM THAT'S A *****! BUT LIKE ALL ANIMALS WITH TEETH IN A MOUTH, THEY CAN BITE. BUT IN GENERAL, YELLOWS ARE A LOT CALMER THAN REDS. TAME THEM LIKE YOU DO A TEGU. THAT'S WHAT I DID TO MINE. CHECK OUT THE TAMING DISCUSSION THREADS. GOOD LUCK!
 

james.w

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If you have to Chase them around the enclosure, I wouldn't call them tame. If they "calm" down once you have a hold of them, they are probably "giving up" on the fight to stay alive. They see you as a predator.
 

SnakeCharmr728

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5 Year Member
Messages
725
Ackies are good beginner monitors and are generally pretty easy to tame as they are high energy and very curious. However chasing one around until you catch it isnt going to tame it, it'll give up the fight as James said because its scared or stressed.
Start by tong feeding so they get used to your presense.... Tong feed and get them used to your hands by leaving your hands in the cage slowly getting closer and closer.... you can also put some food in your hand and see if they come up to you. Theres steps with taming monitors, tong feed - get them used to your hands- then see if they will allow you to touch them while they remain in the enclosure, THEN they are may choose to run and greet you when you open their enclosure, some will run up your arm... it just takes time and you have to build a bond. Just grabbing them isnt going to work... Especially for babies.

Also be sure that you have at least 18inches of substrate, the more the better and despite their small size they will use it! :)
 

jb62

New Member
Messages
27
Re: RE: Taming a ackie

SnakeCharmr728 said:
Ackies are good beginner monitors and are generally pretty easy to tame as they are high energy and very curious. However chasing one around until you catch it isnt going to tame it, it'll give up the fight as James said because its scared or stressed.
Start by tong feeding so they get used to your presense.... Tong feed and get them used to your hands by leaving your hands in the cage slowly getting closer and closer.... you can also put some food in your hand and see if they come up to you. Theres steps with taming monitors, tong feed - get them used to your hands- then see if they will allow you to touch them while they remain in the enclosure, THEN they are may choose to run and greet you when you open their enclosure, some will run up your arm... it just takes time and you have to build a bond. Just grabbing them isnt going to work... Especially for babies.

Also be sure that you have at least 18inches of substrate, the more the better and despite their small size they will use it! :)

Thanks ;)

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frost

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there is a really good video on youtube about someone taming some kind of tree monitor(cant remember what it was) it was along process but seemed to work. basically he began tieing a mouse on top of the enclosure and had little to no interaction with it untill the monitor was trusting enough for him to try feeding with extra long tongs. he eventually was able to use shorter tongs and feed with his hand and let the monitor come after him for the food. he would use one hand with the food and the other he would try to lure the monitor on so it would be resting on his hand. seemed like a good trust building technique. it tried it with a tree monitor that i had a while ago and it seemed to work for me. in theory it should work with an ackie
 

Murkve

Member
Messages
186
If you've already "tamed" the "untameable" then I have to wonder why you're asking. The previous posters are correct though - Ackies are best left without too much handling. A responsive, fear free Monitor can be reached through much the same way as Tegus though: Tongs and Patience.
 

james.w

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5 Year Member
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frost said:
there is a really good video on youtube about someone taming some kind of tree monitor(cant remember what it was) it was along process but seemed to work. basically he began tieing a mouse on top of the enclosure and had little to no interaction with it untill the monitor was trusting enough for him to try feeding with extra long tongs. he eventually was able to use shorter tongs and feed with his hand and let the monitor come after him for the food. he would use one hand with the food and the other he would try to lure the monitor on so it would be resting on his hand. seemed like a good trust building technique. it tried it with a tree monitor that i had a while ago and it seemed to work for me. in theory it should work with an ackie

I'm pretty sure that is a Nile, and I think the guy who posted the video is mdfmonitor.
 

jb62

New Member
Messages
27
Re: RE: Taming a ackie

KABIKANO said:
That mdfmonitor guy shows this same process with many different monitors to include Ackies. Great videos!

Thanks I've just subscribed to him..
He does a good job too.


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