Tegu Taming

[ReptileGuy]

So basically I'm doing a video project series of taming my tegu through TM (Transcendental Meditation). So this is day 1 of the taming process. Thought it might be cool to document it all on youtube and see the progress.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wk-KYZxXMmE

 

[Steven.]

This is pretty interesting. I wish you the best of luck sir.

 

[ReptileGuy]

This is pretty interesting. I wish you the best of luck sir.

Thanks! Right after I worked with him he ate 5 giant mealworms, some scrambled eggs, and a bit of shell. oh and he had so nips of strawberry!

 

[KABIKANO]

What do you hope to accomplish by doing this? Wouldn't I yield the same results by just letting the tegu free roam on me without meditating? I understand that YOU will be less stressful if you meditate but what is the tegu to gain from this method vice one without meditation? Please enlighten us...

 

[ReptileGuy]

What do you hope to accomplish by doing this? Wouldn't I yield the same results by just letting the tegu free roam on me without meditating? I understand that YOU will be less stressful if you meditate but what is the tegu to gain from this method vice one without meditation? Please enlighten us...

The people in the circus used TM for calming the animals and sending out calming "vibes". Most animals are attracted to this technique, and when I'm meditating he is calmer then by just sitting in the bathtub with him. Animals have senses beyond humans, just like how a dog will bark before the person at your door even drives into the driveway.

 

[Diablo]

I think if they are around you a lot while you are really calm they will get used to you being that way and associate you with a calm sort of feeling. If you're sitting there and letting them walk all over you but your heart is beating slightly faster and you are alert they probably notice it. How big of a difference it makes I don't know. But I guess we'll find out as he posts more videos. It's a good experiment to try out I think.

 

[ReptileGuy]

I think if they are around you a lot while you are really calm they will get used to you being that way and associate you with a calm sort of feeling. If you're sitting there and letting them walk all over you but your heart is beating slightly faster and you are alert they probably notice it. How big of a difference it makes I don't know. But I guess we'll find out as he posts more videos. It's a good experiment to try out I think.

Thanks!

 

[KABIKANO]

Ahhh, sounds good bro. Keep the updates komin'!

 

[ReptileGuy]

Will do! Thanks for all the support. The reason I'm saying the day is I also wanna record how long it takes to do it.

 

[TegusRawsome80]

I really sincerely hope that this is taken the right way, although I doubt it will be. I see several things wrong with this already. 1. You have given him no time to settle in and adjust to his new home and are already force handling him. 2. I don't view this as safe at all. I saw him jump off of you at least once, and although you have a blanket down, it is STILL stressful. 3. I personally would recommend against closing your eyes or even shifting them away while a small, fragile, live animal is crawling on you. This is in no way meant as a personal attack but rather as an attempt to help you revise your technique. I would suggest quitting all handling attempts for at least a week and then slowly trying to tame him down, rather than picking him up out of his cage, transporting him to a bath tub and forcing him to sit on you all in one day. I don't think that's a good idea for the animals health. I hope you will take this advice into consideration and possibly adjust your plan for taming your little guy.

 

[james.w]

I don't see the point in the meditating, and like said above, give him some time to acclimate. Another thing, didn't you already lose one tegu in the bathroom and now you are giving this one the opportunity to get loose as well. What are you going to do if he runs up your arm and jumps out of the tub while you are sitting there with your eyes closed??

 

[DavidRosi]

If you are the guy that lost your last tegu through the wall, then I'd seriously reconsider what you're doing... I can understand the "idea" of meditation and its effect on animals; if I'm not in a great mood my tegu certainly picks up on it and will maybe be a little bit more skiddish, but not every time.

I don't really see taming as a day to day progress chart... There were days when I'd spend time near and around my Colombian and others where he clearly just wanted his own space but would still watch me go on with my day to day movements.
That tegu seems super young, so I think in any instance it's going to be fairly skiddish and scared purely based on how big your hand is compared to him.

Just a quick one; with an open topped viv how do you keep your humidity in check?

 

[ReptileGuy]

If you are the guy that lost your last tegu through the wall, then I'd seriously reconsider what you're doing... I can understand the "idea" of meditation and its effect on animals; if I'm not in a great mood my tegu certainly picks up on it and will maybe be a little bit more skiddish, but not every time.

I don't really see taming as a day to day progress chart... There were days when I'd spend time near and around my Colombian and others where he clearly just wanted his own space but would still watch me go on with my day to day movements.
That tegu seems super young, so I think in any instance it's going to be fairly skiddish and scared purely based on how big your hand is compared to him.

Just a quick one; with an open topped viv how do you keep your humidity in check?

I mist 8 times a day for 5 minutes.

 

[jondancer]

different.

 

[DavidRosi]

Sounds like a pretty hectic effort.

 

[ReptileGuy]

I have another person in the room at all times to make SURE the tegu does not hop out. I have had the tegu for 4 days and this is a short time. The taming is not a day to day thing, the point is the next time I work with him it will be 'Day 2'... I have been talking to the breeder I purchased him from who has been breeding reds and black and whites for 20+ years. He told me now is a good time. I don't know why you would say it is "force handling".... He has 3 hides in his enclosure and yet rarely goes into any of them. If it is very stressful why would he be eating like a champ and not hiding all day?

 

[DavidRosi]

There was another person stood in your bathroom the whole time? Fair play.

Easy tiger; it was meant to be constructive criticism.

Personal preference and all that jazz. Everyone has their own way of doing things. I'm very happy how my Colombian turned out and wish you the best of luck with yours.
[attachment=5652]

 

[ReptileGuy]

I don't see the point in the meditating, and like said above, give him some time to acclimate. Another thing, didn't you already lose one tegu in the bathroom and now you are giving this one the opportunity to get loose as well. What are you going to do if he runs up your arm and jumps out of the tub while you are sitting there with your eyes closed??

Animals can sense when your nervous or impatient. By meditating it gives the animal a calm environment while getting used to you. Like I said one comment up, there is another person in the room with me at all times.

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There was another person stood in your bathroom the whole time? Fair play.

Easy tiger; it was meant to be constructive criticism.

Personal preference and all that jazz. Everyone has their own way of doing things. I'm very happy how my Colombian turned out and wish you the best of luck with yours.

Yea my dad. Easy tiger? I wasn't trying to be "that guy"

 

[james.w]

So why not just be calm while handling him??

 

[ReptileGuy]

So why not just be calm while handling him??

lol Because this is a experiment.