The right approach?

[Kasmut]

Sorry for the recent topic spam. I'm just trying to get a handle on things and making sure I'm giving my gu the right sort of care.

So I got my gu on Saturday from a reptile store. He seemed alright at first, but a bit flighty. On the second day I tried to take him out and bin feed him which I have now concluded was a horrible idea. First off he refused to be caught, so I had to do a bit of manhandling to get him into the bathroom into the bin (he bit at me and tail-whipped the whole time). Once he was in the bin he flipped out of it and ran like crazy around the bathroom and hid. I had to fish him out and stick him back in his enclosure.

I regret doing that since now he backs/puffs up even when I enter the room. He gets nervous when I stick my hands in the enclosure and move stuff around, and he tail-whips constantly if I even try to touch him. I'm just wondering what approach I should take now. Should I try the 'ignoring' thing? Feed him in his enclosure and ignore him for a week or two before trying to get him used to my hand again? I tried putting an article of clothing and he just wasn't interested in it at all. He's been a bit lazy and just sits in one spot for hours sometimes. He's been eating/pooping fine enough so I think it might just be stress.

Should I just leave him alone for now?

 

[Dirtydmc]

As said a thousand times before. Patients. Put food in his enclosure before he wakes up so he doesn't see you feeding him. And when.he is up, after he has ate. Put your hands in and just move stuff around. Pretend he isn't there. Just get your smell all over. Move dirt around, move deco, whatever. Just keep at it. Everyday. Wash your hands before going in. He will get used to you. It takes time. Especially after a nerve racking incident.

 

[Kasmut]

Unfortunately he wakes up before I do, so it isn't really an option. I haven't had any problems with him associating me with food yet. He mostly keeps to himself on the opposite side of the tank when I put stuff in. Thank you for the advice though, I'm hoping he won't get worse and I'll try to take it slow.

 

[Murkve]

Use Tongs. It paints you as a provider of yummy things, gets you close to him, and you can partially control where he eats.

 

[Kasmut]

I've been giving him a cricket with tongs as a "treat" after every time I "interact" with him (aka move stuff around his cage and pretend he's not there lol) I hope it's helping a little. This process is getting kind of confusing as all the sources I'm reading from are telling me different things. On another forum someone is telling me that just going in and handling him anyway will tame him faster/more effectively to show that you aren't afraid of him and aren't a danger. Then I have a lot of other people telling me to use the ignoring method and to give him his space and let him come to me in time. It's really hard to decide how to approach this.

 

[Murkve]

I've been giving him a cricket with tongs as a "treat" after every time I "interact" with him (aka move stuff around his cage and pretend he's not there lol) I hope it's helping a little. This process is getting kind of confusing as all the sources I'm reading from are telling me different things. On another forum someone is telling me that just going in and handling him anyway will tame him faster/more effectively to show that you aren't afraid of him and aren't a danger. Then I have a lot of other people telling me to use the ignoring method and to give him his space and let him come to me in time. It's really hard to decide how to approach this.

Your Tegu, first and foremost is a wild animal. Taming a wild anmal is an exercise in trust building. To build trust in a squirrel would you chase it around and catch it to communicate that you mean no harm? Or would you try and lure it to you gradually through its primary motivator - food?

Forcing an untamed animal into your control will eventually put them into submission. They will look "tame", but will not see you as a benevolent force. This is a bit like the difference between a leader that governs via fear, or love.

Which would you rather have your Tegu feel?

 

[Kasmut]

That's what I was thinking. I really don't want to just stress him out over and over until he has to tolerate it because I won't let him be lol. I'd rather it be him to initiate the interaction when he's ready. It's very hard to be patient when all I wanna do is cuddle with his little scaley face. But I will take all of your advice and give him space and time.

 

[Murkve]

Really though, patience it is. It does take a lot of time. I've had mine for over a month, and while I've made progress, we still have a LONG way to go.

 

[m3s4]

You do realize that while you can try and gather as much information on raising tegus as possible and get the best advice out there from multiple sources, in the end it comes down to what YOU do correct? YOU have to be the one that's in-tune with your tegu. YOU get to see his body language. YOU get to witness when he's feeling scared, or confident - when he's hungry and when he wants to relax and sleep.

My point is, no matter HOW much information you have, at the end of the day YOU are responsible for making choices that will affect your tegus life and over-all happiness.

Be patient, make sure his enclosure and temps are set up like most, keep him fed and watered and then learn from each other.

If your whole experience with a tegu is simply going to be, ask a million questions, get a million answers and never learn from your tegu, what kind of experience is that going to be?

 

[Kasmut]

You do realize that while you can try and gather as much information on raising tegus as possible and get the best advice out there from multiple sources, in the end it comes down to what YOU do correct? YOU have to be the one that's in-tune with your tegu. YOU get to see his body language. YOU get to witness when he's feeling scared, or confident - when he's hungry and when he wants to relax and sleep.

My point is, no matter HOW much information you have, at the end of the day YOU are responsible for making choices that will affect your tegus life and over-all happiness.

Be patient, make sure his enclosure and temps are set up like most, keep him fed and watered and then learn from each other.

If your whole experience with a tegu is simply going to be, ask a million questions, get a million answers and never learn from your tegu, what kind of experience is that going to be?

I totally understand what you're saying, and you're right. I don't see the harm in being informed however, but I do know that at some point it's just me and him and no one else. I really didn't expect to be coming here to ask advice for every little thing he does, but I just got him and I am very new to Tegus in general, so I just wanted to get all my bases covered before just going with the flow and doing what I think he best for him as an individual gu. I appreciate your words though and you're absolutely right.