Weird behavior

[tjohnson722]

As you all have read, my husband wanted to sell my red tegu. However, thanks to some insight from a few people, I've talked my husband into giving him a second shot. Here's what's going on and set up.

Setup: 8x4x4 plywood and plexiglas, uvb bulb. Basking spot is right at 114 using chicken coop 250 watt infrared bulb and belly heat with flexwatt under the bedding at 81 degrees. Cool side is sitting right at 74 in far corner, middle cool side is 76. Cypress mulch and peat moss mixture 5" thick. Water bowl big enough to soak in if he wants. I have a lid he likes to bang on walls, & ball to mess with.

Ok, now for his behavior. He is eating great. Likes a lot of different foods eats it up. Whenever my husband is in the room and I open it to mess with him, feed him, water changes, etc he freaks. Hisses, tailwhips, etc. When I am by myself he tolerates me. I can't touch him, but he doesn't do those things. I can only pick him up if I am waking him up which I hate to do. Husband and I have been working on just sitting there. Last night tegu was in arm of the shirt we have in there. My husband was holding his food in front of food and he would poke his head out, grab some then run back in the arm and repeat. This repeated until the food was gone, only then did he tailwhip my husband. Rage will let me get in his cage to clean or whatever but everyone else he feels threatened by.

Are we doing something wrong? If so what do I do to right this?? He had a male for a previous owner, so I'm wondering if he's not afraid or feels threatened by males.

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[bfb345]

Your husband needs to work with him some more if he wants to hold him he needs to form a trust bond with him as well as you. Make him do some of the cleaning and water changing also try feeding outside of the cage in a special bin so that he will become less cage agressive and do not hand feed put the food into the bucket or container before you put him in their and do not let him see you put it in their.

 

[tjohnson722]

We did try to put him in a bin. It was a colored one so he wouldn't feel threatened we put lid on top of it a tad crooked. He tailwhipped the entire time. Didn't even touch the food. I gave up put him back in enclosure to feed after 20 minutes of that. Didn't want him to be hungry. I can try it again. I had my husband sit in front of the glass for 20 minutes each night. Well see if that helps. Since he's barely a yearlong someone mentioned maybe its (what I call) tegu puberty. I'm just worried about the situation.

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