Yearling tegu help

[Jocierk]

So I got a yearling black and white argentinean a few months back (around March I think) and I have a few questions. When I first got him (he was shipped from FL) he hid for a week or so under the substrate but I read that was normal so I didn't worry about it. During this time I was feeding him by leaving food in a bowl for a few hours. After that few weeks I still didn't see him a lot but the food started disappearing and he regularly messed up his water. After a few weeks of that he started coming out regularly and basking. He has never been aggressive but anytime that I try to pick him up he arches up and hisses a little. I also had a shirt in the tank with him. That was when I realized I was missing valuable socialization opportunities so I started feeding him with tongs. I have been unemployed for the last two months and we got in a habit of me feeding him every few days with the tongs. He is still grumpy but I feel confident that if I had to pick him up I could relatively easily. I should also mention that he always eats during the day sometime between noonish and 3pm. Well last week I got a new job and now I am gone from 8am to 5pm. I haven't seen him once in the past week. I keep changing his water and make sure his temp and all that is good. I don't want to go back to feeding him in a bowl cause I think he will slid right back to not wanting anything to do with me but I am afraid that since I don't get home until 5pm he isn't ever going to be out and wanting to eat. How do people that work full-time socialize these guys? I hate the idea that I am just not going to have time to be a good owner for him but I also don't want him to be an unhappy neglected lizard. Any help or advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks so much in advance.

 

[Danya]

If you are gone all day at work, I would definitely take him out in the early morning before work and spend time with him, maybe give him a small snack and also take him out in the late afternoon when you get home and just chill with him, get on the floor with him and let him roam around and smell you, pet him if he'll let you or just talk to him. Yeah, I would say talk to him constantly, let him get used to your voice and identify you as that cool person who feeds him good stuff! I got my tegu when he was a yearling and it took a bit of time and a lot of patience before he got used to me and was ok with being handled daily. I can hand feed mine and walk him on a harness/leash now but it took time and repetition. Good luck!

 

[Walter1]

That's real good advice. Getting up or getting ready for bedtime, less jumpy as well. Also slightly cooler temps they're in at that time as hide should be at cool end.

Seems to me that petting or having them on your lap either because of lifting or their own crawling are the places to start. Actually lifting the animal off of the ground can be a touchier issue so trust in other things first can be important before lifting.

 

[Jocierk]

Should I take him out even if it means digging down to find him? I have heard that you shouldn't disturb them when they are hiding so I didn't want to do that and make him fear me.

 

[Mytegusarefun29]

My advice is to feed him out side of his enclosure and then let him walk around for a bit with supervision while petting him and talking to him. That is what has worked best with my tegus and they are very tame and comfortable with me being around them.

 

[Danya]

Well you can't let him hide forever and if he's never out, you'll never be able to interact with him so in this case, I would say dig him out.

 

[Jocierk]

Forced him to hang out with me tonight. After I got him out of his tank he did really well. I attached a pic. Thanks for all the help!

 

[Danya]

Yay! Glad to hear that! He looks awesome too!

 

[Walter1]

Good looking zard!

 

[Jocierk]

Thanks! He is hanging out on the couch with me right now. He did a lot better tonignt when I picked him out of the tank...no tail whipping or struggling. He still like to hide behind my back or under my leg when he is out but at least we are spending time together.

 

[Walter1]

Great. They love the pressure of security. Crosswise on your lap with your forearm resting lengthwise over him and over his eyes, maybe shirt tail over ad well works.

 

[Walter1]

As well works

 

[Jocierk]

He is very comfy under my leg lol

 

[Danya]

Awww! So sweet!