Young Tegu Handling Advice

[burnd4life]

I recently got my first Tegu, he's 4 to 6 month (Vivarium couldn't tell me exactly) I have been trying to handle and feed him in another tank but he is very nervous (huffs and puffs) and runs whenever I try and take him out. I really don't want to over stress the little guy if I can help it. Should I just let him eat in his own tank for a little while and start the process over when he's had time to get used to his tank, me, etc? Any help or suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

 

[lilgonz]

I would continue to feed him in another tank, that way you at least handle it a few times a day, it will just take a little time for him/her to understand that your not going to hurt it. Be patient.

 

[burnd4life]

Was there a time I should have waited before starting to try and handle/feed him? I picked him up Monday, gave him a night to himself and started pulling him out to feed him the next day and he only ate a pinkie and left the kingworms and fruit. He didn't eat today so I gave in and put fruit and kingworms in the tank with him tonight. I guess I'll start the whole circus over tomorrow. Thanks for responding.

 

[lilgonz]

As long as he was not in his hide, your doing fine, just don't wake him up or remove him from his hide, that is where he needs to feel safe. if he is active and moving around the cage then you can get him out to feed.

 

[burnd4life]

So your saying if it is feeding time and he's hanging out in his hide I should I just wait it out?

 

[lilgonz]

That is correct, let him come out, he will come out when he is hungry and will start searching for food, thats what they do in the wild.

 

[burnd4life]

Will do, thanks again gonz

 

[fireimp141]

Its also dependent on the gu. Once you get him used to you it seems to be less atrocious on them when taking them out of the hide. I wake tyson up every day to feed him and he just comes out the ground and comes to his basking spot and lays down for a minute then climbs up my arm out the cage, you just gotta give em a little time to get used to you. They will warm up to you.

 

[burnd4life]

Mine seems to prefer to bury himself over going into either of the two hides I have set-up. Maybe he is stuck-up, the local petshop didn't have any hides large enough so I made them out of tuperware containers. LOL