Handeling a new Tegu

[nevermore_66]

Hey all. A few months back, I purchased a young black and white Tegu from Agama. In the last couple weeks it has slowly awoken from hibernation and has taken a few bites of turkey. In that time, I gave it space to get used to the new surroundings.

Today I tried interacting with him/her as I’d like to be able to take it out of the cages for feeding (I have a colony of hissing roaches I’d like it to start feeding on). At first contact it thrashed and tail whipped and eventually started jumping and snapping.

Any pointers on the approach I should take for the first handling sessions with a little tegu? Should I give it time to get used to seeing me around the cage…or should I just go right in and grab him?

Also, the way the little one thrashes, I'm worried it will hurt itself more than me - it whips itself about almost faster than my eye can track, slamming into the cage furniture. Would a towel or shirt be helpful in picking it up (to wrap it in)?

[varnyard]

Joshua, Let me first say, Put yourself in your tegu's position. He is small, you are very big. Big things eat small things. So in his mind he is thinking you are wanting to eat him.To start with, you must build trust with your lizard. Here’s some helpful hints: first off the most important thing that people do wrong, is disturbing them when they are in their hide, never do this, this is their place of safety, that is one sure way to loose trust with your tegu. Next never (man handle) them, they seem to respond better if you are gentle. It is not going to happen over night. And just try to stay calm around him. If he thinks you are going to hurt him he will go into the fight or flight responce. So just take your time, and he will realize you are not a threat and calm down. Keep this in the back of your mind. In the wild these little guys are prey, so when you handle him, remember this. He will come to know you as a friend and not a foe. If you are gentle and slow when handling them, they will feel more comfortable, and respond better when they are handled.
Think of them as your puppy, when you pick him up, do not grab him behind the neck or around the belly, just reach under him. Hold him with a lite grip.
Tegus are the same as a puppy, they don't like to be grabbed either.
Instead reach under them with a loose hand and be gentle. Also when handling them. Let them move through your loose hands, just keep putting one hand in front of the other until he calms down and stops moving. Just remember, the more you grab them and try to restrict them, the longer it will take for him to trust you and become tame. The more interaction you have with him, the better. Just try to handle him with a very slow hand, in a calm manner. I hope this helps. :)

[nevermore_66]

Hey thanks for the quick reply. I understand the lizard being extra fearful because it's young (that seems to be a universal with reptiles) - I just don't have much experience with lizards (more wiht snakes) and I like to ask my questions really basic because I figure if someone explains it to me like I'm a 3 year old, I won't miss any details :)

I'll be sure to take it slow with the little guy. I'm wishing, now, that he was in a side opening cage so I could open it up and let him wander out on his own (with the enticement of a bowl of food - as I want to start getting him/her used to eating outside the cage as soon as possible.

But I've raised reptiles from scared hatchlings to confident adults before, so I'll just have to be patient.

Thanks for the input.

Do you find food to be a good way to gain their trust, early on - or is that just inviting them to associat my hand with food.

[varnyard]

Do you find food to be a good way to gain their trust, early on - or is that just inviting them to associat my hand with food.

This is a bad idea, due to the fact that tegus can be very food aggressive. I feed mine at night, just for that reason. Then they will never associate me with food. When they come out of their hide the next morning they will find the food on their own. However, I do not leave live prey in their enclosures.
I feed frozen rodents as well, these are put into the enclosures at night, by morning they will be completely thawed. There is no worry about them feeding on these while they are still frozen, due to the fact that tegus will not leave their hides at night. Do understand, when I refer to these enclosures, they are outside with natural lighting. If you are keeping your tegu inside with the lights on at night, then this option would pose a problem. You could still feed him when he is in his hide, but I would not risk the frozen rodents, but rather completely thawed instead. :)

[Nero557]

A good idea to get a tegu, or tegus to not associate your hand with food would either be bobby's way, (which is a great idea), or just make sure you use the same type of dish every time, (so if you use a paper plate, always use a paper plate) Tegus are quite smart, you'd be surprised and they will associate that dish with food instead of your hand. Good luck, and give him time, and he will come around.