Tegu Taming

One thing that I'm surprised wasn't mentioned is that the OP said he purchased a gold tegu (aka black & gold, aka common, aka Colombian, etc). They are notorious for their aggressive behavior. While there are reports of some becoming fairly "tame", that is still the exception. They're still great animals, but they rarely turn into lapdogs.

BINGO! You said it. I have had them all(but Colombian b&w) and in my experience, you got the wrong lizard to expect it to be tame. Yes, there ARE exceptions to the rule but they are just that, exceptions. It is quite normal for a Golden Tegu to want to eat you alive and be the nastiest thing next to a Nile monitor you could possibly find. While there are "Argentine" tegus that are mean as well, this is not the rule. You would have done well to spend a bit more and get any variety of "Argentine" over a "Colombian" of any type...were you looking for a tamed animal.
In short, trade up!

Originally Posted by hhmoore

To the OP:
You feel like you've "nailed" the various husbandry considerations, but haven't described them. It isn't my desire to pick apart your set up, it's just that simple things like enclosure size and one's approach can make a pretty big difference in the response of the tegu.

Haha thank you for staying on topic, Not that I don't find in vs out of the tank feeding interesting. The set up is for a 8 inch long gold and black tegu. ( I would like to state before I say anything else that I have a much larger enclosure for him when he gets older. 9ft long by 5ft wide by 7ft tall. I did my research ) He is in a 75 gallon breeder ( a tank that has a larger floor area and less height then a standard 75.) It has approxiamately 3 1/2 to 4 in of bed a beast for burrowing. Various fake plants. A hideaway in the corner of the cage. A waterbowl large enough for him to soak in. A large rock for him to bask on. Warm side of the cage is in the nineties with the basking area being around 105 degrees, cool side is in the mid eighties. Moderate humidity. He basks for a few hours in the morning, walks around the cage, spending equal amounts of time in both the warm and cool side of the cage. Burrows in the evening, He eats VERY well and has just shed. Still crazy aggressive though. I am pretty sure it is a defense bite, not a feeding bite, but he will even leap off the ground to bite my hand.

Originally Posted by vadas89

Still crazy aggressive though. I am pretty sure it is a defense bite, not a feeding bite, but he will even leap off the ground to bite my hand.

I have had over the past 15 years+ Green Iguanas, Rock Iguanas, Nile monitors, Savannah Monitors, Mangrove Monitors, geckos, Water Monitors, various snakes and almost every type Tegu offered in the trade. In all these, the most aggressive were Nile Monitors (ranging 1 foot to 4' 10") and NONE were more aggressive than the one two foot Colombian tegu I had briefly. This critter actually jumped from point A to point B around 5-6 feet in length and over 2 feet high trying to bite me!!
THIS is why I stated,"Trade up!".
If you DID do the research, you would have known that those things don't make nice tamed pet lizards, PERIOD.
I also find it hard to believe that anyone who had done the research to go into such lengths, time, effort and sheer cost as to have a 5'Wx7'Hx9'L enclosure, could possibly want a $40 wickedly mean animal to fill it.
That's just crazy. IMHO
Different strokes for different folks, I suppose. Good luck!

I've done my best to differentiate between when I'm reaching in to feed and when I'm going in to hold him.

I saw this in your original post and thought I would offer the suggestion to try feeding outside of the viv.
( although how you differentiate to him between a feeding vs holding reach is beyond me?)

Haha thank you for staying on topic, Not that I don't find in vs out of the tank feeding interesting

Sorry for the suggestion being off-topic?, I will in the future avoid all of your posted queries.
Besides hhmore and gisherps have already answered why your Tegu is biting you ( after your thorough research you purchased an aggressive species and it is acting aggressively...go figure )and it doesn't sound like

it is a defense bite, not a feeding bite, but he will even leap off the ground to bite my hand.

When he's actively leaping off the ground putting himself in potential danger in order to inflict injury upon you, I think it's pretty safe to call it an offensive bite. lol
Best of Luck

Originally Posted by gisherps

If you DID do the research, you would have known that those things don't make nice tamed pet lizards, PERIOD.
I also find it hard to believe that anyone who had done the research to go into such lengths, time, effort and sheer cost as to have a 5'Wx7'Hx9'L enclosure, could possibly want a $40 wickedly mean animal to fill it.
That's just crazy. IMHO
Different strokes for different folks, I suppose. Good luck!

I am sorry, I should've clarified, I did research on the tegu basics IE Size requirements. I didn't research the black and gold specifically. The store I bought from is reputable and I was lead to believe the god and black would make a good choice for me. It was a poor decision on my part not to do more research first and I realize this. and I apologize for offending anyone. I appreciate the input. That also goes for the in vs out of cage feeding. I apologize for if my earlier post came off as dismissive. I was more referring to the argument that the two posters were having on the thread, not to any advice given. Thank you all for your advice and time. As for "trading up" my philosphy is that if you have the means to take care of an animal you shouldn't get rid of it just because you don't like its temperment. In other words I'm a big boy, I will sleep in the bed I made.

Also as to the larger enclosure being built, the cage had been built with the intent of housing green Iguanas several years ago, but we weren't able to get the height right for them so we held off.

Originally Posted by vadas89

my philosphy is that if you have the means to take care of an animal you shouldn't get rid of it just because you don't like its temperment. In other words I'm a big boy, I will sleep in the bed I made.

A commendable attitude, IMO. FWIW, I've kept a couple of gold tegus, and worked with a few others...I like them, in spite of (many would say "because of") their temperament.

I think I might be starting to feel that way about the little guy myself.

I hear ya on the "bed" comment. Animals shouldn't be disposable.
Too many times people get reptiles and pawn them off for what ever reason. I too have been guilty of such in the past. Reptiles, more than any other animals are often treated like trading cards, which is sad.
In light of such, there are a couple tegu websites that both have very good info on them. Tegu talk and the tegu are good places to find fellow tegu owners and info. Good luck with your little monster!

Thank you. I appreciate that. FYI The little monster's sitting on my shoulder right now. He seems to bet a lot better agression wise once he's out of his cage.