Taking tegu outdoors

[Gilgamesh Owner]

I have a 1 year old b & w argentine tegu. I got him last fall from Agama, and he hibernated all winter. He has been awake for almost 2 months now.

I let him sit in his cage for a few weeks until he stopped puffing up everytime we walked by the cage. I can now handle him, and he even wants out of his cage all the time! The only thing is that he wants to roam freely and he is just too small still.

If I allow him to roam on the couch, etc. instead of making him sit in my hands, will he never allow me to handle him?

Also, today I finally got his leash on him and attempted to take him outside for some real sun. As soon as I got him outside, he started freaking! He tried running and wouldn't allow me to pick him up without trying to bite me. He has never tried biting me until now. Will he ever be calm outdoors or does it wake up an instinct to just escape?

 

[varnyard]

I have a 1 year old b & w argentine tegu. I got him last fall from Agama, and he hibernated all winter. He has been awake for almost 2 months now.

I let him sit in his cage for a few weeks until he stopped puffing up everytime we walked by the cage. I can now handle him, and he even wants out of his cage all the time! The only thing is that he wants to roam freely and he is just too small still.

If I allow him to roam on the couch, etc. instead of making him sit in my hands, will he never allow me to handle him?

Also, today I finally got his leash on him and attempted to take him outside for some real sun. As soon as I got him outside, he started freaking! He tried running and wouldn't allow me to pick him up without trying to bite me. He has never tried biting me until now. Will he ever be calm outdoors or does it wake up an instinct to just escape?

I would say it did wake up an instinct to just escape. He is outside and is thinking he is free. The trust between you and him will take time. There is a lot of helpful information on taming tegus in this forum. He will get better the more you work with him.

This thread should be helpful! If you have any other questions feel free to ask. Just click on this link.

http://www.faunaclassifieds.com/forums/showthread.php?t=77886

 

[Gilgamesh Owner]

Thanks for the link varnyard!

I have been letting him crawl into my hand when I take him out of the cage. He decides if he is getting out. It seems to be working well, although he still hisses a bit early in the morning.

I also started feeding him outside his cage, since he lets me pick him up now. Sometimes I put a bowl of fruit and veggies in his cage after he eats his meat out of the cage.

I am having a hard time getting him to eat veggies. He will eat a bit of fruit, but not much. If there is a choice, he always eats the meat/insects. Do you think it would be a good idea to feed him meat every other day and offer only fruit and veggies on the days he doesn't get meat? I tried feeding him everyday for a few days, but I overfed him and he threw up. I am sticking to every other day. Occasionally I am skipping 2 days if his stomach looks really full.

A petshop owner/breeder tried telling me to feed him 100% carnivorous, because the fruit and veggies can give him diarrhea. This same guy told me to let his water go bone dry in between filling it so that he doesn't drink too much. Luckily I know better!

He also suggested that I not allow him to hibernate. I would like him to hibernate to slow down his life/increase his lifespan and replicate nature as much as possible. I have heard stories of them never waking up though. Is this a real concern? I know that I have to make sure the bowels are empty. Well, I will worry about that more when fall approaches.

Thanks!

 

[varnyard]

Thanks for the link varnyard!

I have been letting him crawl into my hand when I take him out of the cage. He decides if he is getting out. It seems to be working well, although he still hisses a bit early in the morning.

I also started feeding him outside his cage, since he lets me pick him up now. Sometimes I put a bowl of fruit and veggies in his cage after he eats his meat out of the cage.

I am having a hard time getting him to eat veggies. He will eat a bit of fruit, but not much. If there is a choice, he always eats the meat/insects. Do you think it would be a good idea to feed him meat every other day and offer only fruit and veggies on the days he doesn't get meat? I tried feeding him everyday for a few days, but I overfed him and he threw up. I am sticking to every other day. Occasionally I am skipping 2 days if his stomach looks really full.

A petshop owner/breeder tried telling me to feed him 100% carnivorous, because the fruit and veggies can give him diarrhea. This same guy told me to let his water go bone dry in between filling it so that he doesn't drink too much. Luckily I know better!

He also suggested that I not allow him to hibernate. I would like him to hibernate to slow down his life/increase his lifespan and replicate nature as much as possible. I have heard stories of them never waking up though. Is this a real concern? I know that I have to make sure the bowels are empty. Well, I will worry about that more when fall approaches.

Thanks!

Here is a link to my care sheet. http://www.faunaclassifieds.com/forums/showthread.php?t=78209

I am a proven breeder, as well as a keeper for a long time of these tegus. In this care sheet you will see that most tegus under one year of age will not eat any fruits or veggies, some will, but most will not. Adult Argentine tegus need fruit to aid in shedding, even more so with the Argentine red tegus. The Colombian tegus do not have as much problems with sheds as the Argentine tegus do. They also do not eat fruit.

As for the bowels being empty before hibernation. Tegus know if they need to get warm to digest excess food. They will come out of hibernation to finish this process. I have had mine come out in December before with temps in the mid 40s. They will lay in the sun for a few hours, and then return to hibernation. It is not IMO going to effect them during hibernation in this case.
I hope this helps!!