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Thread: Top Tips To Taming The Timid Tegu

  1. #1

    Cool Top Tips To Taming The Timid Tegu

    **I posted this on another forum but it wasnt geared towards Tegu's so i wanted to post this here to get some imput on you guys**
    Also hello! this is my 1st post

    So I have done a lot of reading in these forums, and tons of other websites...and I have gathered some pretty decent ideas on how to tame your tegu...these are not all of them and really the point of making this post is to get some general tips that people have learned from ether personal experience or like myself from reading...
    These are some tips...feel free to correct me and add w.e you think is a good general way to tame them.

    *Never Feed in the cage.
    ~Leads to a huge mess as these guys don't always keep their food in there bowl.
    ~can lead to impaction...food that's fed in the cage can get covered in the substrate and then eaten.
    ~Feeding them Outside of their cage can help stop cage aggression as they wont associate the cage as a place to eat.
    ~by taking the tegu out of the cage to feed them you have a daily positive event that your Tegu will associate with you.

    *Shirt trick
    ~This one is pretty simple, by having the tegu surrounded by your scent and realizing that nothing bad happens when he is around that smell, could lead to him not being so scared or timid when he is around you. It's all about the positive events.

    *Heat Lamp trick

    ~I saw this on YouTube...the poster got a heat lamp set it up next to the couch so that it was pointing at her lap..the Tegu would then be forced to lay on her lap in order to get heat..more positive events that the tegu will associate with you

    *Water Dish

    ~Fill his water dish when the tegu can clearly see that you are the reason that he is getting water...you are the water god giver of water!

    *Hand Feeding

    ~This is a very debatable subject. I can see this being positive as long as you hand feeding him is not the only interaction that the tegu associates with you. this is similar to the water trick..if he knows that he has to be around you in order to eat I can't see why he would attack..as long as ur not starving him. (just my opinion I have no first hand with this idea)

    Proper/Daily handling

    ~I think most people know the proper way to pick up a tegu. and with daily holdings he will again see you as a positive experience. never pick him up from the top as this is not natural and can simulate being attacked.

    *The Escape

    ~I have seen this done in 2 different situations. In the Cage or in the bathtub
    ~By making you and your arm the only way to get out, you are making him have physical interaction by his own will..no forcing..(sort of)

    These are all that I can think of...again if you think that something i wrote is not a good idea then feel free to say so and to also give your own tips.

    I hope this turns into a very informative Post

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Oct 2007
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    San Antonio,TX
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    Hi ArmyMedic. Welcome to our Tegu forum family. So far you did a very good job with your post . I do recommend not having any chemicals like deodorant, cologne or perfume on the shirt. This can be toxic to the Tegu. If someone hasn't hand fed their Tegu before I recommend to wash the hands before getting the Tegu out of the enclosure. If he smells the food on the hands he might/will bite. If a Tegus is skittish it's a good idea to sit by the enclosure and just talk to him, be on the computer, read a book or watch TV so he can see you and will learn that you are not going to hurt him. When letting the Tegu free roam around make sure all small places like holes are covert. Some Tegus got behing the kitchen or bathroom cabinet and got into the wall. If a Tegu gets into the wall put out some strong smelling food like hard boiled eggs or fish and a heat lamp. I recommend putting the Tegu on a reptile leash when taking him outside. There are so many other things I can think off but it would take for ever to list them. If you want to you are more than welcome to check out my youtube channel. I have some tips on there, too. The link is in my signature.
    Rich is not how much you have, or where you are going, or what you are.Rich is who you have beside you.

    Our videos :

    http://www.youtube.com/user/txrepgirl

  3. #3

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    this is very good post!
    heat lamp at lap! i will take that tip for my iguanas!

    Txrepgirl thanks for tip with my mothers tegus. They have become more calm in cage now when feeding outside cage
    thanks!

  4. #4

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    Quote Originally Posted by hillmans View Post
    this is very good post!
    heat lamp at lap! i will take that tip for my iguanas!

    Txrepgirl thanks for tip with my mothers tegus. They have become more calm in cage now when feeding outside cage
    thanks!
    awesome!! im glad you got something out of it!!

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Oct 2007
    Location
    San Antonio,TX
    Posts
    9,505

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    Hi Hillman. You are very welcome . Any time. I'm glad I could help. I'm glad to hear that it worked out well. Please tell your mom hi from me. Thank you.
    Rich is not how much you have, or where you are going, or what you are.Rich is who you have beside you.

    Our videos :

    http://www.youtube.com/user/txrepgirl

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Jul 2012
    Location
    Reno, NV
    Posts
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    ive never tried the heat lamp idea...to bad i dont trust my nile enough to do that one... and i hand feed my savannah and she loves it cuz i can made it move and give her a chase but shes very aware that its me. my tegus to shy to eat with me holding or even looking at her food but she realizes that when she gets into the bathroom its food and bath time and when were on the couch its relax time. awesome post though thanks

  7. #7

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    Quote Originally Posted by Montegu View Post
    ive never tried the heat lamp idea...to bad i dont trust my nile enough to do that one... and i hand feed my savannah and she loves it cuz i can made it move and give her a chase but shes very aware that its me. my tegus to shy to eat with me holding or even looking at her food but she realizes that when she gets into the bathroom its food and bath time and when were on the couch its relax time. awesome post though thanks
    Its pretty amazing how smart these animals really are!!

    and thank you glad you could take something from this

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