Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Ok my tegu holds it all day long untill i pick him up and then goes all over me. Its not because hes mad or scared, and ive tried bathing him and letting him sit for a while, then i pick him up and he lets lose 10 min. later. anyone got any suggestions. The smell gets kinda anoying after a while,and im running out of ideas. Thanks for any help.

as soon as i take mine out of her cage i put her on some newspaper. she is not allowed off the paper until she goes. she now goes right away after i put her on.

It's funny this topic came up, I was just about to post about the same "crap" . My blue is finally nice enough to let me pick him up, but as soon as we leave the enclosure, he poops and/or pees all over (not as a defensive move). He's even done it twice in the same hour (I guess to mark territory). The newspaper sounds like a good idea, but what if he goes again? I was thinking of making a tegu diaper somehow. Maybe wrap a small towel around the back legs?
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-reptilian9

I think it is their way of saying I'm not afraid of you. They just aren't sure about this handling business. Your tegu should out grow it. I once saw a 2 foot savannah that did the same thing except it was a spray. The guy wanted to give it to me. I passed because it was just too much poo.

Sometimes when I'm holding my tegu it will cut a little fart??? I think it is marking me as his territory. He seems to have out grown that behavior too.

This behavior might be an attempt by the tegu to psych or intimidate you into putting it back in the cage where it feels more safe. Keep trying. You may have to call it's bluff and keep handling. It should get easier.

Mike B