Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Sorry this is so long

Ok for those who remember I have a mali which isnt very tame, Ive been subjected to tailwhippings poops hisses. But I was trying to tame it, by putting it on my lap and cupping it with my hands so she couldnt see anything.
Well I was doing this the other day and I wanted to turn off the light in my room so with her on the newspaper I put between her and my lap I got up to turn off the light. She tryed and bolt off the newspaper and by reaction I grabbed her by the tail. BIGGGGGGGG MISTAKE!!!! she started shaking her body from side to side with her mouth open!!
So I said screw the lights and right away I sat back down and cuped her in my hand and OUCHH she bit me for the first time, because of the surprise I flitched and my hands jumped and off she went, on to the chase!!!
SO shes loose in my room and seems to be in a pretty bad mode, As I try to aproach her I see she wants to bite the living daylights out of me so I kind of took a sock in the palm of my hand in case she bit, well the sock started to fall I grabed it by one tip, and on the other tip she bit and Deathrolled like a crocodile, shaking violently!!! Good thing it wasnt my finger.

I put her back right away, but ever since the when I put my hand in the tank and try to pick her up she tries and bite right away. So I decided to give her up, and took her to a store who offered me 20 for her, I was about to do it but then I felt bad, and guess what she came back with me, behaving like an angel on the way home!!!
But once I put her back in her cage, it began all over again.
The bites, hissing the works!!!

No one in my house likes the fact that I keep reptiles and everyone dislikes her most of all, refering to her as the ugly lizard, and want me to get rid of her.

I just dont know what to do anymore, advice anything???

Sorry for the long post
Jack

Ohhhhhhhh, Jack!

It seems to be getting worse for you, not better. Is there any uro person who lives around you that may be able to help you out? Perhaps if you could find an experienced person, they may be able to direct you or even trade with you if this isn't working out. I got a female rainbow benti due to her skittish personality and her owner's desire for a nice tame pet not being compatible. She is not as afraid now, but does not want to be handled. I guess some are only meant to be observed, not handled. I think you have tried...anybody out here with any more suggestions??? Best of luck to you.

Pam

I wish there was someone who could help me, im in the NY area. And I just dont think im ready to give up on her or trade her in.
I know the poor thing is just affraid, although now maybe shes just pist LOL. Maybe I should call Animal Planets Pet Psychic LOL.
Anyways Ill keep trying I think the best thing now is to find a food she cant resist, so if you know of any I should try thats not too hard to get let me know.

Jack

My Mali isn't too keen about being picked up either. At least he doesn't give me a hard time when I'm trying to clean the snalt from his nose (he recognizes the Q-tip) but that's as far as the handling goes. I put his cage next to the mirror one day and he seems pretty intrigued by his reflection staring back at him, almost amused. Maybe uros that don't care for the company of a human may enjoy the company of another uro instead. When Ra gets old enough (and I'm sure of the gender), I want to get him an appropriate mate. How does your uro react to other uros?

Ive never put her with another Uro, and when I bought her at the show she was the last one, so even there I didnt get to see her with another uro.
The thing is though the mali was supposed to be the most pet out of all my lizards. So either she learns to get handled or me and her are going to have some problems LOL

Thanks
Jack

You could always pick out a good mate for her with an excellent temperment. Maybe she'd eventually have little baby uros so you can begin the bonding process early
Baby uros are just soooo cute

K....don't give up. I have 3 uros and all of em are pretty tame. My male who is CB and i aquired him at 17 grams ... 4.4 inches (head to tip of tail) is SOOOOO tame...this is because I got him young and spent countless hours with him. The best possible method to "tame" her or get her to trust you...is first to trust the hand....don't pick her up for a while...get her used to your hand....go slow. Allways have an "offering" for her...make the "hand from above" a good experiance every time you put the hand in....I find my uro;'s go crazy over oat seeds...in budgy mix...the long rice looking seeds. just hold it in your fingers and all three of my uros will gently take it from me or any guest that offers this to them...never have I been bitten. DO NOT TEASE THEM...and pull the seed away...I do this sometimes to lure them out of hiding, instead of distrubing them and moving furniture to get at them. Do this lots, and also with grees...I find my uros won't allways take greens as theyre not allways hungry....but the oats are a sure thing all the time. Hibscuss, edable flowers work well too. and when you do finally handle her OPEN PALM all the time....never grab them...I find they don't run off on you as much and don't get as "fidgity" if you just open palm them and let them go....keep an open plam somewhat infront of them allways (so they don't get away...but as I said don't grasp or grab them)
I hope this helps
~Chris~

Thanks, Mine is WC I bought her april 13th. I tried the making a hand a good experience offering dandelions for about 3 weeks then progressing to pick her up in the cage and then to outside. Ive done all that. But after the til grabbing now everythiong is 10 steps back!! Trust me if I try the open palm her shell run off in a sec. Done it a few times already, and I feel that then the catchinng her is even more traumatic. As far as puttin a hand in front of her, this is what I did when I mentioned cupping her with my hands but nowif I try shell bite right away.
Im still gonna work on her and hopefully we can get past this setback.

Thanks for your input

P.S. Could you tell me where or how to get those oat seeds you mentioned, is there something I can buy with just that???

Jack

well, I used to buy budgy seed...and about 20% of it were these seeds...all 3 would pick out the oat seeds first then....mayyyybe eat the other seeds. Again these seeds are oval shaped, look like grass seed. My pet store that I buy my crix from now bags just he oat seed on their own...so I mix it in with the budgy seed to get a better ratio. It was hard just trying to find "oat" seeds....you'd probably have to buy the budgy seed and pick em out. the brand name that I buy is Hagen Budgy seed....feeed some to her...and I 99% guarantee that sh'll pick out the long oval shaped seeds....then you can hand feed it to her....just wait a while before you pick her up...and when you do pick her up...bring her into a quarnatined/empty room or area...so if she does get away she has nowhere to hide...and you can remain calm...I find my uro's can scense at least anger in me...as well as probably other emotions as well (fear...from strangers, love from me and my girl etc.)....remember take it slow...and only get her used to YOU at first.
~Chris~

I know this can be true for other reptiles / animals and it may be true with your Uro. Is your Uro cage a sliding front door or a top opening one? The reason is that sometimes when an animal is approached from up above, they think you are a predator and they go into their fight or flight mood. If you're Uro's cage is a sliding door it could still feel as if you are a predator by the cage being lower than you are standing. Basically when you approach the animal, kneel down and get eye level so the animal doesn't feel threatened. Also constantly handling the animal will eventually break it's bad mood. Good luck.