Reptile & Amphibian Forums

How would one go about acclimating a tegu to large crowds, say a school classroom? My mother works in a school, and wants me to bring some of my critters in. Of course my tegu needs to grow a bit more before I trust him. Am I correct to say a tegus tameness has a lot to do with his size, which is a scale of his confidence in himself? If so, then from your experiences, about what size do they seem to start really chilling out? Do the adults tend to stay more still than the juvies when you get them out? My tegu is cool for about 5 minutes, then he's off to explore. Thanks for your time!
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-Bill

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What I did was set a tank up in my wifes classroom when my blue was still really small. She would go in and just hang out the kids would reach in and pet her and then go about thier day. After a while she was pretty good about not running off every time I took her out and put her on the floor. She would still go and find a place to hide though usually in a kids back pack. I think I was blessed with her though since the people that had first got her hand fed her and when the gave her to me she was already just a sweet loveable little girl. Our Red though he was sweet enough just did not want to be out around all the kids. What we did with him was. I took him in after the class was out to lunch one day and just let him run the floor. Once he got his bearings he was cool still does not really care for the touching and attention like the blue does but he tolerates it. That and my wifes kids know they are not allowed to pick them up with out asking. So really they just walk around the class and do what they want.
The few shows I have done for other classes I use my blue since she loves the attention she is like a puppy that one she will follow me around the house or head off to a kids room for the attention.
You are right though the bigger the tegu the more mellow they seem to be. I guess my red started to mellow alot when he got to be about 2 feet total length. This new Arg b&w my wife picked up the person that had her first never did any thing with her so my wife and all my kids have been taking turns handling her a little at a time. While she never bit or tried to tail whip she would run from them at first. She is around 3 feet now and starting to tame down some.
I would maybe take your tegu into the room and sit down on the floor with it. Let a few kids at a time come up and just pet while you hold it. That way if your tegu starts to freak you will know it and can let the kids know that is enough for now. After a little while they will get so that they do not mind at all. One warning once you get yours to run the room warn the kids to keep thier lunches picked up. I had to buy one of my wifes students lunch one day when my blue found her way into his backpack and then the lunch bag she really did like the kids chicken sandwhich... The kid laughed and thought it was funny so that was good. I think you will enjoy working with the kids with these guys it is very rewarding. Just be prepared you might get some calls from parents asking why thier son or daughter now wants a three foot lizard. All the parents at my wifes school now me since it is a very small private christian school where she works. Sorry this is so long I hope it helps though If you have any more questions feel free to email me at christopher.b.warren@us.army.mil
Good luck. How big is your tegu now, and what type?

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Beau W.

"There are no athiests in foxholes. It is not an argument against athiesm but rather one against foxholes." James Morrow

i dont think age really has anything to do with it. Taz was as tame when i got him as he is now. doesnt act any different. always wants out to walk around. when he gets tired he crawls up on my bed and gets inside my pillow case and goes to sleep. i've had babies that were real tame, and as adults got more skittish, and vice versa. i think its just the individual attitude and personality of that one tegu. i've got 3 tegus at my house and they all have different personalities, but are all tame. with kids present, i would always hold the tegu and let them pet the back or the tail. i've only known of 2 tegus that dont care about having their head poked at. thats Taz (my tegu) and Jethro, old friend from Canada. he has pics of him opening his mouth. i can do the same and put my hand inbetween his jaws and he will sit there keeping his mouth open until i take my hand away. or if he doesnt want to deal with it he pulls his head back, and then closes his mouth. i do this because i get him out around other people all the time when i take him to work with me. not just for fun.

I bring my tegus to my wifes classroom every year . Santiago just sits in my lap like normale . He seems to handle the noise fine. I took Siena my blue female in . She was fine till they mad alot of noise , Then she got a little bit nervis. I do not let any of the kids handle the lizards. I do let them pet the tail of Santiago if they want to. I say only take animals you trust . Take care Russ

We just spent the entire weekend at Binder Park Zoo in Battle Creek, MI, for their Reptile Weekend. We took a total of 28 animals, including Felix, the Argentine Tegu, and MiMi, the Cyclura hybrid. They were very popular with the crowds. When I exhibit these larger animals at the expos and other educational events that we do I set them up higher than table level, usually on top of a collapsible dog crate, with a heating pad sandwiched between a couple of layers of soft towels. I feed the Tegus well 2 days before the show and a small meal usually the day before. Felix was touched and petted and examined by close to 10000 people at this last event and he was a perfect gentleman the entire time.
I have used several of my adult Tegus in this fashion, including some that are infrequently handled. I advise the spectators not to touch close to the head. When there are a lot of little children around touching him I will place my hand over the animals face and jaw, just to be on the safe side.
This is a photo taken last year of a Blue Tegu and my yearling Rhino hanging out at a local show.

a lot has to do with the kids as well. they need to be controlled, not running and screaming. They also need to learn to take turns, one at a time is a rule I really try to stick to. When we do exhibits, Fred is fine but when 20 or 30 people rush him all at once with their hands out trying to touch him he gets a bit restless. I take him outside and let him wander around for a few minutes to calm down. One other thing, it's a good idea to bathe them first. try to get them to poop before going in front of a crowd. I also take mine out shopping so he is more used to crowds of people and the noise.

This is fred at Home Depot

At school

some kids are happier than others with a kiss from a big lizard.

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Bennett

www.beardiedragon.com

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Signature edited for TOS violation.

Edited on August 23, 2004 at 00:13:49 by phwyvern.