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I was just curious what the best steps were to taming a new baby tegu. So far Ive been tinkering around in his cage and he seems a bit less affected by my hand. I can usually pet him and hes ok with it. He still doesnt like being picked up too much and scurries off whenever I try. I was wondering what to do to stop this... I dont know if picking him up anyway will 1) assert dominance and show him i mean no harm or 2) stress him out further and scare him more. Any advice? Also do they calm down with age? I mean it makes sense to say that hes prolly scared bc hes so small compared to whats picking him up hehe. Any advice would be appreciated...thanks.

Sounds like you are on the right track with just letting him get used to your hand by messing around in the tank. Also yes they will mellow out as the get older/bigger. It is a size issue as in the wild as hatchlings they are potential food, the older they get the less likely they are to be fed upon so they calm.
When you try to pick him up try petting a little then sliding your hand underneath him instead of picking him up from the top like say a birds claw would. Pick them up from underneath and make sure he is supported so that he is not afraid of falling. These are just some thoughts. I would also go ahead and pick him up anyway for a few minutes any way and then put him back to show that running will not stop you. Once he has been picked up and handled a few times (may take a few weeks) he will start to learn that you are not going to eat him and calm down. Good luck
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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

ya so far ive been doing the whole...picking up from underthing. Shouldi just kinda grip him when he tries to run off...I mean i dont want him to jump free just yet but i dont wanna constrict movement at all. so far ive just been keeping a somewhat firm grip and petting him to calm him down. Sometimes he starts to fall asleep and other times he will open his mouth...which im pretty sure means he wants a piece of my finger hehe. Ill keep workign with him and hopefully he will get better.

He will get better with it as he gets a little larger and also as he figures out you are not trying to eat him. Good luck to you wish you the best. Keep working with him it will pay off.
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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

That's the correct advice, but be prepared that he may never get used to holding/handling. My big male is one of those that just hates to be off the ground. He is also one that now refuses to go potty in his enclosure, so every weekend, we have this monumental battle to get him outside on the lawn so he can do his business. He's an absolute gem as long as his feet are on the ground and loves to get his head scratched. When he was little, he was a little better but would struggle when I first picked him up. I would hold him for a few minutes and he would settle down. Now he has let me know that he just does not like to be picked up. Sometimes he will settle down a little, but not often. Anyway, keep working with him and good luck! Billy

>>He will get better with it as he gets a little larger and also as he figures out you are not trying to eat him. Good luck to you wish you the best. Keep working with him it will pay off.
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>>Beau W.
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>>"There are no athiests in foxholes. It is not an argument against athiesm but rather one against foxholes." James Morrow

Good luck wiht your Tegu. Most reptiles have a dread of all things living when they are young. I'm going through the exact same process with a baby eastern indigo snake. Through handling our handling and their growing, we should both find calmer animals sooner or later.

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One female Eastern Indigo. That's right, just one snake. But she's my dream-snake, so back off man.