Reptile & Amphibian Forums

hey my name is shane. i got a B&W argentine a few months ago. when i got him he was a little more than a hatchling. he is now about 2 feet. i was just wondering how you can tame or work with him so he is nicer? he is not bad now. he is primarily only fiesty when he is hungry. i hold him as often as possible and let him run around in my room. he hates getting taken out but is usually fine within a few minutes after i put him down on the floor. i want to get him tamer before he gets any bigger. he is in a 72x30x24 cage.

You are wise to think about working with your tegu now. A 2 foot
lizard that is unruly is anoying...a 4 foot lizard can be
downright dangerous.

Keep these things in mind:
1. Time - spend time handeling and just being around your tegu.
It needs to leard what is not a threat. Tegus are wild animals.
A few generations on lizard farms does not trump millions of
years of evolution. Do it often. Tegus are really smart lizards,
but they are still lizards.

2. Time

3. Time

4. Wildlife Thing - Never get mad at a tegu...or any other wild
animal you try to interact with. They are not golden retrievers
and cannot be disapline like one...and their just lizards...not
that bright. It's hard not to get upset when a large lizard
is clawing up your arms...or worse.

5. Be Realistic - Like any other animal, tegus are individuals.
Some will be "dog tame" out of the eg and stay that way for life.
Others can be worked with everyday and never get to be that way.
I don't really like the term "dog tame." They are lizards.
If you want a dog buy a dog, not a lizard. Reptiles don't
really enjoy us. They learn that we are not a threat and to
tolerate us. And I've seen my tegu crawl from the floor onto
the couch, onto my girlfriend's (ex) lap and nudge uner her hands.
He knew that she was not a threat and found a warm place to rest.

PLEASE do not feel that I was talking down to you. I was merely
trying to give a complete answer. My tegu is a pain in the butt,
but I think he's really cool. I think I'll go take him out
for a little while.

Good luck.

Thank you,

Brian

-----
Brian

"The Earth was not given to you by your parents. It is loaned to you by your children."

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