My 22 month old cyclura cornuta resides in a 4'x2' encolsure. He is about 24-25 inches STL. My question is, every time I stick my hand in the enclosure to pick him up he gets in a defensive posture and sometimes runs around the cage a little. He only tries to bite me if I come in directly above him or if I chase him around the cage with my hand. After I manage to grab him he squirms around for about 10 seconds then totally settles down. I hold for about 20 minutes then put him back for the rest of the day he tolerates me completley. The next day it starts over again. I try to handle him every day. He has really progressed since I got him though. Should I keep doing what im doing?
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taming question
Charlie_A
Sep 22, 2005 04:12 PM
Replies (1)
cycluracornuta
Sep 23, 2005 11:08 PM
If he is improving, than it won't hurt to proceed. I prefer to bribe them close with food, and then scoop them up. Or have them climb up my hand to get to a piece of food in my other hand. I do like grabbing as it usually ends up hurting them, which provokes defensive actions. I had one juvenile that was seldom handled for 2-1/2 years in a 2x2x6. When she was taken out and put in a free roaming situations, she became very tame for petting, but like most cornuta, did not like being picked up.
