Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I recently traded my BP for a B&W Arg. Tegu that i named Aron. Well, he/she has been terror ever since. Every time I reach in for him/her she tail whips me and runs away from me. She hasnt eaten for a week and i am getting very concerned. Are their any techniques i can do to tame him/her down to trust me? O and i reach in for her/him from the top, would that be a problem??

My golden Tegu was a terror when I first brought him home. According to my boyfriend he still is (my tegu likes me more than him. I think you just need patients. I have noticed that if I just try to reach right in and grab my tegu, he freaks more, and tries to bite, or just runs away and tail whips. What I do is reach in slow and let him know I am there. I slowly touch him, without restraining him. He hisses at me at this pount and still walks away, but does not freak, run, tail whip or try to bite. After he actually lets me put my hand on him, I pic him up by both shoulders and hips. He squirms, but calms when he realizes I am not going to hurt him. My tegu is still young and I have a lot of work to do with him, but I am gaining his trust.
I also had the problem of not eating for a while. I noticed it had to do with my picking him up without trying to get trust. It almost seemed as if he was depressed. I lrft him alone for a bit and tried a different type of food. I threw in a small hopper and it seemed to get his interest in food back. I had to give him baby mice a couple of feedings before he'd go back to eating other foods as well.
Although, since this is my first tegu, I am by far, not an expert. I am sure someone else could give better advice. This is just from my experience. Good luck. -sorry for any errors -typed in a hurry
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------Misty-------
5.12 Corn Snakes --- 1.0 Tokay Gecko
2.1 King Snakes --- 1.0 House Gecko
1.2 leopard Geckos --- 1.0 Golden Tegu
1.1 Bearded Dragon --- 0.0.1 Savanna Monitor
1.1 Green Iguana --- 0.0.1 Chinese Water Dragon
0.1 Crocodile Gecko --- 1.1 False Water Cobras
1.1 Jungle Corn --- 1.0 Ball Python
0.1 Kenya Sand Boa --- 0.1 Rose Hair Tarantula
1.1 Emperor Scorpions --- 3.0 Ferrets
1.1 Congo African Grey (parrot)--- 0.1 dog
0.0.3 Prairie Ringneck Snakes --- 1.0 blue tongue skink
1.2 rats babies --- always changing # of mice(snake food)

You can try opening the tank and letting it actually jump onto you... like its going on its own will. Do you feed it in the tank? You shouldn't.. Also if it is in a new environment some can be strange for a while till they get used to it. Mine has never been that way but give it like 2 weeks leaving it alone so it isnt in a stressful situation till it mellows out. Good luck.
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1.0 Argentine B&W Tegu
0.1 French Bulldog

Well, the reason i am trying to get her out is too fed her. She hasn't eaten for a week!

My second bw was a challange. With her, she would always rush and try to bite. With her, I would just grab her out with a towel and let her hang out on the couch.

My iguana, though, sounds more like your tegu. He's shy and he tail whips and flees. I would take him into a small room and just let him hang out with me and get used to watching me.
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2 RES
1.1 Argentine B/W Tegus
1.1 Iguanaa
1 leucistic texas ratsnake
1 water dragon-RIP Gimpy
0.1 Knight Anole
1 mountain horned lizard
2 Egyptian dune geckos
1 Emporer Scorpion
1 dusky conure
3 australian shepherds
3 cats