i just got a golden tegu yesterday and i've been trying to hold him and tame him but he just runs away everytime i go to hold him what am i doing wrong?
I have heard conflicting things. some say to completely leave them alone for a week and let them them hide [do you have lots of hides?] and others say handle several hours everyday. i try to handle as much as possible, but they are wiggly as a snake! [and bite!] how big is he? i've never seen a GOLDEN tegu, do you have any pics?
she is about 10-12'' with tail and is very cute and i have lots of hide but she cant burrow because i took out the bark because she was eating it but i think the are also known as colombian tegu you can search them on google or yahoo they're really cool
taming Personally I agree with the practice of letting the lizard get use to you by interacting with them during cleanings and such. Luckily I didnt have to tame my monitors at all. My female made the first move by climbing out of her enclosure and onto me her second day here and my male came tame from varanid fan who had him since he was a tiny baby up till age 2 1/2 years.
I just recently got a savannah monitor this last year and she is like a dog! I got her from a pet store for $25, they had her in a ten gallon tank and I just felt so bad for her I bought her. She is awesome, I can take her out and she will sit on my lap/shoulder and just climb around and just be as sweet as can be. I used to love snakes only, and am just this year getting into monitors, chameleons etc. I love them! good luck with the tegu man, just hold him as much as possible and he will turn out pretty good.
i already have my male dav pretty tame, it's the female that gets all hissy. she doesn't trust me because of the syringe i had to give her twice a day for 2 weeks!
not a needle, it's like one of those plastic baby syringes, i had to give her liquid calcium for her broken leg orally. if she runs away while i'm holding her, how am i suppose to handle her with an open hand? [as ive been told to hold] i've had them for a couple weeks and they are not out and about very often, still hiding extensively.
I dont mean to rain on your parade cowtowncrazer but a colombian or (golde ) tegu will never become dog tame, if you wanted that then you should have went with an Argentine Black and white, colombians may not all fit their reputation but it is VERY VERY rare for them to even be as tame as a cat. You will most like end up with a big tegu that you will be able to handle with caution and handle for a short time each day. You can't take these guys out on leashes or anything, They are one of the most agressive tegus. I am not saying you cant tame it, because mine is fairly calm. I am just letting you know they dont get that tame
My cousin has a 3 Golde tegu and they are as "tame" as dogs all of them. I guess it just depends on the lizard. Some savs never become "tame" either. My savs tollerate me thats about it right now though i have noticed some calming in time i have had them.
thats surprising, all 3 of them are tame? about 95 percent of every colombian i have seen,met,or heard of is meaner than heck. your cousin is lucky to get 3 that are calm
perhaps he is just a good daddy to his babies he has always had a thing for reptiles ever since he was young. I know nothing about golde tegu but i do know his are like babies and he seems to love them quite alot. Yes all three are "tame" as they can get laying around the house like dogs. they are lazy.