Aggression

[Zack Wilke]

So I've had Zynithar for about 4 months. I got him as a hatchling. He's never been one to be aggressive, but today, when my mother tried to feed him (I was gone) he lunged at her with what she claimed was 'complete malice'. I don't know what would cause him to suddenly act like this. I've never held him because he doesn't want to be held, but he still has never acted like this. Also, she's fed him before, so it's not like he's unfamiliar with her.
1. I feed him in his enclosure.

 

[snibborsirk]

Sounds like a definite feeding response to me. I usually don't feed my reptiles (especially tegus and monitors) in their cage until they are completely comfortable with their environment and those that feed them. I worked with practically every monitor and tegu possible at a reptile specific pet store for several years (in combo with my personal collection). If you don't handle them and only feed them in their enclosure, they will attack anything and anyone that enters the enclosure thinking (or hoping) that it's food. Although they may not "like" it at first, you must handle them frequently to gain their trust and build a relationship, otherwise they will just be a wild tegu that wants to eat whatever they can. Don't worry, tegus are really smart and generally learn quickly to know their owners. I've just had more success removing them from their cage to feed them if you're wanting a pet tegu.

 

[Zack Wilke]

Do you have any handling tips for an aggressive tegu? This is the first day that he's been aggressive, so I assume he will continue the behavior. I can never get him out of the cage because he violently squirms. I don't want him to hurt himself, so I just put him back down.. I've found that he likes to crawl up my arm, but he can still fall when I'm transferring him out of the cage to the bath tub

 

[b0nes]

Do you have any handling tips for an aggressive tegu? This is the first day that he's been aggressive, so I assume he will continue the behavior. I can never get him out of the cage because he violently squirms. I don't want him to hurt himself, so I just put him back down.. I've found that he likes to crawl up my arm, but he can still fall when I'm transferring him out of the cage to the bath tub

Many people I've seen have told me when a Tegu or many other lizards violently squirm about you NEVER put them down, you continue to hold them till they get calmer. Placing them down is a reward for bad behavior, I can only assume that it somewhat forces him to be somewhat ok with handling.
Also yeah If you never let the tegu out of it's cage and interact with you or other people you live with you are kinda not letting them get used to people especially with food, and that's true for a lot of caged reptiles (Mostly in my experience with snakes) of which it may just be food based aggression. Now granted I am new to Tegus and will be getting my B/W Argentine Tegu this month in some time, I'm positive you can break the aggression. Some people have also told me that Tegus generally get aggressive near and around their puberty stage but it's only temporary. Sorry if this wasn't too helpful but I do wish you the best of luck with your Tegu.

 

[Walter1]

On the balance, I think they're easy.

 

[Shannonsbabytegus]

we've handled ours and our monitors since day one an they're so well tempered I couldn't imagine them if they weren't. For the size they get that could be very brutal.

 

[Jrock23]

Ok, your tegu is not aggressive. It sounds like a food response to me.. My reticulated python great excited at the sight of food and response is off the chain.. If my nile monitor sees me with tongs in my hand, he is charging to me cause he knows i have food... Its not that they are aggressive, they just have an aggressive feeding response. By the way I agree, that in any event of any kind of animal bitting you or bite you, never put them down.. You are rewarding bad behavior and all it takes is just one time for them to bite you and you put them down.. They going to always do it because they know what the outcome will be...

 

[Walter1]

So, set food in a specific owl in morning before it wakes up.