Cranky Little Tegu. Advice?

[SeanP28]

Hey all,

We have had our Colombian now for about a month now. He is about 13 or so inches long. What I am wondering is if anyone has any advice on ways to make him more sociable. We have been doing the normal cleaning his habitat while he can see us and things of that nature. He will even eat out of our hands but when it comes to getting anywhere close to picking him up and petting him, he freaks out and wants nothing to do with us. He will huff and puff but nothing more. He hasn't even attempted to bite anyone yet so I feel like he is more scared than anything. Any ways, if anyone has any advice one what might help break this fear so that he will be more social, it would be greatly appreciated!

 

[Ralph DeMayo]

Try putting your hand a few inches in front of his/her face. Instead of petting or reaching in to pick up, slowly approach with pointer and middle to get to the point where you are able to go under her mouth and do a light chin rub. At that point, gently keep slidding fingers under the mid section while lifting. Putting your hand in from the top down, whether petting or picking her/him up from the midsection is very intimidating to a small Gu