How to stop biting while she's young?

[MissMooRaw]

Ugh finally got the internet back up and running, I've need a few tips on my AA but haven't had a way to get on here and ask, so here it goes.

I've already read a lot of the taming articles on taking them to the bathroom and letting them free roam, and removing the hides if they run and hide when you enter the cage, and feeding them outside the cage. I've done all of that.

We have had her since August so about 4 months, the first two months she was awesome, she let us hold her, she was curious and would come up to us so we could take her out of the 40 gallon cage we had her in. She would eat outside the cage, she was cool and what I was expecting for a tegu.

But recently she's started biting, she will bite my fingers when i put my hand in her cage to let her come up to take her out, It's not hard biting but more like a test bite. She has whipped me once too already, left a good welt on my wrist. When we go to feed her, she jumps at our hands, mouth open like she's trying to get our fingers as a snack. She also runs away and wont let us pick her up at all now without flailing around or jumping back off and she walks away from our hands when we rest them in the cage. Doesn't show any interest in them.

I've not been feeding her when she pulls these acts, I've read that not feeding them for a few days will make them take the hint, but she acts like she's never fed when she does this even after I've been feeding her every day.

She is in a 5.5 ft cage, her temps read 75 on the cool side and 88 on the warm side, under the light its 106, her humidity has a hard time staying above 50% but her hide box in extremely humid to make up for it.

Substrate is topsoil, sand and moss mix. The cage is also made from wood that has been coated with sealer so it's not supposed to get wet but could it be absorbing the humidity? Even though I coated it so much it feels like rubber. I mist the cage too and that doesn't seem to help with the overall humidity, or is her hide box fine on its own for her humid area?

I need some help. I'm worried about her not breaking this habit and it becoming a problem when she gets bigger... My husband is starting to think Tegu's are not that great because of how she is acting and I've already had a lot of bad rap from local pet stores that tell me tegu's are bad... I don't want to believe it and I wont... but Demi is making it look like everyone is right about her...

 

[james.w]

What are you feeding, how often and how much?

Your humidity problem could be due to too much ventilation.

 

[MissMooRaw]

I feed her the regimen Bobby gave me; Ground turkey cod liver mix dusted with calcium, once a week she gets ground turkey with beef liver mix and once I week I give her two pinkies. When I feed her ground turkey and cod liver I give her a few pieces of tilapia and salmon at the same time. Tried a semi hard boiled/poached egg on her last week for the first time, she didn't care much for it. She eats some fruits, sometimes.... it's hard to get her to eat them all the time so I give her a little if I'm eating a pear, grapes, apple or banana so I'm not wasting it all on her.

I've got a few turkey gizzards and turkey neck I'm saving from the thanksgiving turkey that I'll give her too.

She doesn't like crickets either, she ignores them if I put them in her cage or if I take her out and put her in her feeding bin with the crickets (when I can).

If she wont let me take her out to feed her, I just don't feed her until she lets me take her out. I dont want to feed her in her cage as much as possible, I'm afraid it will make her behavior worse. I do hide very small pieces of meat for her to find, but not enough to make her full and I hide them when she's asleep or when she can't see me doing it. But I don't think that would cause her strange attitude.

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Oh she gets about a heaping tablespoon of ground meat with two pieces of 2inch by 1 inch thick tilapia/salmon. So she gets about 2-2 1/2 large tablespoons of food a day, sometime more sometimes less depending on how hungry she is.

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Bobby said she should have a teaspoon of food each day until she is a year old, that's what she ate at a month and two months old, at three months the teaspoon wasn't enough for her because she was still looking for more so I bumped it up to a tablespoon, then I added a little bit more to where she's looking full after she eats.

 

[Bubblz Calhoun]

I'm confused,.. not feeding them for a few days will help them get the hint of what,.. not to bite? If she's test biting then there's something you're doing that's making her associate you with food. Test bites are food related not aggressive. How often and what are you using to feed her with if she's jumping at you during that time?

**Little Rant in General**

Tail whipping, biting, running, lunging or what ever is apart of the process of teaching them you're not a threat and developing a bond. It happens with just about every animal especially when they're young, it's something you have to work through. There will be bad days or months just like there will be good ones. Too many people see large, calm reptiles these days with out any consideration for what it took to get it that way. Then when they get it home and find out things aren't always candy coated chocolate rolled in pop rocks. They're all of a sudden ready to throw in the towel.

 

[james.w]

What I would recommend is feed her daily until she is full. You may waste some food in finding how much it takes for her to be full, but I am going to guess a big part of her acting out is hunger.

As far as feeding in the enclosure, I fed and still do feed my AA in his enclosure about 99%of the time. Every once in a while I will feed him while I have him out.

Not sure where you read to remove their hides so they can't run and hide, but if you are doing this I would say to stop. Put the hides back in and leave them. Never remove the tegu from their hide either. They need to know they have a safe place in the enclosure at all times.

If you can, post some pics of your tegu and enclosure.

 

[Rhetoric]

When I had Gary he went through a phase where he just couldn't get enough to eat. He would charge the glass when he saw me, he'd bite my gloves, he just got way too excited. I don't remember who it was but someone suggested feeding him right before the lights came on or right after they came on. This way I could remove him to eat and he would not be warmed up yet, which made him easier to handle. I had also tried feeding him 2 smaller meals a day, one earlier and one later. It took a few weeks but he got over it, he ended up going through a decent growth spurt.

I agree that you should let your tegu eat until it is full. Rango is 2 years old and I still fed him every day this last summer (the only reason I don't anymore is because he's less active). Feed it every day if you can, it sounds like its a hunger issue to me.

I also do not recommend moving the hide or pulling your tegu out of its burrow.

I have mainly fed Guru in his enclosure. Every now and then I feed him in a dog kennel. You can try putting the food in the enclosure when your tegu is in its hide, at night when the lights are off, or in the morning before the lights come on. Feeding in the enclosure seems like it is becoming more common among keepers. I think that as long as you are doing other things in the enclosure (water changing, misting, spot cleaning, etc) it shouldn't be an issue.

 

[Bubblz Calhoun]

Okay,.. I got it, I read and was responding to the op when my sister distracted me and I didn't preview for updates before posting. So not feeding her has to do with you not being able to take her out. I don't know where you got that info from but that will only make her hungrier. If anything you should wait until she calms down while you're sitting there for fifteen minutes or so then try again and or just come back a little later that day but not days later.

 

[MissMooRaw]

It's not days later, it's not like I just starve her for days, I have no idea why you immediately think that. I sit with the door open to try and get her to come out since I have read and also been told by Bobby that feeding in the cage creates cage aggression if they see you do it. I try to get her out every day to feed her. There are days she just doesn't come out of her hide at all so I usually let her be and hide a few pieces of meat in her bedding or under some rocks.

I've read the site through and through, so I also don't know why you all would doubt something I read on here. If I have to I can post all the threads I've read regarding removing hides, and not feeding in the cage. I'm trying to get help, not get chastised. If that's the case I'm probably just better off calling Bobby for advice.

She gets fed until she is full which varies from 2-3 tablespoon fulls of various meats. The main issue I have is when I am trying to get her out -after- she is fed, full, fat and she tries to nip at me or walks away from my hand instead of letting me get her out. She hasn't been out of her cage in about a week and I am getting worried if I can't handle her then she will just stay like this; jumpy, nippy and running to hide. We put our shirts in her cage with our scent on them too, and we have tried all the taming methods when we are able to get her out, but she still spazzes out like I'm a threat.

I don't think Tegu's are bad, they are like people, each one is different. I've probably just got a touchy moody girl and I just need to work with her. That doesn't mean I think every Tegu is bad, so don't generalize my comment please.

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When I had Gary he went through a phase where he just couldn't get enough to eat. He would charge the glass when he saw me, he'd bite my gloves, he just got way too excited. I don't remember who it was but someone suggested feeding him right before the lights came on or right after they came on. This way I could remove him to eat and he would not be warmed up yet, which made him easier to handle. I had also tried feeding him 2 smaller meals a day, one earlier and one later. It took a few weeks but he got over it, he ended up going through a decent growth spurt.

I agree that you should let your tegu eat until it is full. Rango is 2 years old and I still fed him every day this last summer (the only reason I don't anymore is because he's less active). Feed it every day if you can, it sounds like its a hunger issue to me.

I also do not recommend moving the hide or pulling your tegu out of its burrow.

I have mainly fed Guru in his enclosure. Every now and then I feed him in a dog kennel. You can try putting the food in the enclosure when your tegu is in its hide, at night when the lights are off, or in the morning before the lights come on. Feeding in the enclosure seems like it is becoming more common among keepers. I think that as long as you are doing other things in the enclosure (water changing, misting, spot cleaning, etc) it shouldn't be an issue.

I assume that you mean when he is out in the open, right? Because she usually doesn't come out at the same time every day and there are days she wont come out at all.

So I suppose putting food in the cage at this point would be a better plan instead of trying to get her out. But what if she eats and goes back into hiding. I don't want her to become a hermit, I'd like her to become social eventually.

She does let me rest my hand in the cage too, sometime she will rest her head on my head but if I make any move to slide my hand under her to get her out she freaks out. There are also times where she will let me gently pet her back and then a few minutes later she gets on all fours and tries to whip me... right after I thought she was okay and relaxed. She doesn't mind me spot cleaning or misting either when she is basking. It's just any attempt to touch her, take her out or get too close in general doesn't end well.

I'm being as calm and gentle with her as I possibly can. I'm not spooking her or forcing her to do anything she doesn't want to do.

Our room mate does have a dog that hounds the cage, maybe that could be a reason... and maybe when they have friends over they are not honest with me when I ask them to leave her alone... maybe they have harassed her when I'm running errands... I'm not entirely sure but that is an idea to look into as well.

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No need for attitudes either. All I ask for is advice and help, not an ass chewing or to be treated like I'm stupid. I already have a pet store owner in town that treats all women like they don't know **** about what they have and it's incredibly rude when all I ask from him is advice as well, but all I get are horror stories from him, trying to scare me out of my Tegu and get rid of her and that wont happen.

Respect is all I ask, and a little help. It doesn't have to turn into a fight, or hateful remarks. Sorry, I just thought a few posts were a little rude and uncalled for :c

 

[james.w]

Did you read my post? Just a little information, anybody that takes the time to register can post on this forum, it doesn't mean they know what they are talking about. I say this because you say you got the information about removing hides and not feeding in the cage from here. Removing the hides will cause them to stress as they will not have a "safe" place. Feeding in or out of the enclosure is a highly debatable topic, I have an AA from 2010 and he is tame as can be, and I feed him in the cage. Sounds like you are doing things correct and just need a bit more patience. You said you had her in a 40B and she is now in a 5.5' foot cage, did these changes come after the move? How soon after if they did?

 

[reptastic]

With this being the winter/hibernation season your tegu may just not be very active, i got a tegu in dec. 09 from bobby she wasnt very active, didnt eat much, and was acting just like your tegu, i just let her be, didnt bother her, fed her in the enclosure and waited til the season was over, when she started to perk up, i started slowly letting her freeroam in a tegu proof room increasing the time out each week, i did not interact with her, i acted as if she wasnt there, after about 6-8wks she did a complete 360*, once she realized i wasnt a threat, im sure you have read many things on the forums that others may dispute, thats partially because no 2 tegus are the same, what may work with 1 tegu may not work for yours, you may have to try a few before you find the right 1

 

[slideaboot]

I'd definitely replace those hides. Without hides, you are creating an environment of perpetual anxiety for your tegu, which will inevitably manifest in negative behaviors--like biting.

 

[MissMooRaw]

@ James: The change was gradual, we had her in the 40g even when we had the 5.5 ready. I started to let her crawl around in the larger cage when I was able to get her out, but I would put her back in the smaller cage when she was done roaming the larger one. We let her do that for about two weeks and then we just set up the larger cage and let her stay in it.

I'm trying to get picks up, we only have our phones for photos. I really want to show off her belly, it looks like candy corn, very pretty. I haven't seen Gu's on here with that coloration yet.

@Reptastic: When I am able to get her out easily I let her roam in the bathroom like I've heard others doing on here, we also let her roam the bedroom and let her be, but it's not very often since she's just been touchy as of late. If it is hibernation, it's very odd and confusing because my husband tells me she is out and active in the morning when he is going to work, but in the evening when I'm up she is in her hide. Where as I thought she was in it all day and never came out, I guess she is a morning type and I will need to start feeding her earlier when she gets up. So now that I know that, it doesn't seem like pre-hibernation behavior but I guess we will see, it is only november.

@Slideaboot: The hides are in, they have been in for a while now, I took them out for a few days and I felt bad. The only hide I left for her was her humid hide since she was shedding so she wasn't without a hide 100%. The humid hide is clear so we can see her and she can see us unless she digs into the moss to hide more. But I have returned her stones and logs for her to have more hides. She was enjoying them and digging cute little tunnels so I put them back for her.

So all I need is patience and to just tell nosey people to leave her alone. Our room mates and their guests think it's stupid to have an animal that never comes out since she is always hiding when they are over. But she's my girly and I get to see her when she is out and that's all that matters. I don't think she's bad at all, so they just need to mind their own.

Hopefully when spring rolls around and nice weather returns she will be out of her winter blues to where I can take her outside to enjoy herself. I hear a lot of people that get older Gu's and tame them so I guess they are tamable at any age so if I can't get her tame now I still have plenty of time to try. I just hope the biting is just a phase, I'd hate to loose some toes when she gets bigger. :b

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Before I forget, she is out right now, basking and she keeps sneezing, or doing what sounds like sneezing. She does that a lot. Is it something to worry about and have a vet check out or is that just huffing?

 

[Rhetoric]

I assume that you mean when he is out in the open, right? Because she usually doesn't come out at the same time every day and there are days she wont come out at all.
With Gary? He would sometimes be hiding but when he heard the doors open he'd come barreling towards me.

I don't think anyone meant to be offensive, I certainly don't mean to be to anyone. One of the down sides to internet communication is that you can't really pick up on emotions or tone.

Your tegu could be a little intimidated by the other animals, especially if the other animals are very interested in it. My dogs never paid attention to any of the tegus so its hard for me to say.

You seem to be making some progress if shes letting you touch her Just keep working with her as you have been, it can be a slow process but it really is rewarding. It just takes lots of time at first. If you are worried about being bitten or being tail whipped you can always invest in a pair of welding gloves, I think mine were like $12. I used them for a little while with each of the tegus.

As far as feeding in the enclosure goes, I don't think it will cause your tegu to turn into a little hermit. If you can, make sure she isn't able to watch you put the food in. Make sure you use a deeper bowl or put the dish/food on an elevated surface to help reduce the chances of substrate eating. Sometimes Guru will drag his food through the mulch anyway...

She is your tegu, everyone will find that some things work better for them than others. If you are not comfortable with feeding in the enclosure because of aggression, don't do it. Like you said, every tegu is different. Some will respond differently to enclosure feeding.

Has anyone tried tricking your tegu to get it out of the enclosure? I have had to do it a few times if I was dealing with a moody lizard. I'd put a cardboard box or something in the enclosure, the tegu would get curious and go inside of it.. I'd close the top and remove the tegu lol, I had to do it with Guru a few times when I first got him. I don't want to suggest it if other members don't approve.

Have you tried hanging out with her in the bathroom or in a closed room? If not it could be worth a shot. Get a book, grab the computer, do homework, whatever. Let your tegu explore, I'm sure you've read this but they are suuuuper curious. You might be able to find a way to use it to your advantage.

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Whoops lol, I see that you do let her roam, my bad!

 

[MissMooRaw]

The box idea sounds interesting. She does head toward any box I have out when she is roaming, maybe I could try that to get her out so she knows there is a world beyond her cage. I have been leaving the doors open on her cage too lately to see if she would get curious and come out, but she hasn't, she just sits and basks or goes to her logs.

Meh, I'll just have to keep working with her and ignore the other members in the house. They keep complaining that she never comes out so I guess I was feeling pressured and stressed about her not being very social. But she is still young and cautious so I can understand that.

So far I've been the only one that tries taming, I wont let the others do it because last time that happened when we first got her one of them dropped her, so he's banned from holding privileges. The other hates reptiles... and her dog is a small animal killer (that's why she hounds the cage when my gu is out. I put the dog in another room or outside when I want to try to have Tegu time.) The hubs doesn't have any patience at all either, he thinks the same way, that it's not worth having an animal that wont socialize... I'm trying to get him to understand it takes work just like having kids takes work. Ugh... so yea, all the taming is up to me, which is understandable because she is mine and no one else has any experience with herps.

Just a rollercoaster, I'm glad I've got a gu for a kid than an actual kid, haha! I'd taking nipping over changing diapers any day.

Thanks for the help, guys. I just need to have some patients and take my time with her like you all said. I've also started to feed her twice in the day, in the morning and a snack in the evening incase she is still hungry and that seems to be helping since I am able to rub her back without her trying to nip or whip me right now, still working on holding her and trying to get her out of the cage, though. Baby steps :b

I need to make a pic thread for her eventually.

 

[james.w]

Also remember right now is hibernation time, so if she isn't out much it could have a lot to do with that. Once it starts to warm up, I'm sure things will turn around and you will be pleasantly surprised with how things turn out.

 

[Bubblz Calhoun]

It's not days later, it's not like I just starve her for days, I have no idea why you immediately think that.

I got it from you;

I've not been feeding her when she pulls these acts, I've read that not feeding them for a few days will make them take the hint, but she acts like she's never fed when she does this even after I've been feeding her every day.

There are days she just doesn't come out of her hide at all so I usually let her be and hide a few pieces of meat in her bedding or under some rocks.

I wouldn't recommend that,.. she could eat the substrate as well thinking that it was food and possibly get impacted. Since it now smells and tastes like it.

I've read the site through and through, so I also don't know why you all would doubt something I read on here. If I have to I can post all the threads I've read regarding removing hides, and not feeding in the cage. I'm trying to get help, not get chastised. If that's the case I'm probably just better off calling Bobby for advice.

There are quite a few things on this site that I've read from people and wouldn't recommend. But as you know we and our pets are all different, what works for you and yours may not work for me and mine. We are here to help and not chastise even though sometimes some people may need it. But at the same time when you ask for help especially on the internet keep an open mind and don't take everything so personal. Not every comment without a lol or smiley behind it is meant to be rude or hurtful.

We can only help so much and go by what info we are given. If you stick around long enough you will see how that info changes sometimes from one post to another. Mistakes happen and sometimes posts need to be re read to see how it could've been taken the wrong way.

She gets fed until she is full which varies from 2-3 tablespoon fulls of various meats. The main issue I have is when I am trying to get her out -after- she is fed, full, fat and she tries to nip at me or walks away from my hand instead of letting me get her out. She hasn't been out of her cage in about a week and I am getting worried if I can't handle her then she will just stay like this; jumpy, nippy and running to hide. We put our shirts in her cage with our scent on them too, and we have tried all the taming methods when we are able to get her out, but she still spazzes out like I'm a threat.

You've only had her for 4months it takes time for them to come around and how much varies just like with everything else. She could be perfect the whole time you have her until she reaches puberty and really shows you what she can do. Wait until you start getting her use to and taking her outside if you haven't already. With that I suggest sooner than later. It's one thing to have a little 2ft 2lbs or what ever tegu throw a tantrum. Compared to when they are 3 or even 4ft and 8lbs or more. Which can happen no matte how long you have had and worked with them.

I don't think Tegu's are bad, they are like people, each one is different. I've probably just got a touchy moody girl and I just need to work with her. That doesn't mean I think every Tegu is bad, so don't generalize my comment please.

My comment was a Rant in General which I posted before I said. Meaning that it wasn't directed towards you just something that I was getting off my chest at that time since I see it all too often. But if you felt that it applies to you for what ever reason if it's true,.. then so be it. If it doesn't apply then it shouldn't bother you.

No need for attitudes either. All I ask for is advice and help, not an ass chewing or to be treated like I'm stupid. I already have a pet store owner in town that treats all women like they don't know **** about what they have and it's incredibly rude when all I ask from him is advice as well, but all I get are horror stories from him, trying to scare me out of my Tegu and get rid of her and that wont happen.

Respect is all I ask, and a little help. It doesn't have to turn into a fight, or hateful remarks. Sorry, I just thought a few posts were a little rude and uncalled for :c

Just a heads up, at some point in time you'll get both positive and negative responses with or with out attitudes attached. You can try and dictate what or how people respond to your post but things don't always go the way you want them to.

For the most part we are all pretty honest and respectable here. But we also get a little irritated or heated some times and caught up in the moment.

 

[MissMooRaw]

You're right Bubblz, sorry I called it out. I was a bit heated and unsure of asking for help on here since I had been given crap from other pet store owners that treat women like we don't know **** about animals or that we are not worth helping. I just assumed I'd be treated like that again since husbandry tends to be more of a male dominated hobby and because I was assuming that I was looking for the wrong things and jumped to conclusions. That's my fault... Im an emotion user too so I show that the comment wasn't mean, different strokes for different folks.

 

[Dana C]

You're right Bubblz, sorry I called it out. I was a bit heated and unsure of asking for help on here since I had been given crap from other pet store owners that treat women like we don't know **** about animals or that we are not worth helping. I just assumed I'd be treated like that again since husbandry tends to be more of a male dominated hobby and because I was assuming that I was looking for the wrong things and jumped to conclusions. That's my fault... Im an emotion user too so I show that the comment wasn't mean, different strokes for different folks.

I am not sure that husbandry is a male dominated thing. On another forum, there are quite a few female posters. I also have a number of tarantulas and at least half of the people that post on the forums are female. I am male by the way. As far as pet store owners, I have met some incredibly ignorant ones who don't know 1/10th of what they claim they know. It is sort of like the statement, "I knew a guy who said ________ so it must be true and now I am an expert too."