Picking Up / Holding

[CaseyUndead]

My arg b&w tegu, Loki, who I got from Bobby a couple years ago is mostly tame and a wonderful lizard to interact with. But there's one thing he doesn't like, and that is for anyone to pick him up.. Even to just put him back in his enclosure or move him away from something he shouldn't get into. Today I got scratched pretty good when I tried to pick him up to put him in his enclosure. It's not an aggressive scratch, but he just wiggled around and waves his claws around to jump out of my grip, so I sometimes get scratched. Does anyone else have this issue with their tegu? Anyone know how to correct this behavior?

 

[goodtimes]

Samus does the same thing. It doesn't seem aggressive, just a let me go type of behaviour. I just calmly put him down and he calmly walks off. Sometimes he will chill for a minute, but usually just wants to get down. I just try to support all his legs and a good portion of his tail.

 

[Cali 202]

Marley does this too. Sometimes he'll chill but most of the time he doesnt like being picked up. I always have scratches up my arm either from him trying to hold on or trying to get down.

 

[goodtimes]

Yup, and you gotta love when they do the long clawing slide down your arm or leg to get to the floor.......nice sharp claws!

 

[reptastic]

YEP! got the same problem with nero, especially when outside, she just wants to be in the grass! but if i put her on my shoulder and cradle her like a baby she is fine! what a spoiled tegu!

 

[CaseyUndead]

long clawing slide down your arm or leg to get to the floor.......

OMG, i know that feeling all too well
:shock: ouchy

 

[HorseCaak]

Glad I saw this post. Thought I was the only one. Mine didn't used to mind being held, not til recently when her claws got real sharp that she started doing this. Also she's escaped a few times from her temporary 60 gallon enclosure and I come home and find her hiding somewhere and all cold, and she FREAKS OUT when I try to get her back to her cage. That one is definitely a scared aggressive tactic though.

 

[AWD247]

I think you just have to set more time building trust with your tegu,. If your getting scratched, wiggled, etc,. then its letting you know its not comfortable with whats going on,. remember to move alot slower,. always pickup open handed with a loose but safe light grip,. always supporting from underneath,.holding should be kinda like a cupping support more than a hold/grip.
It might sound weird but try what I did for a few days, I took my smallest bathroom and tegu proofed it, make sure theres no where it can go, get into, or get hurt etc,. bring your tegu in to the tub with you,. just sit there with it and let it explore you, let it climb you and always introduce your hand slowly and infront of as much as possible so that it has to climb on and over it to get where it wants to go,. that way you can build more of a trust that your hand is support not just something that restricts it from what it want to do,. these guys are smart and will associate such negative things.
Also your enclosure might be part of the learning problem,. if your opening is from above then it takes alot of getting used to for the GU being grabbed like prey from above as opposed to having an enclosure that opens from the front allowing him to climb out, climbing out can also build trust with you having your hand always there to support and help him out when climbing.
Keep in mind that having slow movement throughout will help 100%. This is also helpful when going back into the enclosure instead of having to be picked up and over the enclosure to be put back in.
If you keep the handling more frequent and on their terms and comfort it should build trust alot faster,.


Also you should try letting him climb on your hand when you need to "redirect" him from getting into or going somewhere you dont want him to go, that way your not restricting him with a gripping hand, just changing his location/ direction.

 

[CaseyUndead]

Thats a neat idea. My enclosure opens from the side, and i let him walk out on his own. He usually comes out when i open it and comes out to his food bowl to eat, then i let him roam around the reptile room for awhile. He does climb on me and let me pet him, so he's friendly and not afraid of me. The only issue is when i try to pick him up. Maybe i do need to move slower, thanks for the advice!

 

[wyattroa]

I tried the bath tub thing with my girl last year. Usually ended up with her just trying to bury herself under my butt area and not coming out or moving..lol...I am going to be hard working again this year once she decides it is time to wake up.
Robert

 

[chelvis]

With adult tegus i think its just they feel uncomfotable. Most of the time people pick them up with the hands under the stomach and neck area... imagin supporting all your wieght there, not to comfy really. So the squirm just to be put down where they can have their wieght evenly distributed along their entire body. When i pick up my boy i let his head rest on my hand and his body just lay along my arm... his actully fallen asleep like this. He also loves to be on my shoulder or head (not my favorite for him).

As for a fast pick up and move i have to admit i use the arm pit pick up and turn move. I basically slid my hands under his upper body and slid my hands up to his arm pit and lift. Once in the air i turn him so he can grip onto my shirt and his fine. Have to say im lucky he had never tailed whipped and once his got a grip on my shirt or layin on my arm the claws aren't a problem.

 

[DaveDragon]

Marley does this too. Sometimes he'll chill but most of the time he doesnt like being picked up. I always have scratches up my arm either from him trying to hold on or trying to get down.

He'll calm down eventually and chill. Our adults will as long as they're well supported and feel safe.

 

[kaa]

I just pick mine up, and hold them to my chest. They seem to Relax like that.