A few quick questions

[Sason]

Hello everyone. I have had my gold tegu, El Jefe, for about 3 months now. He is about 14 inches long. "Taming" him has been a very slow going process. When I first got him he was VERY skittish. As soon as I put my hand in the cage he would run around and tail whip until I removed it. I have been putting shirts in that I slept in for a few days (which he has no issues with basking on or sleeping under)trying to get him familiar with my scent and also setting my hand in the cage and gradually getting closer to him. He always breathes extremely hard but over the last few months he lets me get fairly close. He will "taste" me but that is as far as any interaction goes. I want to take him out but am afraid to grab him in the chance that it will set me back in gaining his trust and also he seems like an extreme flight risk at this moment in time. I was able to briefly pet him a few days ago but I had to be pretty assertive and he has seemed to shy away a little after that incident. I am wondering should I continue this avenue or back off again. I am confused where to go from here. Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

 

[Jrock23]

Ok i'm assuming that your gold tegu is very young. That would be the reason for the heavy breathing. Your situation is something that i encounter when I first got my young golden tegu. Although mine had a slightly different issue with dropping the tail and being in a new environment and home... What i did was for the first few weeks or month or so, give the tegu time to settle into the new home but still offer food. Just no handling! After that try reaching in to interact, now you may get bite or tail whip or even run but don't give up. What works for me is using a glove to take my tegu out and have warm water in a tub and put the tegu into the tub and use that to your advantage. Its better bonding time they are more relaxed and to me its the best time to interact. After 5 mins in the tub I take the tegu out and just hold him. But the key thing is talking to them, let them know that its ok and that you love them,. Repeat it over and over and over no matter what, say it to they can be more chill and so so scared. After that you will be able to hand feed them while they are inside there cage and even them keep repeating it even say there name. Let them get use to hearing your voice as well. I have a lot of lizards and from experience when talking to them is you have to talk in a soft voice..