Hello there, I've been the proud new owner of a male baby Red Tegu who i named Fafnir that i ordered from Underground Reptiles for about four months now. I would just like some advice and answers, namely about a new behavior that he's started to exert. Before I start, i would just like to say that before i went through with getting him, I did TONS of research, especially on here, and he was already ~3-4 months old when i got him (wanted a hatchling but sadly breeding season had come and gone).
Process and methods of care go as thus:
I have a standard setup for his home (Basking spot, good substrate, hiding place, water bowl, and sweaty shirts i replace on occasion). For his first month, i left him be to get acclimated to his home as well as used to my presence for his cage is directly next to where i sit a good amount of time everyday. After that month and since then, I've taken him out and interacted with him at least once a day for 30 minutes minimum. I always do my best not to come at him overhead and to act as calm and gentle as possible.
Feeding was originally done in his home when he was getting used to it, but he's been fed by hand usually every day since then with Reptilinks (Reptilinks is awesome by the way) as well as other treats. I'm probably going to change this soon and switch to tongs. But i would take him out of the cage, interact with him via petting, letting him roam a bit, baths, etc. It's only when I'm about to put him back is when i feed him in hopes of him understanding feeding time isn't when i get him out and partially to act as a reward for being out the cage. He's always been very gentle about taking food from my hand and fingers and I've never knowingly had an accident where my hand was mistaken for food.
Concerning the aggressive biting:
Initially, of course, the biting and whipping was present in first interactions. Whenever i was bit or whipped, I always remained calm and would still continuously love on him via scratching his neck (he seems to like it the most). It's always been one bite (which i assume was out of fear), he'd let go, I would continue loving on him, and that would be that. For the past two weeks, he actually hadn't bitten me and I thought that i was making good progress. His demeanor had been calmer, less frightened, and overall better.
However, two times this week within two days of each other, Fafnir has bitten me quite aggressively. The first time was after a bath, i picked him up and he set his eyes on my fingers that were scratching him and he bit. Not just once like he always had, but repetitively 4-6 times. I was understanding still and took the bites, only returning affection as i always have. This kind of biting didn't seem to be out of fear or self protection, more so out of malice. The second time, I had just taken him out his enclosure, put him on my lap, and was petting him. He took a look at my fingers again and again bit me, 8-10 times this time.
I was not so understanding this time, as my reaction was to grip his head in my palm. Not painfully, but enough to where he couldn't get out of the grip. As a pet lover and owner of many many animals, i do feel bad about this. However, after my doing this, his whole demeanor changed drastically for that day. He was less inclined to try to run away, more accepting of petting, stayed calm when i approached him, and overall a very good boy. I don't know why this is how he responded to my behavior. My best educated guess is that he's formed an alpha complex with me seeing as i never act aggressively and essentially let him do whatever he wants to me, and by asserting myself as alpha, he calmed down?
On a side note, he has shown plenty of behavior that suggests he is comfortable with me. He has fallen asleep in my lap, sometimes as I'm petting him, multiple times now.
My questions are thus:
What might i be doing wrong to have him exhibit this new behavior?
Why is it if negative response towards negative behavior does not work, why did it seem to work so well?
Could it be that Fafnir's personality reflects that of just a douche bag that wants to be alone, even his loving owner that takes him out every single day for four months now?
Am i being a bad owner? Because it sure as hell feels like it.
I appreciate any help, and thank you for reading!
Process and methods of care go as thus:
I have a standard setup for his home (Basking spot, good substrate, hiding place, water bowl, and sweaty shirts i replace on occasion). For his first month, i left him be to get acclimated to his home as well as used to my presence for his cage is directly next to where i sit a good amount of time everyday. After that month and since then, I've taken him out and interacted with him at least once a day for 30 minutes minimum. I always do my best not to come at him overhead and to act as calm and gentle as possible.
Feeding was originally done in his home when he was getting used to it, but he's been fed by hand usually every day since then with Reptilinks (Reptilinks is awesome by the way) as well as other treats. I'm probably going to change this soon and switch to tongs. But i would take him out of the cage, interact with him via petting, letting him roam a bit, baths, etc. It's only when I'm about to put him back is when i feed him in hopes of him understanding feeding time isn't when i get him out and partially to act as a reward for being out the cage. He's always been very gentle about taking food from my hand and fingers and I've never knowingly had an accident where my hand was mistaken for food.
Concerning the aggressive biting:
Initially, of course, the biting and whipping was present in first interactions. Whenever i was bit or whipped, I always remained calm and would still continuously love on him via scratching his neck (he seems to like it the most). It's always been one bite (which i assume was out of fear), he'd let go, I would continue loving on him, and that would be that. For the past two weeks, he actually hadn't bitten me and I thought that i was making good progress. His demeanor had been calmer, less frightened, and overall better.
However, two times this week within two days of each other, Fafnir has bitten me quite aggressively. The first time was after a bath, i picked him up and he set his eyes on my fingers that were scratching him and he bit. Not just once like he always had, but repetitively 4-6 times. I was understanding still and took the bites, only returning affection as i always have. This kind of biting didn't seem to be out of fear or self protection, more so out of malice. The second time, I had just taken him out his enclosure, put him on my lap, and was petting him. He took a look at my fingers again and again bit me, 8-10 times this time.
I was not so understanding this time, as my reaction was to grip his head in my palm. Not painfully, but enough to where he couldn't get out of the grip. As a pet lover and owner of many many animals, i do feel bad about this. However, after my doing this, his whole demeanor changed drastically for that day. He was less inclined to try to run away, more accepting of petting, stayed calm when i approached him, and overall a very good boy. I don't know why this is how he responded to my behavior. My best educated guess is that he's formed an alpha complex with me seeing as i never act aggressively and essentially let him do whatever he wants to me, and by asserting myself as alpha, he calmed down?
On a side note, he has shown plenty of behavior that suggests he is comfortable with me. He has fallen asleep in my lap, sometimes as I'm petting him, multiple times now.
My questions are thus:
What might i be doing wrong to have him exhibit this new behavior?
Why is it if negative response towards negative behavior does not work, why did it seem to work so well?
Could it be that Fafnir's personality reflects that of just a douche bag that wants to be alone, even his loving owner that takes him out every single day for four months now?
Am i being a bad owner? Because it sure as hell feels like it.
I appreciate any help, and thank you for reading!
