Am I doing it right?

[Lizz]

I just wanted to make sure what I'm doing to tame my girl is the correct approach, and maybe get some additional tips.

On days when she's restless I open all doors to her enclosure and sit a distance away until she's comfortable enough to come out. I never put my hand inside her enclosure when she's close or she puffs up, wags her tail and if I don't move, she lunges (never tries to bite though). She did this to my dog once, and now my dog is terrified of her (and my sister's beardie for some reason).
I've put an old scarf in her hide that she crawls under every night.
Unfortunately I can't feed her outside, because she hardly eats as it is. I also make sure to sit and talk to her when she's out of her hide so she gets used to my voice.

Is there anything else I can do, is there something I should change or am I on the right track?

 

[KhanKrazy]

Sounds like you're not doing anything wrong. You just need to work with what you have. Some people suggest handling from day one, some people suggest waiting and getting her/him used to you. Neither is wrong; it just depends what works for YOUR Tegu. In your case, I would continue to do what you're doing; talk to her, let her see you and show her you're nonthreatening, let her know you provide the food and water, ect. It won't happen over night and it likely won't even happen in several months. It's just about being consistent and developing a routine.

 

[Walter1]

The thread is a few years old, but the issue and Khan's response is essentially timeless. This is a very helpful thread.