Bitey mc’bite face. HELP tegu rage.

[TheMonsterMash]

Hey guys.

Had our boy for a month and a half. 5 months old and grown like a weed in that time and now over 2ft long.

He comes out the Viv for food, is target trained but also comes out of the Viv when there’s no food (he’s fed daily and a good amount/ to being full). A few weeks back he started to be brave and lay on us on a hot (not too hot) water bottle.

Hes always been very huffy, hissy you can’t pick him up without posturing/ whipping so I don’t try that atm, but he at least comes over to me now to climb on me without being shut down and scared. I have a v large play pen we sit in.

But now he will sit on my lap, visually lock onto my hands / arms and go to bite. I’m wise to it now and move before it happens / redirect him, my hands don’t smell of food and he shouldn’t have any association with hands and food due to his target and I’ve tried to always keep a separation there. I now wear long sleeves and have wrist protectors that cover my knuckles too but he will try and get under that and my closed fist to bite my fingers!

Is this Guberty? He also attacks my clothes, socks, and even my empty tea mug that was innocently sat on the floor!

Any advice on the arm / skin biting? I have taken bites before and I didn’t flinch although it broke the skin / blood as he grabbed my thumb and shook it I’m not up for doing that anymore as he’s getting bigger now!

Will this pass, is this normal? Is he just mad at the world and I’m in it?! send help and sedatives pls and thanks

 

[TheMonsterMash]

I’ve just seen your message @Josh hopefully that’s tagged you for your advice too!

 

[Pruark]

I got a wild cought yearling and put him in a large playpin and constantly invaded his space from day 1 nothing was his it was our territory not his and he got over his defensiveness in about a week I got whipped several times but with patience and repetion he started to trust. I didn't target train mine I fed him on a plate and sat close by while he ate.i got bit a cpl times during feeding him but he didn't attack me. I trained mine like a dog correction, repeat, try again several times a day. now at 4 years old he eats from my hand and walks on a leash rides in a stroller and is potty trained 3 ways. keep your head up and stick with him he will soften up to u as y'all bond and trust each other.dont be scared of him he feels it and reacts. IDK how old yours is but the juvenile aggression passes. Where a dogs wants to obey to please you a tegu has to be convinced it's his idea. He seeks shelter for safety so use a dog bed like a burrow to get him safe and warm and let him be near u but secure. talk to them they study the tone of your voice like they study their surroundings they memorize ,they are so smart. My Midas freeroams the house since he was 2. I've learned so much thru having this lil guy it amazes me I was a beginner u will grow as he grows!

 

[TheMonsterMash]

I got a wild cought yearling and put him in a large playpin and constantly invaded his space from day 1 nothing was his it was our territory not his and he got over his defensiveness in about a week I got whipped several times but with patience and repetion he started to trust. I didn't target train mine I fed him on a plate and sat close by while he ate.i got bit a cpl times during feeding him but he didn't attack me. I trained mine like a dog correction, repeat, try again several times a day. now at 4 years old he eats from my hand and walks on a leash rides in a stroller and is potty trained 3 ways. keep your head up and stick with him he will soften up to u as y'all bond and trust each other.dont be scared of him he feels it and reacts. IDK how old yours is but the juvenile aggression passes. Where a dogs wants to obey to please you a tegu has to be convinced it's his idea. He seeks shelter for safety so use a dog bed like a burrow to get him safe and warm and let him be near u but secure. talk to them they study the tone of your voice like they study their surroundings they memorize ,they are so smart. My Midas freeroams the house since he was 2. I've learned so much thru having this lil guy it amazes me I was a beginner u will grow as he grows!

Hey
Thanks so much for the words of confidence it’s really helps! I’m doing all that you are pretty much and I will just stick with it and hopefully he will realise I’m not going to hurt him and just get past of his angry young tegu phase, he’s around 6 months old but has almost doubled in size the last two months!
Happy to hear your guy is super sweet now I really hope I have a similar story in the future!