justalurker
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Hello all- I am in need of some advice. I brought home a young tegu (I think he is about 6 months old) a little over a week ago. I have him in a grow tent that's 4x4x6 (right now I have it upright so the living space is 4x4 while he's smaller). His basking spot averages 120 and the cool side is 78-80 on average. He has 2 hides and some enrichment in there like sticks and logs.
The problem is I think he hates me. The first week I acted on the advice of the reptile shop owner and took him out to handle him for about an hour a day in our bathtub. Getting him out was very stressful for him and me, lots of tail whipping, biting, and running away until I caught him. Once I caught him and got him out of the enclosure, he chilled down almost completely. He would walk all over me in the bathrub and let me rub under his chin some.
However, I soon realized that this can't be the best way. I felt like I was traumatizing him every time I chased him down to get him out of his enclosure and any steps forward we were taking with the calm handling in the bathtub we were taking that many steps backward with the chasing and catching.
Now, I have been sitting outside his enclosure with the door open and my hand inside of it on the substrate. I don't try to get near him or touch him. A lot of what I read online says their natural curiosity will cause him to come to check me out eventually but that has yet to happen. He doesn't run under his hide every time he sees me anymore but he basically just sits on his basking spot and waits for me to go away.
Another point of concern is that he isn't eating very much. I have tried many different options: tilapia, chicken gizzards, blackberries, grub pie, ground turkey, raw egg. He will barely touch any of this. He did eat quite a few crickets one day but hasn't shown any interest in them lately. He also took a pinky mouse off tongs the other day. I'm reading that these guys have ravenous appetites at this age though.
I'm really just hoping someone can point out what I am doing wrong here and provide some tips to get him to start being OK with me or assure me that it's just a time thing and he will come around with the way I am currently doing things. The not eating thing is very concerning to me though.
The problem is I think he hates me. The first week I acted on the advice of the reptile shop owner and took him out to handle him for about an hour a day in our bathtub. Getting him out was very stressful for him and me, lots of tail whipping, biting, and running away until I caught him. Once I caught him and got him out of the enclosure, he chilled down almost completely. He would walk all over me in the bathrub and let me rub under his chin some.
However, I soon realized that this can't be the best way. I felt like I was traumatizing him every time I chased him down to get him out of his enclosure and any steps forward we were taking with the calm handling in the bathtub we were taking that many steps backward with the chasing and catching.
Now, I have been sitting outside his enclosure with the door open and my hand inside of it on the substrate. I don't try to get near him or touch him. A lot of what I read online says their natural curiosity will cause him to come to check me out eventually but that has yet to happen. He doesn't run under his hide every time he sees me anymore but he basically just sits on his basking spot and waits for me to go away.
Another point of concern is that he isn't eating very much. I have tried many different options: tilapia, chicken gizzards, blackberries, grub pie, ground turkey, raw egg. He will barely touch any of this. He did eat quite a few crickets one day but hasn't shown any interest in them lately. He also took a pinky mouse off tongs the other day. I'm reading that these guys have ravenous appetites at this age though.
I'm really just hoping someone can point out what I am doing wrong here and provide some tips to get him to start being OK with me or assure me that it's just a time thing and he will come around with the way I am currently doing things. The not eating thing is very concerning to me though.
