This has been bothering me

[snakehandler]

Oke, some people think species like tegu can be tamed and actually become like regular pets such as cats or dogs.
However cats or dogs have been domesticated for a long time.
So people tell me silver fox have been domesticated in less than twenty generations. But to what prize?
they have lost their ability to exist in the wild and generally have lost
everything that made them a silver fox.
So let me ask you, is it desirable for tegus to become regular pets or should we leave them as they are. the intelligent interesting species they have become by adapting to the conditions in the wild?

 

[ColdThirst]

Are you saying to have them and just not cuddle with them and let them grow up without human interaction in our home, keeping them "wild"? or now have them available as pets at all? Not have them as pets is one thing, however not going to happen as more are captive bred and not interacting with it while its in captivity I think is very wrong. So i dont see exactly where this one is supposed to be heading.

 

[COWHER]

So let me ask you, is it desirable for tegus to become regular pets or should we leave them as they are. the intelligent interesting species they have become by adapting to the conditions in the wild?

I think thats the beauty of tegu's they have the capacity to be a nice friendly animals right from birth in the wild. As far as breeding them to be a house pet I don't know of any reptile that has been bred down that much so as to take away their cool wild side..

 

[redtail2426]

All i know is i dont want my tegu trying to eat me when i handle him.

 

[AB^]

Oke, some people think species like tegu can be tamed and actually become like regular pets such as cats or dogs.
However cats or dogs have been domesticated for a long time.
So people tell me silver fox have been domesticated in less than twenty generations. But to what prize?
they have lost their ability to exist in the wild and generally have lost
everything that made them a silver fox.
So let me ask you, is it desirable for tegus to become regular pets or should we leave them as they are. the intelligent interesting species they have become by adapting to the conditions in the wild?

To me it doesnt matter if I can "handle" or "tame" any reptile I keep.
I appreciate them for what they are, which IMO is not a lap dog or kitty cat.
This is why poeple dont like colombian tegus. They generally wont put up with being man handled by somone who wants to look cool.
Wish I could say the same for argentines. They are much more passive than colombians. Though the ease of handling has made argentine tegus a popular choice for a large lizard, the "I want something big I can play with" mentality runs ever more rampant. It is quite troublesome to me, being often a major consideration of what animal someone may choose is based on whether they can hold it or not. Accept reptiles for what theyare not what you want them to be (i.e. tame)

 

[PuffDragon]

Define domesticated? To what extent? This would imply you are selectively breeding your tegu's for traits desirable to that of cats and dogs (ex. calmness, willingness to interact, tolerate holding etc.). For the most, I don't see anyone breeding tegu's selectively (other than for color) like this so I don't think they are domesticated in any way.

 

[COWHER]

yet AB^ your Colombian is very tame

 

[nat]

the domestication of an animal implies that it as a species would be better suited in captivity and would be disadvantaged if released into the wild (ferrets are a good example as well as dogs and cats). I don't know if taming the animal and having adapt well to captivity would necissarily mean that it was now domesticated. If a clutch of Bobby's babies were allowed to hatch in the wild, I don't think those babies would be any more disadvantaged with survival then their wild counterparts.

 

[AB^]

yet AB^ your Colombian is very tame

It may appear so, but she is not. She is accustomed to my prescence and does not view me as a threat.

 

[WhiskeyTango]

As long as the lizard dont try to rip my throat out anytime I look at him im fine..though I do prefer a nice lizard over a mean one.lol.

Nice reptiles I have or have had:Green iguana, anoles,leopard geckos, bearded dragons, house geckos, skinks.

Mean lizard I have owned:Spiny tailed iguana.

 

[COWHER]

yet AB^ your Colombian is very tame

It may appear so, but she is not. She is accustomed to my prescence and does not view me as a threat.

Thats where definition comes in, I view that as tame for reptiles. but again its all how you view the word.... if we arte to view it as nat explained it then no i dont want them to be like that, but isnt that the entire appeal to having a herp?

 

[angelrose]

my colombian Angelrose is with me for three years now. I consider her tame for being a colombian. from the beginning she ate right from my hand. she still has that wild side when it comes to eating. as was said above she does not view me or my daughters as a threat.
I was not lookinng for a pet to cuddle with. if you want to cuddle a pet, their in a different room.
myself, I like them a little on the wild side :rasp

 

[snakehandler]

the domestication of an animal implies that it as a species would be better suited in captivity and would be disadvantaged if released into the wild (ferrets are a good example as well as dogs and cats). I don't know if taming the animal and having adapt well to captivity would necissarily mean that it was now domesticated. If a clutch of Bobby's babies were allowed to hatch in the wild, I don't think those babies would be any more disadvantaged with survival then their wild counterparts.

I think breeding animals in captivity is a form of domestication.
For instance the animals in zoos who have been bred over many generations are different from thier wild counterparts.
They have adapted to captivity. So if a species goes extinct in the wild and there are still animals left in zoos it is not the same aniimal.
i dont say we shouldnt breed tegus, or that they shouldnt adapt to captivity. I just think we should respect them for what they are.
Not the regular housepets as some might think they are.
Because this ignores the fact that they have evolved as a wild species and not a domesticated one.
When you see them as domesticated it opens the way to breeding programs as seen in other pet species such as ball pythons, Burmese etc. where coulor morhps and other exagerrated monstruosities are a sad and regular occuring thing.

 

[snakehandler]

Oke, some people think species like tegu can be tamed and actually become like regular pets such as cats or dogs.
However cats or dogs have been domesticated for a long time.
So people tell me silver fox have been domesticated in less than twenty generations. But to what prize?
they have lost their ability to exist in the wild and generally have lost
everything that made them a silver fox.
So let me ask you, is it desirable for tegus to become regular pets or should we leave them as they are. the intelligent interesting species they have become by adapting to the conditions in the wild?

To me it doesnt matter if I can "handle" or "tame" any reptile I keep.
I appreciate them for what they are, which IMO is not a lap dog or kitty cat.
This is why poeple dont like colombian tegus. They generally wont put up with being man handled by somone who wants to look cool.
Wish I could say the same for argentines. They are much more passive than colombians. Though the ease of handling has made argentine tegus a popular choice for a large lizard, the "I want something big I can play with" mentality runs ever more rampant. It is quite troublesome to me, being often a major consideration of what animal someone may choose is based on whether they can hold it or not. Accept reptiles for what theyare not what you want them to be (i.e. tame)

I agree with that statement.

 

[Aranha]

Hehe i doubt that even if i tried to make my b&w tegu wild i would probably fail due to its curiosity ;D. I prefer mine tame. Offcourse they adapt more and more from generation to generation of indoor breeding but its not like they are whiping out a species.. Want a wild one? Go catch one or buy a wildcaught but most ppl prefer having their tegus tame since they make great pets. Social and curius and easy to handle.

Its an alternative pet. I bought mine becose i wanted a challenging pet that could be social and that i wouldnt need to attend too much. And i love my tegu. Wouldnt trade him for anything in the world. Its all about preferences.

Another alternative for those who want a wild lizard i say buy a nile monitor. Tame that! ;D

 

[angelrose]

I don't try and change them, I love them very much for what they are and if they do become ' tame ' so be it......................
(I had a nile and I am looking for another)

 

[snakehandler]

Hehe i doubt that even if i tried to make my b&w tegu wild i would probably fail due to its curiosity ;D. I prefer mine tame. Offcourse they adapt more and more from generation to generation of indoor breeding but its not like they are whiping out a species.. Want a wild one? Go catch one or buy a wildcaught but most ppl prefer having their tegus tame since they make great pets. Social and curius and easy to handle.

Its an alternative pet. I bought mine becose i wanted a challenging pet that could be social and that i wouldnt need to attend too much. And i love my tegu. Wouldnt trade him for anything in the world. Its all about preferences.

Another alternative for those who want a wild lizard i say buy a nile monitor. Tame that! ;D

Its not about the wildness. Its allright to tame it.
What i meant was that in general regular pets are not respected for thier original wild nature but should adapt to what humans think
is suitable for them. But also i think we should preserve their genes in captivity if possible.

 

[angelrose]

I agree with that.
as soon as you bring them home maybe that changes them because their housed and depend on you for food, water, etc. they can't go out and get it themselves. :idea:

 

[COWHER]

I'm lost.... you understand that by keeping them as pets they will reach a certain amount of tameness. But what are you against? I dont understand ... are you saying that we should not selectively breed for a calm tame tegu? I'm not being rude I just am seriously lost on this one lol..

BTW, guys this is a awesome Discussion!!! there had been no one arguing and it has all been nice informative information.. Whoot whoot!!!tegutalk!!! :woot :woot :woot

 

[snakehandler]

I'm lost.... you understand that by keeping them as pets they will reach a certain amount of tameness. But what are you against? I dont understand ... are you saying that we should not selectively breed for a calm tame tegu? I'm not being rude I just am seriously lost on this one lol..

BTW, guys this is a awesome Discussion!!! there had been no one arguing and it has all been nice informative information.. Whoot whoot!!!tegutalk!!! :woot :woot :woot

well actually i think we should regard it as a wild species.
and respect the way it has become and not trying to alter his genes by selctive breeding programs as has been done by various types of snakes. As i keep snakes for more than twenty years, started thirty years ago with a garter snake and my grnadmom was upset..
anyway i see all these morphs and wonder where the snake has gone. i realize however that for popular species this is almost a faith brought upon them. But i personally dont see any advantage in doin so.