Wild Black Throat

[Dana C]

I bought a dog exercise pen, set it up in front and took Kinabo out thinking he would like it. Instead he went nuts! He hissed, tail whipped, gaped, you name it, he did it. He ran at the barrier, whipped at it until the nib of his tail was a little bloody. I was next to him all the time and every time I put my hand close to the pen, he hissed, gaped and whipped. Deciding that he hated it, I boldly picked him up which he was fine with. I too him back to his enclosure and he completely transformed. He was docile, even servile. He came to my hand and I stroked the top of his head and under his chin for quite a while as he had his eyes closed. It was like a lizard needing comfort and security from me.

I really think that living his first year in an enclosure, he became intensely afraid of the outdoors and being any environment that didn't have walls, hence his defensive / aggressive posturing. I am sure it wasn't me as he wanted my contact and comfort after he was back inside. In other words his was a fear of open spaces that I hadn't anticipated.

So much for the great outdoors. He may change as he gets older and grows more, becomes more brave etc. For now however he is an indoor guy.
I feel terrible that he got so stressed out but am grateful he didn't seem to hold it against me.

 

[frost]

i think its just something that you have to ease him into. its kinda like putting him in an environment that he has no idea what to make of. im guessing all the new sites and sounds just overloaded him. other animals have the same reaction to being in something without a lot of exposure to the outside world.

 

[laurarfl]

Yep...ease him into it. I have a covered porch that they love and sometimes they will venture out into the backyard with me. But I have one that if I put into a basking cage outside turns into a freak.

 

[dragonmetalhead]

At least he didn't vent his fear out on you. Glad nobody was hurt in the ordeal. I must say, I am very impressed with the care you give your monitor. Why can't Animal Planet show more special about people like you, whose animals are in control and not devouring pets and kids left, right, and center?

 

[Dana C]

Thank you very much. I really do my homework and while my set ups aren't perfect, nobodies really is. I really have done the science and have read every paper on Tegus and V. inonidesi that I can find. I also experiment a bit because I have noticed that one animals preferences are not another's.
Unlike the postulates on Varanid.net, I don't want to observe my Black Throat just being a monitor like many say. I want a monitor that, as a pet, see's me as a source of food, saftey, security and comfort. Just like my Tegu postings, human / Tegu / Monitor interaction fascinates me.
I spend hours each day with my kids, paying very close attention to what they are communicating to me.

You are so right about Animal Planet and especially Nat Geo featuring programs full of misinformation and really bad science. Not all are bad but the ones dealing with the reptiles of the Americas are pathetic in the drama that they include to snag viewers.

Yes I anthropomorphize all my animals but I also am a keen observer of behaviors on a empirical basis. Hence, I felt horrible scaring the hell out of Kinabo but was very thankful that he became so needy of my comfort when it was over.

 

[monstruo-the-tegu]

At least he didn't vent his fear out on you. Glad nobody was hurt in the ordeal. I must say, I am very impressed with the care you give your monitor. Why can't Animal Planet show more special about people like you, whose animals are in control and not devouring pets and kids left, right, and center?

agreed

 

[TegusRawsome80]

Well, because it's television and they'd never get anyone to watch it. Honestly, how many episodes of every day interactions with pets would you want to watch? To me, it'd get a bit boring. Like those dog trainer shows.