Body Language of Tegus: What are They Saying?
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- čas přidán 7. 07. 2022
- In this video, we're going to learn how tegus try to communicate with us through body language and what it means. Even though tegus and other reptiles are not vocal, they tell us everything we need to know if we understand the signs they give us.
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What interests you most about tegus? What do you guys want to know about them next?
Proper Viv's! I have a female BW (Cruella). She's about 34" at 4 years old, so about the apex of her size (save for growing out lol). She's in a 4'x3'x3' enclosure I got from reptisun (or some regular brand), although she has full run of my entire office room when I'm up. Technically, it's small by most research I've done. I've always planned on and designed a few enclosures for her, but the information out there is mind-numbing. Ideally, if I had the space, tools, and cash, I would build a large glass and wood viv for her. But what about cost-effective? Supposedly melamine is ideal but it's pricey. Acrylic (plexiglass) is mold resistant but isn't that well with heat. Some wood types (pine for example) are poisonous. What's better, home-designed or contractor built? What about safe, outdoor enclosures?
There's lots of info outthere. So if you are looking for ideas, a nice consolidated video about that would be incredible.
Their intelligence! You look in their eyes and there's *Definitely* something going on inside! Could we get a video on the other side? How to tell if your Tegu is Content / Feels Safe / Is open to Socialising?
👍
@@amgcrossley8019 i meaaaan... you can look into my eyes and tell there's something going on inside but i assure you that it's only cheese
The bone crushing feeling of a tegu bite makes the experience all the more sweeter when you finally have a big scaly puppy who loves being petted and watching tv. Knowing you turned a ferocious dinosaur that charges at you on his hind legs like a T rex 😂 into a cold blooded sweet heart is a very rewarding experience
I definitely agree😅👍
Reminds me of the video of a Tegu fetching a squeaky toy.
@@dakotastein9499 haha mine does this he loves playing with dog toys
@@trueking1857
Prehistoric trex: *vicious killer*
Modern day tegu: "he he...toy go squeaky squeeky"
@@dakotastein9499 he wasn’t far off being a t.rex when I first got him 😂 but a crushed knuckle a ripped open forearm and a couple hospital trips later we got their in the end he’s a good boy now 🤣 worth the scars
I have an Argentine black and white tegu at home and he's an absolute sweetheart, i did get bitten once by him accedentally because of a food response (i think i smelled like food or something) but he never did anything defensive or agressive towards me. I just love how (most) tegu's seem to act like cats/dogs in some ways but just require a lot less time to keep them happy, cats and dogs need affection, tegu's don't. They're simply just amazing
That's what I love about reptiles, they do well at taking care of themselves for the most part.
Did you have to get antivenom?
@@neomt2 No, it didn't even draw any blood, he's still young, plus i don't think they're really venomous though it's always good to get any animal bite that draws blood checked out
yeah thats the thing about tegusmthey are voracious eaters,once that food response is triggered they will grab whatever is in front of them,including the hand thats feeding them...sometimes this has lead to them biting a hand that reachese just out of the expectation of food even when there isnt one
one trick owners tend to employ is training tegus to a rutine and asociation...tegues are very intelligent,as smart and trainable as some dogs actually...
the trick is making a visible seperation between when your reaching in to interract or when its for food...making a certain noise or sticking your hand in at a specific end of the tank...tegues recodnize patterns and will eventually catch on what you are implying
they can also recodnize colors...reaching in with a brightly colored glove can also show a distinquished meaning.
I’m glad a video like this exists. Tegu’s are one of my dream reptiles and I’m glad a video like this exists.
Thanks, I'm glad we could do it. Hopefully your dream comes true.
Always love to see good tegu info out there. Maybe you could add some positive body language too. Even that there are different types of tongue flicking (like long slow licks that mean they are super chill, or rapid short licks that mean really curious). Also got to have the classic head tilt in there, and the stink eye :P
arching and hissing just like a cat 🥰 Can you do a video about the Jeweled Lacerta or Emerald Tree Skinks next? 👀
I like those ideas👌
my guy got the whole tegu dundee fit, fr fr.
This is SO good! Works on Blue Tongue Skinks too (very similar body language)
Great video with lots of good information
I just happened across this channel, you have an excellent presentation and presence! Hope to see more from ya 🐍🦎
Thanks! Your channel is awesome as well! We've got more content coming.
@@animalesteemexotic Appreciate the kind words, I look forward to seeing more!
Great!!!
Very good information. Thank you :D
Thank you. I love your channel👍
A good one to include is when tegus "slither" their tails, apparently trying to make it look like a snake. I've only ever seen a tegu do it like twice, but supposedly it is also a "get away from me" sign.
Good one. I've seen him display that fairly recently when he has his temperamental moments.
My Tegu is a sweetheart she will approach and sit with me but she's always huffing
I don't own a tegu even though I'd love to, but I do meet wild ones whenever they cross into my property. My dogs don't like them so they make a lot of noise and that's what allowed me to save the ones that entered my backyard.
One of them was pretty big and after I rescued it from my dogs I saw those signs. Heavy breathing and an arched back, so I let him stay in the box for a bit longer before finding somewhere safe to release.
I plan on owning one some day. They seem like awesome pets!
That is so awesome! Its been my dream to see wild tegus. I hope I can one day.
I think you should cover either costs or what Tegus eat for 2022.
My red female which I raised from a baby, now 1 year 7 months does daily every thing you described to get me to leave her alone. I ignore all the signs and pick her up anyway and she allows it though you can clearly see she's not enjoying it. It's a blessing she has not, does not bite as that would be a deal breaker. She's very different than my 1 year 10 month old male back and white who is like putty in my hands. They are very unique personalities and this neat to a degree because it gives off a level of individual intelligence and choices they make based on me being the same with them. Will be interesting to see how my relationship goes with them both as they come out of brumation/continue to mature.
My 2 tegus grew up, were rsised together (3 months age diff) and they appear to be very close to each other. They seek each other out and often lay on each other. The red females always want to eat first and tries to take/get to the food first. I got to be careful/diligent that in the future they don't reproduce because I don't want to be responsible for finding the babies homes/a responsible and long term owner. Reptiles like tegus require a lot of knowledge, care and commitment that many won't provide longterm, good times and bad/tough times.
They're honestly one of the hardest lizards to keep
Agreed. They are definitely a handful, no doubt. For that reason, they're one of the most often re-homed lizard species along with a few others.
Me who will never own a lizard due to living in the frozen wasteland known as Canada: Hm yes, this is a good video
So now that we their negative body language, what about positive body language? How do you tell if they are happy? Or are wanting to play?
I have a female argentine tegu and she is an absolute monster when it comes to feeding. Ever since I got that lighting upgrade and she has a huge basking spot she is fired up like a velociratptor and lunges at anything she thinks is food (that includes my hand. ouch) She even managed to bite through my kevlar gloves
I've been there. Any sudden movement I make will send him leaping off the ground with his mouth wide open if he even thinks its feeding time.
I thought the title called it a “land sausage” and I honestly agree.
Jist got one lets go. Hes the best sleeps on ya just does his thing, digging turns round flicks carrys on
You're going to have lots of fun👍.
@animalsteemexotic - can this be applied to Colombian tegu as well?
Yes
Actually my tahoe doesn't always conflict when I pet him. He is about a little over a year. I find this more in snakes than in tegu
Great video, super spot on! I would also add the tail whip, my Colombian gold’s favorite when she’s grumpy!
Oh yeah! Their world famous move😅
I watched this video a while ago, but I must have not paid attention to a back arch… and got a firm biting from our 3 y/o tegu on my forearm. thankfully, he only shook me twice and wasnt thrashing or rolling. my bf was also home, so i called to him to save my arm from getting a huge chomp taken out of it. needless to say, he drew blood and I will be bruising tomorrow.
We're in the same boat. I've overlooked that sign once too and paid the entire check for it😅
I have a blue tegu and at one time I looked away from it. That was a mistake. It but onto my index finger and wouldn’t let go for 4 minutes. Luckily, I had leather gloves on as this was yesterday, and I only just got the tegu a few days ago so I wanted to take proper precautions
All it takes is one quick second. Man those gloves really saved the day. I guess its all part of the journey. Have fun with your new guy.
My taego and cat are best friends. My taboo acts like my cat and rubs against my leg
My Tri-bred loves my cat more than me....🤣
Tegus always have a look on their faces I wasn't.
So how do you know if they like you?
Sorry for such a late response. With tegus being solitary in nature, they tend to show their tolerance for you by being willing to allow you to handle them, pet them, and, in my experience, even show affection by resting by me or huddling close to me to feel secure at times.
I got a tague yesterday hes kind of small Every time I put him in the cage he starts to wiggle back-and-forth on his legs what does that mean
Is he wiggling his entire body, his legs, or just his tail?
From what I’ve seen, everything you said applies to my jeweled lacerta
I have a red tegu and he is about a year old ish and he is not so sure of humans or anything that walks bye his enclosure. I was wondering if there is something I can do to help to elevate some of his insecure feelings about me and other people as well as the other animals we have in our house i.e. dogs
The best thing you can do first is help him to get used to your presense. You can try this by making his favorite food when you are sure he is very hungry. Place it in his enclosure, leave it there for him, and sit next to his enclosure while he is feeding. Finding something to occupy myself with helped me when doing this (listening to music or reading). Sooner or later, he may feel confident enough to come out and eat with you near his enclosure. Keep repeating this technique until you see his confidence build up more. And try to refrain from touching him while doing this if you can. Keep trying this and take note of how much progress you make with him. Then we may be ready to move to the next level. This worked well for me, however, all tegus are different. All it takes is a good amount of patience. I hope your big guy does well.
@@animalesteemexotic my guu will eat with anything around him and doesn't bother him at all he is def a good eater if you put food in front of him he will eat ir regardless if something is around him or not
You said they could make a really big meal out us or our fingers 🤲🏻 in point 3. What’s they’re estimated bite pressure?
Like that of a snapping turtle 🐢 or a little less 🤏🏻?
The tegu's bite force is usually around 225+ pounds. Its stronger than the common snapping turtle's bite.
Its comparable to medium sized dogs for males…. would not want to be on the receiving end of that
I once had a large female tegu grab the end of my thumb through a feeding response and believe me , it lite up my world! It felt like the bone was being crushed. One tooth went completely through my thumb nail. Luckily there was a sink nearby so I cradled her with my other hand and ran cold water on her head and she finally let go. from then on I never let them associate my hands with feeding and have had no problems.
I have 3 tegus. 2 females, a blue (Loralie) and a chacoan (Antiope) both a yr old. I have a male high black (Loki), he's a Argentine black and white 6 wks old. I have picked the girls up when they run and the male arches his back when pet but comes to me willingly.
I have heard them hiss at the other pets and strangers. And the chacoan has attacked the cats and dogs.
Do you think they attach themselves to one person?
How do you introduce strangers?
Care when going on vacation? Who can you trust to care for them?
What about getting along with other pets?
High black tegus are one of my favorites👌. When it comes to attaching themselves to a certain person, I know my tegu behaves differently when others are in the room compared to when I'm there. He will climb up my leg and up my back without hesitation. But he is more distant with others.
When it comes to introducing strangers, I always make sure I am the one handling him when others interact with him for the first time and when they pet him.
When it comes to caring for them while you're gone, we'll have an upcoming video about that soon. Stay tuned.
Those are worrying questions to be asked by someone who has 3 tegus...
1. Hard to tell. Reptile brains are wired so differently from ours that it's a bad habit to associate human emotions with their expressions (or lack thereof). For tegus, and most reptiles that can hear and smell, they have shown to be less stressed when in the presence of their owner. While most reptiles are loners, only crossing paths with other creatures for predation, mating, and territory defense, studies have shown that Tegus can seem to seek human interaction. Still I take those studies with a grain of salt. Use the word 'tolerate' more instead of attach/love and you'll find yourself understanding their psyche easier.
2. Not a question to ask AFTER you accept 3 tegus. By the by, only when your tegu is in a good mood, and you have full control of the situation. Even if all seems to be going well, you need to know how to grasp your tegu to pull them away quickly without hurting it, the other person, or yourself. Adult tegus can rend flesh from bone if they intend on hurting you, so special care must be taken.
3. ... Depends. For babies and adolescents who should be fed daily, put off going on vacation. Adults can go a long time without food or water, and will defecate the less they have eaten, but as long as they have access to clean water they will urinate daily or every other day at the very least (sometimes multiple times a day). So someone should be cleaning up their messes every other day at the very least or they will develop skin conditions or rot. It's also important to keep their heating needs in mind. Would you feel comfortable with their lamp being on for a long time while you were away? Even on a timer, it's dangerous.
4. Don't. They will attack anything they think they can get a mouth-full of flesh from if they are hungry, and will defend their territory from most other intruders, at least in my experience. It's stressful for the tegu, and the other animal. They don't need to interact, so avoid it. I shut that down quickly after my B&W as an adolescent tried to take a bite clean out of my labrador's belly as he relaxed on the floor. Luckily she just got a mouth of fur as I removed her.
Try to figure out what we are thinking about you now,
my baby tegu gets freaked out when i try to wake him up, he does that for a few seconds them he licks my hand and stops the heavy breathing
Why are you trying to wake him up? Tegu's will spend most of their time hiding and sleeping. They feel comfortable burried and will make a mess of any bedding material you provide (but it's great to watch!). Let the little buddy sleep. As he begins to learn to tolerate your presence, his natural curiosity will kick in and he'll explore you, his area, and find the best hiding spots.
@@raztastic i only wake him up to get a soak, so he can get his stuck shed off
@@mycatisverydumb646 I can wake mine up all through when I was raising them and now as young adults too. I wouldt go out of my way to wake them up at unusual hours but my pets bend around me, not the other way around. Tegus are smart where if you allow them to control you, they will. Example a child or a semi aggressive, rescue new dog. Handle your tegu lizard as much as possible, that's how you build a relationship. Hand feeding, picking shed off, soaking in the tub, laying on the floor with them, letting them climb/perch on you and petting/rubbing/talking to them. If you leave them alone to act like they want then they will/can resort back to more wild or independent nature. I believe how you treat and interact with young animals has a big effect on how they act as they grow up mature. I have 40 years experience raising troubled sheltered dogs and events negative or positive when babies plays a huge roll in how they behave and respond to stimuli and situations.
you wanna talk about a cuddly lizard...the black and white tegue is about the closest thing wel ever get to a dinosaur that thinks its a dog.
Agreed😅👍
my tegu i hade for a moths now he was 2 years old wen i got him he wans nothing to do with me wat do i do wen i go in his tent he walks a way from me😂😂
Don't worry, this behavior is all normal. Its like the first few months of school for him. What you can try, which worked well for me, is to sit by his enclosure and let him get used to your presence. Try to leave his favorite food inside his enclosure, sit beside his enclosure and read a book or play on your phone. Just let him get used to being around you. When he is comfortable, he will come out to eat while you are there. I hope this technique works. Have fun with his training👍
I own 3. I talk to them. When I first get them I interact at least twice a day. Once with feeding (i say yum-yums) that means food. it gets them used to a word related to food. I sit and say yum yum while they eat and talk to them. The second interaction is without food. And I sit next to them and just talk or read outloud. Every tegu is different. Also, make sure your head is at their level. They don't like being towered over until trust is formed.
DO NOT PUT YOUR HEAD AT THEIR LEVEL. Easy way to get bitten.
@@raztastic she saying do this with a tegu that's bonding with you, one where you have somewhat of a basic relationship with. When you get a young tegu they/quickly developed boundaries for behaviour. I wouldnt go out to the Everglades in South Florida where these reptiles roam wild and lay next to one with my face open but the chances of being able to do that almost unheard of. Talking to, holding, touching, hand feeding, rubbing/scratching is 100% the way to build trust with a new/old tegu. Also, getting down on their level makes reptiles more comfortable/confident or this can be done by hold them closer to shoulder level. I always sat in a chair and wore heavy thick clothes and or put a towel in my lap to avoid claw scratches as they climb and move around with my direction. I have two healthy and happy tegus that I raised from 3 week old babies. The very first day I got them to the current time, I hold and pick them up everyday and have them near my face. Still have to be careful and always read their mood as they are a reptile/animal.
@@GettingthruLife I repeat: Do not put your face next to your reptile. Easy way of getting bit. Don't do it with bonded/unbonded reptiles. Please do not encourage bad habits.
This video is so negative. I know when to give my tegu space, thanks. I was hoping to learn more about their more innocuous signals, or even their happy signals. It’s sad that you made it seem like aggression is the whole spectrum of their behavior.
Haw to tame a tegu:
1.ignore it
Done
Body language is easy to read 100% I'll bite you
Please do not wear that again and what do they eat
I can't help with the first one, my friend🤠🤙. We'll be covering their full diet in the next video.
@@animalesteemexotic I respect that now you got a new subscriber
@@animalesteemexotic Hey! I like the outfit!!!
It reminds me of the educators at Animal Kingdom at Disney - One of my favorite places.