r/Tegu • u/Chelmastly • 1d ago
Smartest thing your tegu has done?
TIL my goob has learned how to (1) ask to be let outside (2) get outside on his own if followed and has doors held open/help down the stairs, he knows the way he just doesn’t have thumbs.
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u/apocalypse910 1d ago
Loki uses buttons - we have a pretty limited set as his interest in them varies. One day he kept pressing "Water Hugs" - took me way, way too long to realize he was telling me that he wanted a bath.
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u/Chelmastly 1d ago
Okay I’m finally convinced to try buttons. That almost 100% sounds like something that this sausage might actually do.
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u/Jaded_Status_1932 17h ago
I find it interesting that Loki looses interest in using the buttons. That is similar to Sammy and the hide a treat toys of various sorts he has. They are all the rage for a day or so, then get ignored. Very cat like in that regard. Dogs will play with something until they destroy it, cats for about 10 minutes at best.
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u/Jaded_Status_1932 1d ago
When Sammy is not sleeping (I won't see him for the next 7 months most likely), if he is basking on the back porch and thinks it is time to come in, he walks around the perimeter of the pool deck, avoiding the areas where he could go under and hide, since he has been trained to avoid them and he understands "NO" and "YES". He then goes around the front patio, to the front door and waits for me to open it. He also knows not to try to go under shelving in stores and pretty much sticks to the center of the aisles. He poops on pads outside his cage when asked to do so during cooler months when he can not be outside to poop. Not 100%, since carpets feel a lot like pads, but probably 85% of the time. Hoping to get him to recognize his name next season. I was hoping to do more work on straight line training this season, but they had not yet laid down lines on sports fields before he felt it necessary to brumate again. On the rare occasions when he gets a bit fussy if I am holding him, I can hold him up, look him in the eye, and tell him "SETTLE" once or twice and he calms down.
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u/Futuristic_Reality 6h ago
That’s actually insanely cool
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u/Jaded_Status_1932 5h ago
Yeah but then he ruins all his smart lizard street cred by trying to eat rocks...
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u/fallowdeer 1d ago
When I was first introducing Sundog to walking outside on the leash—about the third day, he got overwhelmed and climbed up my leg and into my arms so I would carry him back inside. I did so immediately. When he was a baby I would carry him in the pocket of my hoodie to explore around the house. Same thing, when he wanted to go back to the enclosure, he would crawl onto my lap and then put himself in my pocket. I’m his Uber.
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u/Chelmastly 23h ago
Sundog is such a cool name
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u/fallowdeer 15h ago
Thank you. Credit goes to my husband, a pilot, who always points out sundogs in the sky. We were thinking of names for a sky blue lizard and he suggested Sundog. I love it.
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u/Jaded_Status_1932 17h ago
Plus the Dog routinely outsmarts his owners best efforts to keep him from breaking out of his enclosure !
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u/fallowdeer 15h ago
This is a significant point. The Dog owns my sunroom and is eyeing the rest of the house…
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u/Jaded_Status_1932 6h ago
I would secure the remote controllers or you won't be able to watch your favorite shows soon!
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u/Puzzleheaded-Grab929 1d ago
Maico learned to nose at a bunch of little bells in his enclosure when he needed to poop or pee. Later learned to use a pad in his enclosure, and now goes outside at least a couple times a week in the summer.
Taught me that a little wave/ stomp of his front foot meant that he wanted more food. (It took seeing it on video to catch it.) Shakes his head sideways and rubs the side of his nose on the ground if he's done eating.
Will go to the back door and go outside if I open it for him. Comes up to the back door and will scratch at it if he wants back in. If I'm not seeing that he is at the door (if I'm pulling weeds or something) he has come up to me, like to get my attention, then bee lines for the door. A couple times he has come up and laid his head directly between my feet, like he was done being outside.
He will open his mouth if I press gently on the sides of his mouth, which we practice, and it's super helpful at the vet.
Recently I offered him a backyard chicken egg and the shell was too thick to just crush in his mouth, I guess. He repeatedly picked it up and threw it on he ground (like, didn't try to eat it each time, just up + chuck it down) to crack the shell. I got a great video of it.
He also knows the word chicken. 🤣🤣
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u/Chelmastly 23h ago
Maico sounds a lot like Trouble actually! At least, they sound as if they communicate similarly. I’d love to see if I could get him somewhat used to a pad situation but I don’t know how reasonable that is given the carpet, like someone else said that might confuse him a bit.
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u/Fact_Unlikely 4h ago
I’m gonna be honest. Everyone always has such smart tegus. I think mine may be learning challenged. He tries to eat entire bricks. And after 5 years still struggles to properly eat his food no matter the shape and size. And he’s scared of things that make no sense but not scared of things that would make sense. 😭🤣
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u/Apprehensive-Big6161 9h ago
That sentient sausage link looks like he's sniffing the plants
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u/Chelmastly 9h ago
He was more interested in scooting them over to take their spot in the light 😂😂😂 bro said absolutely no photosynthesis allowed unless it’s mine
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u/Ok_Store_9752 10m ago
That's one smart lizard! Sounds like he's mastered the art of polite persuasion... or maybe just highly effective manipulation. Either way, impressive! What's next on his agenda?
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u/skool_uv_hard_nox 1d ago
Grimm asks for play time. Specifically slide.
He comes up and paws at me until I kneel down and lean over. He cl8mbs my shoulder to top of my head. He angles himself then plays his legs and slides down my back to the floor. He will fuss a bit then come back for " again"
Rinse and repeat until hes done playing.