| Member |
Message |
|
#241378
Aeriswisteria
View Profile
|
New Mali 
I bought a Mali yesterday and was told to let him get used to his surroundings for at least 3 or 4 days before trying to handle him. Is this correct? When I reach in to feed him, he pops me with his tail. What can I do about this? I definately don’t want him doing that when he gets big! He’s a real cutie, I’ll have to post pics when I get them :)
|
|
02/05/05 10:32pm
|
|
|
#241398
Esoteric
View Profile
|
Message To: Aeriswisteria In reference to Message Id: 241378
New Mali
Correct or no, it’s probably a good starting point. The best thing to do about tail slaps would be not have your hand in a position to get hit, i.e. not in the cage. Let him get used to what’s going on. Time to handle will vary per species and per animal and then how your environment is setup and then how YOU behave. Neither of my geyri’s will "permit" handling after several months and seems to be characteristic- they will prepare a slap when cornered for a grab. After a couple months the hardwickiis either go stoned or hide when I reach in- they object vocally. The two macfadyeni’s I’ve acquired in the past week, one old and one young, will readily allow it. I’ve only been threatened by the large male when I try to wake him up underneath his rock, but he’s catching on to "proper" behavior, so that should be unnecessary.Be patient. These are not dogs or cats and don’t inherently expect interaction. You have to earn their trust and cooperation. As a product, it’s fundamentally a more valuable experience in my mind. The geyri’s and macfadyeni’s will all eat from my hand while the hardwickii’s are still way off from that possibility. With a dog or cat there would be no real value in that kind of behavior... Uros seem to learn quckly, so be careful with what you’re teaching. Both macfadyeni’s learned that ones jump ends short when aimed through glass (funny as hell to watch- crouch, spring, bonk!) after less than a dozen attempts. If an animal is agitated while being handled I absolutely make sure that it’s calm before releasing it back into the cage. I won’t let them run away- they must be calm enough to walk off my hand for their own safety and hopefully they’ll be learning that behavior as well and "handling isn’t so bad." I’m still new, though, others have been playing with these critters for much longer and may have more to say. Also keep in mind that a cold or tired animal may seem friendlier or more personable, but don’t mistake this for amicability. behind those eyes, it’s probably still as scared or hostile as when it’s warm.
|
|
02/05/05 10:59pm
|
|
|
#241399
Frocto
View Profile
|
Message To: Aeriswisteria In reference to Message Id: 241378
New Mali
They need an acclimation period of at least 4 weeks, but 8 weeks is recommended. I can’t remember who said it, mwilso1, sorry if it wasn’t, that said , imagine your hand as the great hand monster that is here to EAT ME!!
If your mali freaks out every time it sees you then cover the cage for a week and let it get used to just being there. After a week remove the cover and let it get used to seeing you.
Over the next few weeks just try putting your hand in the cage and not trying to touch your mali, just let it get used to you and your scent.
If this is going good lay your hand open palm up and move towards the mali, if it runs then stop moving, try enticing it to get onto your hand, once it does don’t try and move your hand, let it get used to you.
Things should progress from there.
This isn’t a set exact gonna work thing, you might have a mali like Pogo that still worries about the big anti stinker gloves are gonna come get him.
My female came to me docile, sweet and nice, my other one, tolerates us and lets us hold him for a few minutes now and then.
All of those steps are open to change depending on the uro.
How old/big is he?
post pics when ya can, were pic happy here.
Good luck and remember the most important thing.
Enjoy your uro, he didn’t pick you, you picked him. If it was up to him he would be in Africa somewhere not even thinking about any of us.
Trent
|
|
02/05/05 11:00pm
|
|
|
#241915
Tec-9-7
View Profile
|
Message To: Frocto In reference to Message Id: 241399
New Mali
I’d agree w/ Frocto here. Give the animal at least 4 weeks w/o trying to handle him. Uros seem pretty clever as reptiles go, and as time passes, he’ll recognize that you’re probably not going to try to eat him and will calm down substantially. Be aware tho, that Uros aren’t Beardies and will never be comfortable w/ being handled.
|
|
02/06/05 04:24pm
|
|
|
#242002
Aeriswisteria
View Profile
|
Message To: Tec-9-7 In reference to Message Id: 241915
New Mali
I was under the impression that they were pretty social with their owners. Will I ever be able to handle him i.e. put him on my shirt etc.
|
|
02/06/05 06:08pm
|
|
|
#242319
Tec-9-7
View Profile
|
Message To: Aeriswisteria In reference to Message Id: 242002
New Mali
Well... Probably not. They REALLY need a hot environment, and while they may seem to become calm when you take them out of their habitat, they are most likely becoming torpid from the temperature drop (unless your house is around 100 degrees farenheit). I’d politely suggest that even once it’s acclimated to it’s new surroundings, you limit ’handling’ to reaching in and scratching it. My male seems quite tolerant of being scratched around the head and chin, and my female, well, it depends on her mood. If you were looking for a ’take-out-and-lie-on-your-stomach’ lizard, you would be much better served w/ a Bearded Dragon.
|
|
02/07/05 12:49am
|
|
|
#242541
GimliMakaio
View Profile
|
Message To: Tec-9-7 In reference to Message Id: 242319
New Mali
i agree.... my uro is perfectly content to eat out of my hand and even crawl up on it, but only if he is in his cage. if i take him out, he tries to bolt, and he is impossible to find, lol...
bearded dragons are definately better than uros when it comes to handling.
|
|
02/07/05 01:41pm
|
|
|
#243242
Brad35309
View Profile
|
Message To: GimliMakaio In reference to Message Id: 242541
Weird
i just got my mali uromastyx this saturday and he dosent run away and lets me handle him just fine
|
|
02/08/05 12:14pm
|
|
|
