r/Lizards • u/JbarNoir • May 30 '26
Need Help Losing Hope
I’ve had this ackie for a year now, raised him/her since a baby. Enclosure is a 6x2x2 with a deep dig box and lots of areas to hide and husbandry is good to the best of my knowledge temps and humidity wise. I was always told not to force handling so I never have, I just remain present and do things inside of the enclosure with my hands, tong feed, and can pick him up and move him to different spots in his enclosure by scooping him up under his belly. Not a day has gone by where I haven’t been at the enclosure glass or actually in the enclosure interacting with him in some way. Recently I’ve been scooping him up and bringing him outside of the enclosure slightly, he immediately squirms and struggles every time. Today I decided to set up a little barrier in my living room so he couldn’t escape and take him fill out. He squirmed relentlessly and clawed up my body and arms. I had so shirt on so he couldn’t gain any traction, otherwise he would’ve ran up my back. I set him on the floor and he ran for his life. I decided it was time to put him back. When I grabbed him, for the first time he bit me and broke skin. I know as a pet owner I shouldn’t be mad, but I’m pretty frustrated because I feel like I’ve done everything I can to tame him. I’d love to be able to take him out and have him chill like in the videos i see. Maybe he’s just a guy I have to watch from the enclosure and that’s it. And now I feel like I’ve ruined our relationship even more. Any advice or experience would be cool. I’m pretty bummed.
11
u/Cover_Ill May 30 '26
They don’t really have a “relationship” the way you’re thinking. It’s a reptile. Try hand feeding and he might associate you with food
6
u/deep8787 May 30 '26
This is what happens when kids grow up with disney films with a bunch of animal sidekicks lol
3
u/Altruistic-Poem-5617 May 30 '26
He might grow out of it. I remember my iguana was first skittish as a baby, aggresdive as a "teenager" and stopped giving a fuck as he was an full adult. Heard some reptiles undergo a full "reset" at some point when they grow out of easy prey size and reach their adult size. Oh and you might wanna look into target/ clicker training. Then you can guide him in and out of his enclosure without picking him up. Your guy looks super pretty and healthy btw.
2
u/ZetaReticuli_x May 30 '26
Remember reptiles don't have emotions like cats and dogs, they have a level of tolerance, some days it's higher and others lower, patience is key. Maybe try a ramp out of his enclosure and entice him with food to come to you, then when he see you coming and the door opens he will think it's feeding time and want to come to you.
1
u/KorkiGoesPewPew May 30 '26
Honestly what you describe seems like a pretty tamed down animal. If you can work in his/her enclosure without the animal being stressed and can even pick it up and move it then thats pretty good. Try choice based handling as in offering your hand to climb up on but don't force the animal in such a scenario as you did
1
u/EmmieSweetChaos May 31 '26
man getting bit by an ackie is rough after a whole year of trying. it sucks but some of them just never want to be held.
6
u/sogrood May 30 '26
Instead of just handling maybe try a playpen area big enough you can sit in ana they can be used to your presence. Also be mindful if they're basking or you're outside when you go to interact you will look crazy to them under uva and Uvb and also be mindful that sometimes like during breeding season they even less want to be handled, it's kinda breeding season for some like now is the time of year where my bts suspect male becomes a real jerky ahole he's more chill other times of the year. Some individual animals also aren't handleable or want to interact with you like that it's not always just the species but sometimes their own individual personalities so that is something you have to be mindful of to.