Handling Sav

Razaiel · #1 (**permalink**) 02-14-2006, 09:53 AM

Our little guy/gal is now spending more time out of his hides - he used to hide away the minute we came into the room at one point but now doesn't always hide away until his door is opened - then he'll zoom to "safety".

Like I've said in a previous post - it's really my daughter's (Kat) Savvy - but I want to make sure we're doing our best for the little guy. We've been taking him out for handling sessions even when he's in his hide - just pick him up and take him out (if we didn't take him out he wouldn't get handled and therefore tamed down). He usually just puts up with it and wiggles about on us until he (usually) calms down after a couple of minutes. He would poop on us at first but now rarely does and will usually calm down after a bit and enjoy being stroked sometimes falling asleep - he stays out for probably 10-15 minutes at a time and we do this about 4 times a day.

A few times recently he's sometimes started whipping round with his tail when my younger daughter and I reach in for him which is a bit scary but he doesn't bite. Now I'm wondering if he's starting to get more confident in his surroundings and biting is going to be his next phase. Interestingly Kat doesn't have this particular problem with him so I wonder if, with these creatures, it would be better to let just her handle him so he can build up trust with his primary caregiver and the rest of us will just have to wait patiently until he is ready for us.

Lucky Lep · #2 (**permalink**) 02-20-2006, 12:27 AM

With the work and time your putting in iam sure your savvy will calm down with no problem.

snydergeckos · #3 (**permalink**) 02-20-2006, 02:17 AM

i have a black throat monitor and it is just like you said with your daughter and the savvy in relation to others and the savvy. when my brother and i(primary caretakers) take him out he has no problem and actually enjoys coming out now but when other people even come near him he will whip his tail and hiss and what not. but by the sounds of it hes already getting tamer so good luck and continue what youre doing.

Razaiel · #4 (**permalink**) 02-21-2006, 07:40 AM

Thanks for your encouragement

I think I just need the reassurance that everything's going well. I had him/her out yesterday and he fidgeted so much at first I stuffed him under my t-shirt (I tend to do that with my parrot to calm him). Well Tiny just loved it on my bare skin - curled up and went to sleep with me stroking him and wound his tail around my arm almost in a "holding hands" (though it was his tail) kinda gesture. He looked so comfy and even when I moved from the chair to the kitchen a few times he didn't shift. Think he's well on the road to being spoilt ...

Dachande · #5 (**permalink**) 02-22-2006, 12:30 AM

it goes in phases sometimes. first biting, then tail whipping and defecation. open mouth threats can be witnessed as well. it will probably try each one of these before playing dead. well, not literally. but if it calms down, it's because it realizes you aren't gouing to harm it. and technically this is playing dead.
as far as liking individuals orver others, it's also how you move around them. just like with birds.

Pork Chops N' Corn Bread · #6 (**permalink**) 02-22-2006, 12:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dachande

it goes in phases sometimes. first biting, then tail whipping and defecation. open mouth threats can be witnessed as well. it will probably try each one of these before playing dead. well, not literally. but if it calms down, it's because it realizes you aren't gouing to harm it. and technically this is playing dead.
as far as liking individuals orver others, it's also how you move around them. just like with birds.

I swear my bird hates anyone but me and my mom. He squacks at everyone else that enters his room. lol Its funny

Dachande · #7 (**permalink**) 02-22-2006, 01:23 AM

also "taming down" is a concept that does not apply to monitors or any reptile for that matter. there is no such thing as tame. only tolerant.

Razaiel · #8 (**permalink**) 02-22-2006, 10:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pork Chops N' Corn Bread

I swear my bird hates anyone but me and my mom. He squacks at everyone else that enters his room. lol Its funny

That tends to be the case with parrots - they form bond pairs with their favored humans in the absence of a feathered partner (I've got a parrot and have studied behavioral stuff regarding Amazons in particular). I had so many problems with him first time he hit his hormonal period but am used to him now and can deal with it.

Razaiel · #9 (**permalink**) 02-22-2006, 10:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dachande

it goes in phases sometimes. first biting, then tail whipping and defecation. open mouth threats can be witnessed as well. it will probably try each one of these before playing dead. well, not literally. but if it calms down, it's because it realizes you aren't gouing to harm it. and technically this is playing dead.
as far as liking individuals orver others, it's also how you move around them. just like with birds.

Well I'm hoping s/he has bypassed the biting stage - because that never happened - but no guarantees I guess. And yes, I know s/he'll never "love" me LOL.

Western Hognoses play "dead" - I read up on them before getting my adult - apparently they'll flip over on their backs and pretend to be dead in the wild - and even CB babies can do this at first until growing out of it. Shame I got mine as an adult - I'd have liked to have seen the display.

kemocut · #10 (**permalink**) 03-01-2006, 09:29 PM

i have a pair of sav's. when i got them i was told that they had never been held or messed with unless they were moving from owner to owner. when i first got them i could put my hand near them with out them lashing out. now three months later i could climb in the cage and take a nap if i wanted to. i've tried to get them out atleast once a week if not more and it's seemed to work.

Razaiel · #11 (**permalink**) 03-02-2006, 12:18 PM

They sound very laid-back, cool savs - are they adults? Maybe they calm down a bit with age? - I really don't know as I'm totally new to them but want to learn as much as I can about them.

Mine's still up and down with temperament - sometimes he lets me pick him up other times he doesn't want to know (mostly he'll tolerate me though). I think he's calmer in the evening (like sleepy probably) and at some point in the afternoon - at least I haven't been bitten yet.

kemocut · #12 (**permalink**) 03-02-2006, 04:57 PM

you're lucky you haven't been bitten yet. the two times i got bit it was like watching a pit bull attack. bite, shake, and drag, trust me it's not pleasent. but good luck with him and just keep messing with him and he should be fine.

Razaiel · #13 (**permalink**) 03-02-2006, 06:46 PM

I'll keep at it - I had him/her out today for a couple of handling sessions - he really loves being under my t-shirt (security I guess and warm skin). #$%^&#$%^&#$%^&#$%^&, he's not even mine - he's my daughter's - but she recently got full-time employment working shift-system and doesn't have much time so I get more sav-time than she does :/

CourtneyAllison · #14 (**permalink**) 03-08-2006, 05:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kemocut

you're lucky you haven't been bitten yet. the two times i got bit it was like watching a pit bull attack. bite, shake, and drag, trust me it's not pleasent. but good luck with him and just keep messing with him and he should be fine.

Yea, that doesn't sound pleasant...

But it never deters us away from the animals we love does it? If I ever gave up horses after being kicked, bitten, stepped on, thrown off, trampled, ect. I think life would royally suck...

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