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Post by SurvivorSteph on Apr 3, 2004 22:51:06 GMT -8
I need some advice on how to get Gil to STOP trying to bite me... he succeeded twice today. The second time, he really bit down hard, and looked like he was trying to teach me a lesson.
I've given him flicks on the mouth when he's done it or threatened to do it, but I really don't want to be violent to him. I don't want this to become a habit!
Thanks for the wisdom!
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Post by Tesa on Apr 4, 2004 7:17:58 GMT -8
Uhoh...not good.
I don't know the "best" thing to do.
But when Thrasher gets hateful with me like that I just tell her "NO" and make her let me hold her until I win and she calms down.
makes ya wanna muzzle the little snot doesn't it!?
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Post by VegasIguana on Apr 4, 2004 7:33:24 GMT -8
I need some advice on how to get Gil to STOP trying to bite me... he succeeded twice today. The second time, he really bit down hard, and looked like he was trying to teach me a lesson. I've given him flicks on the mouth when he's done it or threatened to do it, but I really don't want to be violent to him. I don't want this to become a habit! Thanks for the wisdom! Where is this happening? In neutral or HIS territory. Vega$ is very territorial. She has never attempted to bite me in neutral territory, but this doesn't mean she gets to in her own! She'll posture and warn me off. Depending on the situation, I'll respect her wishes. I woudln't want someone sitting in my space, if I didn't like it! But, if I'm tryign to apply silvadene or do something for her, then I'll just quickly grab her, say NO. I'll reset her and we'll just keep going thru this exerices several times. She's a very STUBBORN girl. Most times, she'll give up and turn her butt towards me. A few times, I'll just have to remove her from where she wants to be, and put her in a neutral spot. I found that throwing a towel over her jsut ticks her off even more. I've been bit b4. She bit me once when the food was late putting down in her habitat (bossy lizard even at 8 months!). She's bit me when I was ajdusting her basking area (pillows and towels), as if to say, HEY! Leave me alone! MINE MINE. I find that swift removal of her with firm tone of voice spooks her and tends to work, for HER. |
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Post by dominick on Apr 4, 2004 8:15:32 GMT -8
Remember Steph-
You need a repeat routine every time he bites. Using behavioral modification techniques.
Praise for good behavior like picking up with no biting. Stern warning and uncomfortable technique for the biting times.
With Rambo, who would try to bite, at every attempt, a loud and stern NO! and then I would restrain her head by the neck so she was immobilized. She hated being restrained and in the beginning would struggle. Soon, she realized the cause and effect of it, so she would try, get restrained (and she stopped struggling with it). Then, she stopped the bite attempts altogether.
Figure out your method
(some folks press the top of the head to the ground and hold it like that for a minute saying no, no, no) use it repeatedly, remember they are creatures of habit. And don't forget the praise at the littlest thing he does right. He'll catch on. They are far from stupid creatures.
Good luck.
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Post by SurvivorSteph on Apr 4, 2004 18:46:39 GMT -8
He's bitten me about 4 times now. Two of them were yesterday... neutral territory. We had been outside at a petting zoo; there were a ton of kids, and he'd been in the sun for about 2 hours.
I can usually tell when he's about to try, but sometimes he's pretty sneaky. Once I had my arm hanging over the arm of the couch and he climbed up and bit me.
Sometimes it seems like he tries because he's jealous of the cat. I've thought yesterday was because of stress (the first time), but the second time was definitely punishment. We were driving home (thankfully my mom was driving), and he looked at me, grabbed my finger, and kept squeezing. I said "no" and flicked him several times, but really, he released me when he wanted to.
I'm REALLY hoping this is just a breeding season thing, but I can't have it happen next year. He's almost two and drawing blood... next year, I won't be able to type!
I have been consistent with what I'm doing, but I don't like flicking him. I think I'll switch to restraining his neck with the "no." Hopefully that will work better.
Thanks for the help!
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Post by Dudley on Apr 5, 2004 15:07:28 GMT -8
The older ig that we just got at the zoo, tried to rip my ear off. It would keep trying to bit us, of course it was a defensive move as he was in new surroundings. So, one person held him and one person kept tapping him on the snout with the side of their finger. If he opened his mouth we would just leave our hand in front of his face open wide and flat with the palm facing straight towards him so that he couldn't get any teeth in. He hasn't tried to bite anyone since that. Though I still have some ugly scabs on my ear.
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Post by Tesa on Apr 5, 2004 16:02:06 GMT -8
ack! Sorry to hear ya'll got injured. :-( beeeeeeeeeeeeee careful! Thta's ame, but I dunno what else to say.  |
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Post by mar on Apr 5, 2004 18:38:01 GMT -8
I don't have much experience with this because Bob is a cuddly fellow -- I have only been bitten once in 8.5 years.
He has opened his mouth a few times at me so I did nearly the same thing I have done with puppies. Entice the bite and hold on. Being that Bob is a medium sized ig -- 15" SVL, ~10lbs -- and rather strong I was not going to get my finger in the way. I pulled my hand into the sleeve of my sweeter and enticed him to bite the cuff. As he bit the cuff I held his mouth closed, with the cuff in it, for a few seconds. While holding his nose I reached around and loosely held his body so he could not run away.
I did this twice -- both times on his territory -- at the peak of breeding season and have had no other signs of aggression.
Mark
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Post by SurvivorSteph on Apr 5, 2004 22:38:24 GMT -8
That's interesting, Mark. I'm almost always sleeveless, so I'd have to modify that approach. He was real good today; didn't give any indication that he was even thinking of biting me.  We shall see. |
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Post by URSULA on Apr 6, 2004 5:46:19 GMT -8
I know how you feel Steph.Spyro had a bad week months ago.She bite my hubby and she tryed to bite me.
But we handled and touched her like nothing happened.She was in her first breeding season then(vet said).She did not show any attempt to bite since then.
I hope he ll be fine in a week like Spyro was.
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Post by mar on Apr 6, 2004 7:03:28 GMT -8
Any heavy cloth will work -- it is just something to protect your hand.
I have learned to wear a long sleeve shirt whenever handling Bob. If I don't trim his nails twice a week my arms still get bloody. I guess it is a good sign for his Ca levels though.
A pic of Bob is my new icon -- for an idea of scale that black band around his neck is 1/2" webbing from his harness.
Mark
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Post by prism_wolf on Apr 10, 2004 12:24:03 GMT -8
Hey Mark...is that the kind of harness used for cats? How has it been on his spikes? The rear leag leash I use for Zair works very well...and if he starts to alligator roll it wraps around his back end instead of arounf the upper portion of his body and constricting around his neck. That was a huge problem for me..  . |
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Post by Merlin on Apr 11, 2004 9:29:02 GMT -8
I use a hip leash for Zok as well!
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Post by mar on Apr 11, 2004 10:10:28 GMT -8
It is a dog harness and the leash attaches in the middle of the back. Bob is great on a leash and has never alligator rolled while wearing it. I can't really say how it is on the spikes as his are rather short. He had a calcium problem resulting from a bladder stone. He was just starting a shed when he had surgery to remove the stone at which point he shed the spikes and the tips all came off so none of his spikes are much over an inch long. The front loop sits low on the shoulders so it does not effect breathing or the dewlap. When I first had it on him I had the front loop too big and when running (scared by a passing truck) he pulled the harness back over his front legs and could not go much further as his legs were held against his body. It is easy on and some what easy to take off but when it is clipped closed he can't wiggle out of it. The problem in taking it off comes from the width of his jowels. I am looking for a clip to put on the front loop but can't find one small enough without buying another harness -- I will try looking when I am in St Louis or Detroit next. Mark  |
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Post by mar on Apr 12, 2004 7:57:50 GMT -8
Well Bob was getting aggressive last night -- open mouth and snapping, time for counter dominance training.
Not really thinking I was only in a tee shirt but oh well. I put my gloves on again, the same one that I am wearing in the above pic but I have cut the fingers off of them, and pulled Bob out of his cage. After a few minutes he calmed down but before then he bit the gloves a few times.
This is the method that I used last night. When he starts snapping shove some non food in his mouth, like a gloved arm and don't lit him force it out of his mouth for about 30 seconds. After a few times of having terry cloth in his mouth he learns that biting is not getting him anywhere and that he is going to do what I want him to. Keep at him until he relearns this otherwise he won and biting with continue.
With this method you also learn just how slimy ig slobber is, it is worse than boston terrier slobber.
Bob was aggressive and snapping at me in his cage for about 10 minutes then within five minutes of talking to him while holding him and having him bite the glove he calmed down climbed up to my shoulder and decided he had enough. I think he is gettig sick of being stuck in my room and wants to go outside.
Mark
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We shall see.
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