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 #1061189


Bizobnstl
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 Taming a Tokay

I have owned tokays for a few years now and have always been afraid to handle them. I was recently at the Chicago North American Reptile show and there was a booth that had 2 tokays sitting in an open container and I could not believe it. I asked the people if they were crazy and they told me that the tokays were nice. They then picked them up with no problem.

They told me that if I hold my tokay for a half hour a day for a month it should tame out.

I have a breeding project that I don’t want to mess with and will probably never tame them, but I also have a female that is about 6 months old that did not get along with my older female, so I put in a different tank.

It took me a while but I decided to try to tame the young female.

A few days ago I took her out for a half hour and kept a tight grip.

The next night I gave her some freedom and let her walk on my hands and arms. She did pretty good and just set there for the most part as long as I did not try to touch her with my fingers. She bit me a few times, but not that hard.

Over the next couple nights she seemed to be gradually getting more used to me holding her.

I got her out tonight and was able to pet her while holding her and she did not try to bite. She did open her mouth a couple times, but never struck. She also seems to be keeping her color and not getting as stressed as she was the first couple times. She set on my hand without trying to get away the whole time I had her out. My Crested Geckos won’t even do that.

I’m going to keep holding her everyday and see what happens, but I think she is almost there.



11/15/06  02:36am

 #1061318


Edgiesmama
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   Message To: Bizobnstl   In reference to Message Id: 1061189


 Taming a Tokay

Interesting! Good luck - and let us know how it goes!
11/15/06  10:22am

 #1061385


Camo_pants
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   Message To: Edgiesmama   In reference to Message Id: 1061318


 Taming a Tokay

wow i’m too chicken to try to pick mine up. I have pet her on the head (with gloves of course). I have only had her just under 5 months (had her since she was 2 weeks old). you should take pictures!!!!!! I really want to see and keep us posted. did you used to touch her in the tank?? how did you get to the point to be able to pick her up??? what happened the first time ?? sorry lots of questions but wow i’m impressed!!!
11/15/06  11:55am

 #1062005


Bizobnstl
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   Message To: Camo_pants   In reference to Message Id: 1061385


 Taming a Tokay

Yeah, it hasn’t been as bad as I thought. I’ll try to get some pics soon. I’ve been wearing thin gloves and it does not hurt too bad to get bit by her although she is not full grown yet. I have a male that could cause some damage though. I’m not messing with him. I would say thay yours would not be to bad to deal with. I never touched her before the other day and when I get her out I just grab her around the body and then let her crawl on me. The first couple times you may not want to give her too much freedom and hold onto her. Now, She only tries to bite when I try to grab her, but seems to be getting used to it more. I would say if you can pet yours you are half way there. Anyway, I say just go for it. She won’t like it at first, but she will get used to it. I’ll keep everyone posted.
11/15/06  08:08pm

 #1064241


Camo_pants
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   Message To: Bizobnstl   In reference to Message Id: 1062005


 Taming a Tokay

How old/big is she ??
mine is 5 months old and she is BIG. she gives me little warning bites but has yet to latch on....
(knocks on wood)
11/17/06  07:05pm

 #1064554


Bizobnstl
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   Message To: Camo_pants   In reference to Message Id: 1064241


 Taming a Tokay

She is about 5 or 6 months old I believe. She’s around 8 or 9 inches from the tip of her nose to the end of her tail I believe. I’ll have to measure her.

I have another female (Big Momma) and she is about the same length, but she lost her tail before I adopted her and it is rounded off. If she had her tail she would be a few inches longer. I’m not sure how old she is because a few people had her before I did.

My little female (Baby Girl) sometimes gives the warning bites, but has not latched on since the first time I held her. I’m still wearing gloves with her just in case. I can put my fingers in front of her mouth and she does not even open up, but when I come in from behind to pet her head she sometimes warns me. All in all she is starting to tame out pretty good.

I held Big Momma today and let her loose in my hands. She tried to take off at first and ran up my arm, but I grabbed her and set her back down on my lower arm and she stayed there for a bit. She was not as easy going as the little one. She kept her mouth open and back raised the whole time and was ready to attack. I normally cannot clean her tank without being attacked a few times, so I put her in a pillow case when I have to do a good cleaning. I’m thinking about trying to work with her a little bit. She has a nasty bite so this may be interesting.

I have a 1 year old male also (Big Daddy). He is about a foot or so. He is a big wuss and runs and hides when I get near him. He is getting pretty big. I’m not sure if I’ll mess with him or not, but I may.
11/18/06  12:22am

 #1066314


1 Justizn
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   Message To: Bizobnstl   In reference to Message Id: 1064554


 Taming a Tokay

WOW!! this quite interesting. I actually god a breeding pair to have little Tokay’s to raise and tame. I really haven’t tried to pick up ether of my two Tokay’s just because they seemed to skiddish. But maby Ill give it a try. Have you tried holding them in the day time or at nite when there awake?
11/19/06  08:22pm

 #1084367


Rangus
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   Message To: 1 Justizn   In reference to Message Id: 1066314


 Taming a Tokay

You can tame a Tokay. Some are just more aggressive than others. Same goes for the rare case of "mellow Tokay".

I threw up pics of smiley all over this forum. All you have to look for is the Tokay interacting with the human peaceably. I have come to realize how rare this is. Cool.
12/05/06  08:44pm

 #1091729


Camo_pants
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   Message To: Rangus   In reference to Message Id: 1084367


 Taming a Tokay

ok the knocking on wood didn’t work. Chewy has locked onto me a few times now.
thank god for gloves!!!
12/11/06  10:28pm

 #1093697


Esio_Cahamee
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   Message To: Camo_pants   In reference to Message Id: 1091729


 Taming a Tokay

i have many scars on my hands from taming Kura (i don’t like using gloves)
its worth it in the end. its a hardship for you and your tokay, taming brings you closer together.



12/13/06  01:44pm

 #1094628


Camo_pants
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   Message To: Esio_Cahamee   In reference to Message Id: 1093697


 Taming a Tokay

I really don’t want scars. I feed him out of my bare hands but I won’t pick him up without gloves on until he chills out a bit if he ever does. I have fed him out of my hand with the gloves on too so he won’t be scared of them
12/14/06  01:44am

 #1094863


Juicy619
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   Message To: Camo_pants   In reference to Message Id: 1094628


 Taming a Tokay

crazy ...i would never touch mine ....i call me male tokay devil ...his mean as they can get ...even to the food he eats ...he will play with it and im scare of him ....i wish i could tame him down



12/14/06  11:50am

 #1097805


Rangus
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   Message To: Juicy619   In reference to Message Id: 1094863


 Taming a Tokay

Whoa.......what country you be type QWERTY from? Me proper syntax States United For America. You need to expose yourself more to yourself Tokay. He find comfort you of presence more as well. Teeth magnificent as you excercise more caution hands you should! Tokay laugh and Your relief is right now! Relationship Tokay perfect for you is possible!



12/17/06  07:05am

 #1118587


Gekkonut
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   Message To: Rangus   In reference to Message Id: 1097805


 Taming a Tokay

rangus i love the yoda talk!
but ,
tokay is fierce,
tame him slowly you must!
-Bon
01/04/07  12:19am

 #1129728


Luigithedragon
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   Message To: Camo_pants   In reference to Message Id: 1061385


 Taming a Tokay

hello i dont know much about tokays (im a bearded dragon kind of person) but are all tokays ugly i like them but i wouldnt get one if there all ugly but i guess with all animals you have to hand tame them



01/11/07  10:04pm

 #1135369


Baldy34
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   Message To: Luigithedragon   In reference to Message Id: 1129728


 Taming a Tokay

ugly tokays? no such thing there the prettyist gecko ever!!!



01/16/07  10:24am

 #1141674


Rangus
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   Message To: Baldy34   In reference to Message Id: 1135369


 Taming a Tokay

As far as saying any animal is aesthetically pleasing or otherwise, that would be a matter of perception. If you think Tokays are ugly, why would you bother posting on a Tokay forum? What’s the point?
01/21/07  10:44am

 #1141679


Rangus
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   Message To: Rangus   In reference to Message Id: 1141674


 Taming a Tokay

Gekkonut, RE:rangus i love the yoda talk!

I forgot about that post. I think I was actually being sarcastic in regards to the previous posts horrible grammar and spelling. I guess I was feeling snobby and the spirit of Yoda channeled through me to help my effort at being a condescending jerk. I should really chill out before I risk being reported for abuse or just being bizzare.



01/21/07  10:51am

 #1158466


Papa Brickhouse
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   Message To: Bizobnstl   In reference to Message Id: 1061189


 Taming a Tokay

keep working with her she’ll be friendly as what! Petco gave me a female tokey since they didn’t want care for her because of her meanness!!

here she is!!
02/03/07  01:14am

 #1160857


Camo_pants
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   Message To: Papa Brickhouse   In reference to Message Id: 1158466


 Taming a Tokay

Papa your pics aren’t working



02/04/07  07:03pm

 #1162813


Rangus
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   Message To: Camo_pants   In reference to Message Id: 1160857


 Taming a Tokay

Yeah, it’s just another notice that the polaroid of that stupid frog is still unavailable.
02/06/07  02:26am


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