What Kind of Tegu Should I Get? POLL!

There is a Pasadena expo coming up and I would really like to pick up a tegu. I had bad experiences with two columbians that were given to me so they are out of the question. Kind of leaning towards a argentine b/w, red, or blue. Any ups or downs on them? Please let me know! If I did not get a tegu i was also thinking about a Savannah monitor, any opinions on what I should get? I am going to give either one a lot of attention so it will hopefully become very tame. Please give me your opinion on comments and also vote!! (I know the husbandry and feeding of these marvelous reptiles if anyone was questioning my capability in keeping one of these!!) THANK YOU!

A savannah monitor is a big step up husbandry-wise from a tegu, so keep that in mind. I have had a black-white in the past. I would suggest a red tegu. Its been my experience that they are noticeably more calm then the others (and they look nicer in my opinion). That being said, they all can be pretty viscous while they are juveniles. Their bite is way nastier then any snake bite I have ever received. What was the issue you had with the Columbians?

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Originally Posted by Andrew00

What was the issue you had with the Columbians?

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Someone had given us two sick male Columbians that were in a 20 gallon long together. It took months to make them nice and healthy but I was bit/scratched/whipped since they were abused when they were little. Not a fond memory of these guys but I really want a baby so I can hopefully tame one!

I don't know much about care, but I went to Tinley with a friend who was looking for a Tegu and I got to see a lot of nice ones. He ended up getting a red tegu and it looks amazing.

Every animal has it's own personality and babies are more defensive then adults. They're low on the food chain so it's natural it has little to do with how they were kept. Colombians can be just as tame as other tegus, that's not hear say,.. I had one and working on a second who's calming down just fine. It can take more time then other tegus but it still happens.

They all have the potential to bite, scratch or whip no matter what kind or size they are some are all around more skittish then others.

If you don't have the patience for a Colombian what happens when you get a Red, B&W, Blue or what ever that's just like one? Check out the top two sites on tegus thetegu.com and tegutalk.com and you'll find threads on all types of tegus that were hard to tame.

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Originally Posted by bubblz

Every animal has it's own personality and babies are more defensive then adults. They're low on the food chain so it's natural it has little to do with how they were kept. Colombians can be just as tame as other tegus, that's not hear say,.. I had one and working on a second who's calming down just fine. It can take more time then other tegus but it still happens.

They all have the potential to bite, scratch or whip no matter what kind or size they are some are all around more skittish then others.

If you don't have the patience for a Colombian what happens when you get a Red, B&W, Blue or what ever that's just like one? Check out the top two sites on tegus thetegu.com and tegutalk.com and you'll find threads on all types of tegus that were hard to tame.

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Trust me, i do have the time and patience to tame them, but getting two columbians that are very malnourished is never a great experience. Everyone knows it is not the same getting juvi or adult reptiles or any pet compared to getting it a baby! Its never the same!!

You know they're all different but you just generalized Colombians by two that you had and how they we're kept. If that was the case everything should have changed after you got them, since husbandry and handling was spot on. Not saying it was or wasn't just playing devils advocate here,.. but you pretty much answered your own question.

If you know they're all different then why ask? Get what you want since you're the one that has to take care of it instead of what someone else likes. No matter what people suggest you can have bad experiences with anything and you're the one how has to deal with it,.. not them. That brings me to another point but I'm not gonna get into that so,.. just get what you want.

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Originally Posted by bubblz

You know they're all different but you just generalized Colombians by two that you had and how they we're kept. If that was the case everything should have changed after you got them, since husbandry and handling was spot on. Not saying it was or wasn't just playing devils advocate here,.. but you pretty much answered your own question.

If you know they're all different then why ask? Get what you want since you're the one that has to take care of it instead of what someone else likes. No matter what people suggest you can have bad experiences with anything and you're the one how has to deal with it,.. not them. That brings me to another point but I'm not gonna get into that so,.. just get what you want.

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I have not answered my own question since there is always "general" tame one. A lot of people say that the b/w argentines are the tamest but I would like to know what the people here think. I like them all and would just like to know what the votes say. Depending on what it is I'll probably get that one.

I know about 30 people who have had argentines and had a blast with them. Babies started out a little hissy, but never tail whipped--well, one guy got whipped, but he was being dumb, wanting to play with it when it first got shipped to his house. They've all grown up well and are looking gorgeous.

I also know some people with reds who say they adore them.


I would email or call a few breeders who work with more than one species and ask them specifically! If they have been working with them for years and have raised multiple breeders, they'll likely be able to answer that question with experience.

A lot of the time, the people who say colombians or reds are evil have ONLY had experience with argentines, if even that. Or like you had only a negative experience.


I know one girl who has raised three colombians, two reds, and two argentines. She got two colombians as babies, and one as a yearling/juvenile. The juvenile was a devil and still is a monster. One of her colombians is the sweetest little girl you could imagine, while her male she got as a baby is docile, but clearly skittish and easily frightened. She got a red as a yearling and another as a hatchling, and similarly, the one raised as a hatchling responded better than the adult, though he was also fairly tame--just skittish. She actually has an EVIL argentine with a nasty bite. Think iguana male in breeding season who already doesn't like you. The other argentine she got as an adult...but he is another perfect angel. She thinks it has a lot to do with how they are treated as hatchlings, but also just individuals. It's interesting to see her colombian and argentine--both are just as docile.

But I don't have that kind of experience, so I'm not the one to tell you anything. :) Hopefully experienced people will be here! Or, seek them out individually!

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Originally Posted by purplemuffin

I know about 30 people who have had argentines and had a blast with them. Babies started out a little hissy, but never tail whipped--well, one guy got whipped, but he was being dumb, wanting to play with it when it first got shipped to his house. They've all grown up well and are looking gorgeous.

I also know some people with reds who say they adore them.


I would email or call a few breeders who work with more than one species and ask them specifically! If they have been working with them for years and have raised multiple breeders, they'll likely be able to answer that question with experience.

A lot of the time, the people who say colombians or reds are evil have ONLY had experience with argentines, if even that. Or like you had only a negative experience.


I know one girl who has raised three colombians, two reds, and two argentines. She got two colombians as babies, and one as a yearling/juvenile. The juvenile was a devil and still is a monster. One of her colombians is the sweetest little girl you could imagine, while her male she got as a baby is docile, but clearly skittish and easily frightened. She got a red as a yearling and another as a hatchling, and similarly, the one raised as a hatchling responded better than the adult, though he was also fairly tame--just skittish. She actually has an EVIL argentine with a nasty bite. Think iguana male in breeding season who already doesn't like you. The other argentine she got as an adult...but he is another perfect angel. She thinks it has a lot to do with how they are treated as hatchlings, but also just individuals. It's interesting to see her colombian and argentine--both are just as docile.

But I don't have that kind of experience, so I'm not the one to tell you anything. :) Hopefully experienced people will be here! Or, seek them out individually!

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I am now aiming towards a b/w or a red at the moment. I have had bad experiences from a colombian and I do not want to get one. It's like having a pet dog that hated/attacked you. You would be a cat person after that! I'm not saying colombians are terrible reptiles, they just have a bad reputation and I have had a bad experience now. Thanks for the info!

Probably for the best. I'd still keep an open mind about them, but I don't think you should get an animal you already are afraid of. That fear leads to bad decisions and erratic movement, and would make an animal that could possibly turn a possibly calm animal into the very demon you fear! I've seen it happen with dogs, birds, cats, and snakes, and I have no doubt it could happen to a lizard. If you don't trust it or trust yourself with it, I wouldn't add it to your home! :O

Good luck with whichever you choose!

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Originally Posted by purplemuffin

Probably for the best. I'd still keep an open mind about them, but I don't think you should get an animal you already are afraid of. That fear leads to bad decisions and erratic movement, and would make an animal that could possibly turn a possibly calm animal into the very demon you fear! I've seen it happen with dogs, birds, cats, and snakes, and I have no doubt it could happen to a lizard. If you don't trust it or trust yourself with it, I wouldn't add it to your home! :O

Good luck with whichever you choose!

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Thanks and a very wise comment. Everyone fears an animal.. I myself am terrified with spiders; I will never be able to have a spider as a companion lol but that is just me. Everyone has their own opinion

I adore tegus,my favorites are the blues,but i'm all down crazy about monitors,savannahs are not for beginners,they get about 4 to 5 feet,eat like bottomless pits require a BIG Enclosure,they love to dig. a beginner monitor would be an Ackie or Varanus Acanthurus...It's all up to you personally..But i myself,am preparing for a trios of them,for future experience & knowlegde, to be able to house some blue or yellow tree monitors.and it does help having past experiences of keeping lizards.Monitors are not to be a first time pet reptile...:cool:But it sound like you've had some hands on experience.Just keep in mind,cost,space...Good luck with what you decide & please post up some pics!!

i have a b/w and he is so fun to have i have never had more fun

Get one that is alive.

Chris

I just got a baby Golden. They seem to be not as popular due to thier reputation for aggression. Well my little guy has not shown any aggression what so ever during our couple of enteractions. Unless u count a little huffin he does, but i think it`s cute :)

Just another consideration to think about, and you would have one that not many have.

Just my 2 cents.

Cheers,

John

Correct me if I'm wrong but there are no breeders of columbian tegus in the states. I think they're still all farm raised and imported from South America. I'm sure this has something to do with their tendency to be more wild than their argentine cousins, which are now being bred in abundance in the states. Another thing to consider, blues and columbians don't hibernate while the argentine tegus(reds/B&Ws) do - sometimes for as many as 9 months of the year. I'll throw in a couple husbandry reminders for anybody considering getting one. Tegus LOVE to dig, so a suitably deep substrate will add to their general wellbeing. They also grow INCREDIBLY fast which makes them prone to MBD, proper lighting and diet is especially vital for these animals.

http://i839.photobucket.com/albums/z...s/100_0300.jpg

well what did you get? i know the pasadena expo already happened, and there is one in pamona in january.