Tegu Informaton

[Mephibosheth1]

Hey all!!


So I am new to the world of reptiles (having just acquired a ball python about 2 months ago) but have always been interested in reptiles. At the local pet shop they have an Argentinian Black and White Tegu, and I think I'm in love....

I REALLY want to get it, but need to look into the husbandry and other needs of a monitor like that. I haven't been able to find much info about their care and keeping, so I was wondering if y'all capfuls help me out some.

Basically I need to know about space requirements, caging, diet, exercise, lighting, heat, humidity, etc. basically everything about Tegus.

i appreciate all your help, and hope to eventually add a tegu to my reptile collection

[wilomn]

I haven't been there in a while, but you could check out Tegutalk.com.

Make certain that the tegu you're looking at really IS Argentine. The Colombians are almost always aggressive and if you're new it's easy to mistake one for the other, especially at a pet shop.

[wwmjkd]

I haven't been there in a while, but you could check out Tegutalk.com.

Make certain that the tegu you're looking at really IS Argentine. The Colombians are almost always aggressive and if you're new it's easy to mistake one for the other, especially at a pet shop.

this person gives sound advice like Wilomn, he or she types in the manner of Wilomn, but there's no way to convince me not to file a missing persons report with the local sheriff's office.

to the OP, you've got a long road of research ahead of you. as far as I'm aware, there's no definitive, broad-spectrum care sheet for tegus. I cannot speak from experience, but I know I wouldn't get a tegu without disposable income, a lot of patience, and a back yard/converted rec room with plenty of space.

[Mephibosheth1]

there aren't any books or anything that are like :Tegus for Dummies??

[jbean7916]

If there are, you can bet they are wrong

Sent from my SPH-D710 using Tapatalk 2

[AlexiTLO]

I wrote a little "care sheet" for another site but have been adding to it here and there. I've just copied and pasted it for you. I hope it helps.


This is just a brief care sheet. It doesn't go into handling/taming/behavior, it's more about how to care for and provide for your tegu. This is the first one I've attempted; please feel free to give your input.


Cage Size:
A hatchling tegu may be kept in a 40-gallon aquarium with a locking lid or custom enclosure of the same size. It is not uncommon for a tegu to exceed 3 feet in a year. If you choose to use a smaller enclosure for a juvenile be prepared to upgrade within the first 6-8 months. An adult will require a minimum of 6’x3’x3’. I personally recommend 8’x4’x4’. A good rule of thumb is to have an enclosure that is twice the length of the tegu in length and the length of the tegu in depth. Tegus should never be housed in an aquarium as an adult.



Substrate:
Cypress mulch (with or without potting soil) is highly recommended. Cypress mulch also holds humidity very well. Hemlock mulch, orchid bark, eco-earth and coco husk may also be used. Under no circumstances should cedar or pine be used. Tegus are burrowers; they should be allowed to have enough substrate to create a burrow. Care should be used when selecting a substrate, especially with hatchlings and juveniles, as tegus have been known to ingest substrate which can lead to impaction.

Temperature and Humidity:
Tegus come from a warm climate, the ambient temperature should be around 85*F with a basking spot of 100-110*F. Ideally the night temperatures should be in the mid-70’s. Temperatures must be measured with a digital probe or temperature gun. The dial-type gages are known to be very inaccurate, sometimes by 10*. Humidity should be 60-70% to encourage proper shedding.

Lighting:
Tegus require full spectrum UVB lighting or natural unfiltered sunlight. If you cannot provide natural unfiltered sunlight, Mercury Vapor Bulbs are highly recommended because they can be used as a heat bulb as well as source of UVB. You may also use UVB fluorescent tubes such as a reptisun 10.0.

Water:
Fresh water must be provided daily, preferably in a dish large enough for the tegu to soak in. Tegus will often defecate in their water dishes so it is very important to clean and disinfect the dish daily.

Food:
Hatchlings and yearlings should be fed daily. Sub-adults and adults may be fed every other day. Hatchlings are carnivorous, as your tegu gets older it may start to take fruit. You can feed your tegu just about anything but that does not mean you should.
A few acceptable meats include: crickets, mealworms, mice, rats, chicks, hamsters, feeder frogs/lizards, ground turkey, eggs, fresh fish/fillets, chicken, organ meats,crab/scallops/shrimp, etc. Ground beef is not recommended due to the high fat content. All meat must be offered raw, eggs are debatable.
Fruit may include: Strawberries, melons, bananas, blueberries, grapes, mango, papaya, apples, pumpkin, etc.
Tegus may eat veggies such as squash, green beans, mustard greens, zucchini, bok choy, etc. I wouldn’t worry if your tegu does not eat these; it is not very common for them to be big veggie eaters.

Supplements:
Tegus are large, fast growing reptiles. It is recommended to use a calcium supplement at every meal except whole prey. Whole prey items will likely meet vitamin and mineral needs but you can choose to add a multivitamin a few times a week or as necessary.

[AlexiTLO]

For me personally, I have an 8x4x5' enclosure. Food can be expensive but I buy everything when it goes on sale. Every now and then my local grocery store has a 5lb thing of ground turkey for $5. When that happens I'll buy 25lbs of it and put it in the freezer. Buying rodents in bulk is a must. I was able to find someone locally to sell me 35g+ mice for 49 cents a piece when I buy over 100. Arg. black and whites are usually $150. My initial set up cost was around $500 plus the cost of the lizard. I can post pictures for you if it helps. I don't really have any BP experience so I was super excited to see this thread and be able to contribute lol.

[wendhend]

Not sure if you are on Facebook, but a friend of mine, who is really into tegus, has a nice tegu Facebook page called Tegus From Around the World at the following link: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Tegus...660667?fref=ts . It would probably be a good place to post tegu questions if you don't get enough infomation here.