new here...

[leoares27]

Hey everyone...My name is Sarah. I was considering buying a B/W tegu as I have heard all good things about them. Has anyone had any bad experiences with them...how hard or easy are they to tame and how much time needs to be put into taming them? I have three kids so things sometimes come up and I don't want to get something if i can't put the effort needed into it.
Thanks!

[Razaiel]

Hi

I don't keep a tegu but intend to in the future. I shall be getting an Argentine B&W as they have a calmer disposition as opposed to Combians who can be downright nasty. Argentines do cost more and I have heard some unscrupulous (or ignorant) pet stores that will sell a Colombian claiming it to be an Argentine.

[Python-77]

Hi

I don't keep a tegu but intend to in the future. I shall be getting an Argentine B&W as they have a calmer disposition as opposed to Combians who can be downright nasty. Argentines do cost more and I have heard some unscrupulous (or ignorant) pet stores that will sell a Colombian claiming it to be an Argentine.

Many pet stores will do that its a shame really but they are easy to tell apart if you know what you are looking for.

I have been working with a pair recently as I love big lizards. They will be nervious for awhile, but most tame down with handling. It can take several months to get them tamed down, start when they are small as small lizards have smaller mouths. They require a large amount of space and you have to be ready for the fact that many will hibernate in the winter months regardless of how you are keeping them, and they get crouchy when bothered.

Sarah, you may also want to check MA laws about keeping large lizards B&W tegus may be on the no no list.

[JLC]

I don't know anything about Tegus that I haven't read here, but I did want to step in and say WELCOME to BP.net!

I have three kids and a bearded dragon. Beardies are relatively easy to "tame" (I use that word loosely when talking about wild animals) but even so, it's hard to put in the time he needs to stay that way....so he's not real tolerant of being handled. I guess it all really depends on how well you prioritize and manage your own time and no one but you can guess how well you'll do at that. I stink at personal time management, so my beardie is kind of wild. But I love him anyhow, and he lives "da good life"...he just doesn't get played with.

You'll have to weigh your own skills and decide if you have what it takes to make and keep a big lizard that enjoys/tolerates being handled...or if you'd still be happy keeping one that isn't handleable but still a pleasure to have around.

[leoares27]

thank you everyone for the information and the welcomes!