argentine tegu?

MAG_Pythons · #1 (**permalink**) 01-17-2007, 12:41 AM

ok - ever since i've first been interested in lizzards 0 i've wanted a tegu (a b&w argentine male to be ecact) i've heard that they are the most gentel of the bigger lizzards and the most people friendly. now i have the room to look into getting one for real.

whats the deal with UVB?? i know this is contraversal but should i get a uvb??

what minerals and calcium supplements do they need??

any other good info or personal experiance and of course photos if you have them

spike06 · #2 (**permalink**) 01-17-2007, 01:04 AM

i know nicole on here uses the mega ray EB for hers. PM her she knows a lot. but arent u going to college in a couple years? what are u gonna do with a bearide and all ur snakes and maybe even a tegu?im sure ur prents wont want to take care of all of them

NicoleRussell · #3 (**permalink**) 01-17-2007, 02:49 AM

yes uvb is very important! And spike is correct I use megrays.
I would suggest the sb series--160's unless you want to get fancy and technical

also thetegu.com has some for sale--rick sisco is taking egg deposits. His tegus are quite tame out of the box too.

luker3232 · #4 (**permalink**) 01-17-2007, 02:54 AM

I am sure she has enough sense to take care of her herps while shes away. NO Offense

spike06 · #5 (**permalink**) 01-17-2007, 03:02 AM

how big do these tegus get?im just wondering. after seeing some of ur pics nicole those things must get pretty fat. and just for the record, i can be called Gary instead of Spike, Spike is my beardies name

dhonaker · #6 (**permalink**) 01-17-2007, 03:10 AM

no problem spike

spike06 · #7 (**permalink**) 01-17-2007, 03:11 AM

GARY!!!!!

ok enough name stuff. MAG posted this thread for some tegu info, so u tegu ppl out their answer the questions!!!!!

Adrya · #8 (**permalink**) 01-17-2007, 03:15 AM

Can you tell us more about the B&W tegus, Nicole??

I've been interested in them along with the Green Igs for a really long time now.

Are they really the nicest of the big lizards??

NicoleRussell · #9 (**permalink**) 01-17-2007, 03:21 AM

tegus can be tamed fairly easily while cyclura take a lot longer...but in the end--it's worth the wait.
I can take my male tegu nico in my convertible---to schools--walks...visits at churches..and he is always a big hit...just a big marshmallow

crush · #10 (**permalink**) 01-17-2007, 03:22 AM

Adrya when you are ready I have a Iguana for you. I have read and heard that the B&W Tegus are the nicest.
But Oh my god I was in Buffalo yesterday picking up a Gator and 3 hedgehogs and this place has 2 Red Tegus. All I can say is wow they were BEAUTIFUL!!!!!!!

Adrya · #11 (**permalink**) 01-17-2007, 03:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by crush

Adrya when you are ready I have a Iguana for you. I have read and heard that the B&W Tegus are the nicest.
But Oh my god I was in Buffalo yesterday picking up a Gator and 3 hedgehogs and this place has 2 Red Tegus. All I can say is wow they were BEAUTIFUL!!!!!!!

Oooh really? A Green Ig? A male? How's the temperment? lol Man that would make life so much easier having one readily available. The more I see the Green Igs the more I want one. I've been wanting one for soooo long now. Days. Months. Years. Maaaaaany many years. Centuries. lol

Not that I'm rushing into it or anything... still doing some research, and I still have to come up with a proper-sized enclosure to build and find the space to have it. During the summer it wouldn't be a problem finding room for a large enclosure because I don't have two turtle ponds in my herp building... lol but in the winter it's a little cramped... but I always manage to arrange/remove things to make more space. The arrangement of cages is going up now instead of horizontal. lol

MAG_Pythons · #12 (**permalink**) 01-18-2007, 01:11 AM

if go to colledge it will be a local colledge and i'll be living at home - ok so UVB is a must and i've heard that a 6'4'3 cage is big enough but what is the best size?? what all do the eat i've heard ground turky with calcium and supplements and some fruits and veggies what else?

spike06 · #13 (**permalink**) 01-18-2007, 02:52 AM

how big do these tegus get at a max size? dont mean to hijack MAG

MAG_Pythons · #14 (**permalink**) 01-18-2007, 03:02 AM

it's all good i think they get 4-5 geet and like 15 lbs??

spike06 · #15 (**permalink**) 01-18-2007, 03:16 AM

wow, so size wise they are like a cyclura? right nicole?

NicoleRussell · #16 (**permalink**) 01-18-2007, 01:34 PM

yes similar to a cyclura...but a cyclura is more ig proportion...tegus are lower and wider..and much more terrestrial. Rock iguanas start out 80% arboreal and then go down to about 80% terrestrial. They (mine anyway) seem to enjoy climbing sometimes.
You can use the SZD (san diego zoo diet) for tegus or a whole prey diet (which is what I use) or both. Most people will tell you to try and incorporate fruits and or veggies but mine will not even look at it. I think many tegu enthusiasts try and start them very young with that and it becomes a habit for some tegus.
I am having some cop issues and will be back later this afternoon/evening.

Adrya · #17 (**permalink**) 01-18-2007, 06:33 PM

Since tegus are mostly terrestrial as adults, and say you couldn't give them a whole room to have for their home, what would you say a good sized enclosure for them would be? 6x4x3 still seems kinda small... maybe.

Cristina · #18 (**permalink**) 01-18-2007, 07:15 PM

the cage size most used for adults is 8x4x3

NicoleRussell · #19 (**permalink**) 01-18-2007, 08:19 PM

My tegus had a 6 foot cage in NY but they had daily roaming time on the bottom floor of the house. The cage was fine because they had alot of freedom...it really depends on what you plan to do with them as pets.

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