If the distance is 6-12″ then purchase a 70 watt, 12-18″ purchase a 100 watt, over 18″ purchase a 160 watt. Only one Mega-ray is needed for UVB. Add flood lights as needed to reach the desired temperature in an enclosure area. Be sure to allow for a temperature and UVB gradient.[1]
What Do Tegus Need In Their Tank?
Tegu enclosures need a cool spot, warm area, and a basking spot. A cools spot must be about 80° F, the warm area should about 90° F and the basking spot should be about 95° F – 100° F.[2]
How Much Are Spider Tegus
Tegus for Sale – MorphMarket US & Canadawww.morphmarket.com › reptiles › lizards › tegus[3]
How Much Do A Tegu Cost?
Argentine Tegus retail for about $200 USD.
They can be found through many breeders, so it is important that you find a reputable breeder for a healthy lizard.[4]
How Much Does A Blue Tegu Cost?
How Much Do Blue Tegu Cost? Blue Tegus are popular pets among reptile enthusiasts because of their docile nature and relatively easy care. You may find that it’s difficult to find one. You’ll likely pay upward of $600 for a young, healthy specimen.[5]
Which Tegu Is The Best Pet?
Blue argentine tegus are a very popular pet choice as far as tegus go. Their smaller average size is one reason for this, but they’re also quite docile. In fact, some blue tegu lizards can even be kept in pairs— with the proper husbandry techniques![6]
How To Identify Argentine Black And White Tegus
Description. Argentine black and white tegus are large lizards that can reach nearly five feet in length. They have a mottled black and white coloration that often is arranged into a banding pattern across the back and tail. Hatchlings display similar markings, but typically have bright green heads.[7]
What Does A Black And White Tegu Look Like?
Behavior and Temperament of Argentine Black and White Tegus
Female tegus are slightly smaller than their male counterparts, but both sexes have a fairly distinctive pattern of white and black dots and stripes all over their bodies.Feb 8, 2022[8]
How Can You Tell The Difference Between Colombian And Argentine Tegus?
Loreal scales are the scales between the nostril opening and the eye on tegus. In the Argentine tegus, they have two of these scales. As a rule, Colombian tegus have only one large scale. However, this rule can vary in rare cases.[9]
How Big Do Female Argentine Black And White Tegus Get?
The Argentine Black and White Tegu is also known as the Argentine Giant as they grow up to 4.5 feet long, weigh 20 pounds and are typically black and white in color. Their giant-size can easily trick reptile enthusiasts into believing they are dangerous. However, they are known to be very docile.[10]
How Long Do Tegus Stay Small?
Argentine tegus grow fast and get pretty big. We recommend starting out a baby tegu in at least a 36′ x 18′ tank. Exo Terra’s Large or Zilla’s 40 breeder critter cage both work well. In just 3 years, they can reach an adult size of a hefty 4 feet for males and somewhat smaller for females.[11]
What Is The Smallest Species Of Tegu?
Crocodile Tegu. Crocodile Tegus are some of the smallest and rarest species. Their natural range is Colombia, Venezuela, French Guinea, Brazil and Peru. This species does not actually look like a crocodile, but it has a thin body, long tail and square head.[12]
How Big Do Pet Tegus Get?
On average, tegus will live up to 12 years and grow an astounding 3-5 feet in length! The tegu has become a household favorite in reptile community for their docile and gentle nature, and for their strong connection to their owners.Nov 22, 2018[13]
Do Tegus Like To Be Handled?
Colombian tegus have a reputation for being difficult to tame, but Argentine tegus aren’t typically aggressive, and both will eventually tame down with patience and regular, gentle handling.[14]
How Do I Know If My Tegu Is Happy?
A happy tegu or monitor has its tongue flicking because it’s comfortable enough with its environment to be curious about it. If it falls asleep, it’s either gonna go into the sleep circle and use its tail as a pillow or sort of melt- the legs relax when a lizard is happily asleep.[15]
Why Dont Tegus Urate
tegu eating urates??www.tegutalk.com › Tegu Discussion Topics › Blue Tegu Discussion[16]
Do Tegus Have A Urinary Bladder?
The ureters connect the kidney to the urodeum, and a urinary bladder is not present in snakes.[17]
Do Tegus Get Bored?
Tegus are incredibly intelligent reptiles. They get bored easily, and when they’re bored, they get destructive.[18]
Can You Teach Tegus Tricks?
Because of their impressive cognitive abilities, one of the most interesting aspects of tegu care is the ability to train your tegu. Much like dogs and cats (and unlike hognose snakes), these extraordinary lizards can be conditioned to perform certain behaviors through the power of positive reinforcement.[19]
Do Tegus Climb Trees?
They are terrestrial lizards that rarely climb more than a few feet off the ground, but they are strong swimmers. Tegus can tolerate marine and freshwater habitats, such as flooded marshes. During winter months, tegus retreat into burrows while they undergo a hibernation-like period known as brumation.[20]
Tegus Why Do They Have Big Cheeks
Their beaded skin is made up of black and white dots and stripes, however, their most unique feature is their “chubby cheeks”. This feature can only be seen in males and it is because of sexual selection (i.e. stronger jowls equate a stronger male).[21]
Why Do Tegu Have Big Cheeks?
There’s an element of sexual selection- testosterone affects muscle development, and so in the wild, bigger jowls tend to mean a stronger male- but in captivity, bigger cheeks tend to mean overfeeding as the fat layer develops to greater extremes than the muscles naturally can.Jun 3, 2017[22]
Why Do Tegus Have Jowls?
Tegus exhibit sexual dimorphism. Males display greatly expanded and prominent ‘jowls’ along the base of the lower jaw. These jowls are the result of extensive growth of the ventral pterygoideus muscles (a prominent jaw closing muscle in reptiles).[23]
Do Tegus Recognize Their Owners?
Tegus are known as very intelligent animals. When kept in captivity, they are able to recognize their owners and form a close bond with them.[24]
What To Do If A Tegu Bites You?
Move your hand around as your tegu eats. Touch them, stroke them, etc. This also helps your tegu learn the difference between your hand and food. If they bite, they are too small to do any real damage.[25]
How Was Tegus Lizard Inrtroduced Into Florida
The Argentine black and white tegu (Salvator merianae, formerly Tupinambis merianae; Harvey et al. 2012) was introduced to Florida through the pet trade and has established breeding populations in Hillsborough County (central Florida) and Miami-Dade County (south Florida).[26]
How Did Tegus Become Invasive?
The Argentine black and white tegu is a large lizard from South America currently inhabiting the Florida counties of Charlotte, Hillsborough, Miami Dade and St. Lucie. Tegus are introduced to the U.S. through the pet trade and then likely released from captivity into the environment.Mar 9, 2022[27]
Are Tegu Native To Florida?
There’s strong evidence tegus are affecting native species across Florida.[28]
Where Did Tegus Come From?
Tegu is a common name of a number of species of lizards that belong to the families Teiidae and Gymnophthalmidae. Tegus are native to Central and South America. They occupy a variety of habitats and are known for their large size and predatory habits.[29]
How Did Lizards Get To Florida?
They were introduced to south Florida by human activity. Invasive species harm native species through direct predation, competition for resources, spread of disease, and disruption of natural ecosystems.[30]
Resources
[1]https://yourtegu.com/lighting
[2]https://reptileslounge.com/blogs/care-sheets/care-sheet-for-tegus
[3]https://www.morphmarket.com/us/c/reptiles/lizards/tegus
[4]https://www.everythingreptiles.com/argentine-tegu/
[5]https://petkeen.com/blue-tegu/
[6]https://reptilinks.com/blogs/news/beginners-guide-to-tegu-feeding-and-care
[7]https://myfwc.com/wildlifehabitats/profiles/reptiles/argentine-black-and-white-tegu/
[8]https://www.thesprucepets.com/argentine-black-and-white-tegus-1239188
[9]https://reptilesmagazine.com/tegu-lizard-differences/
[10]https://www.everythingreptiles.com/argentine-tegu/
[11]https://reptilerapture.net/argentine-black-and-white-tegu-caresheet.html
[12]https://www.everythingreptiles.com/tegu-lizards/
[13]https://piscespets.com/blogs/news/gentle-giants-basic-tegu-care
[14]https://reptifiles.com/colombian-argentine-tegu-care/handling-tips/
[15]https://kaijutegu.tumblr.com/post/98347977693/how-to-tame-your-tegu
[16]https://www.tegutalk.com/threads/tegu-eating-urates.1662/
[17]http://members.arav.org/resource/resmgr/Files/Proceedings_2007/2007_35.pdf
[18]https://reptifiles.com/colombian-argentine-tegu-care/tegu-enclosure-decor/%23:~:text%3DTegus%2520are%2520incredibly%2520intelligent%2520reptiles,re%2520bored%252C%2520they%2520get%2520destructive.
[19]https://reptilinks.com/blogs/news/how-smart-are-tegus-understanding-tegu-intelligence%23:~:text%3DBecause%2520of%2520their%2520impressive%2520cognitive,the%2520power%2520of%2520positive%2520reinforcement.
[20]https://myfwc.com/wildlifehabitats/profiles/reptiles/argentine-black-and-white-tegu/%23:~:text%3DThey%2520are%2520terrestrial%2520lizards%2520that,like%2520period%2520known%2520as%2520brumation.
[21]https://www.everythingreptiles.com/argentine-tegu/
[22]https://kaijutegu.tumblr.com/post/161378944503/why-do-male-tegus-have-such-big-cheeks
[23]https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salvator_(lizard)
[24]https://www.softschools.com/facts/animals/tegu_facts/281/
[25]https://reptifiles.com/colombian-argentine-tegu-care/handling-tips/
[26]https://crocdoc.ifas.ufl.edu/publications/factsheets/tegufactsheet.pdf
[27]https://www.usgs.gov/news/state-news-release/new-research-verifies-invasive-tegu-lizards-adaptable-various-climates
[28]https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2022/04/21/florida-traps-over-100-invasive-tegu-lizards/7393744001/
[29]https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tegu
[30]https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/UW336