The Argentine black and white tegu (Salvator merianae), largest of all tegu species, is native to Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay and Argentina. Black to dark gray with white speckled bands across the back and tail, these reptiles can weigh 10 pounds or more and live 20 years.[1]
What To Feed Black And White Tegus
When they get older and bigger, a healthy black and white tegu diet will typically include cooked eggs and turkey meat to meet their increased need for protein. It’s also highly recommended that you feed black and white tegus tropical fruits such as papayas, mangos, and kiwis.Feb 18, 2020[2]
How Often Should I Feed My Black And White Tegu?
Variety is the key to creating a balanced diet. Hatchlings can eat daily. Until they reach maturity (about 3 years) sub-adult tegus should be fed every other day. Adults can be fed 2-4 times weekly.[3]
What Fruits And Vegetables Can Tegus Eat?
Fruits & VegetablesAlfalfa.Bell pepper.Cactus pads.Carnation flowers.Carrot (root and greens)Cilantro.Dandelion (flowers and greens)Greens: collard, kale, mustard, turnip.[4]
Can I Feed My Tegu Chicken?
Tegus accept a wide range of food. Although wild tegus are mainly vegetarian, captive tegus tend to prefer animal matter. They prefer birds because it is easier for them to find baby birds than mammals in their native habitat. My tegus eat mainly chickens, which I cut up for them.Dec 1, 2011[5]
What Vegetables Can Tegus Eat?
Acorn squash.Alfalfa.Asparagus.Bell peppers.Butternut squash.Chicory greens (Escarole)Collard greens.Dandelion greens.[6]
Why Do Tegus Drop Their Tails
Many lizards can regenerate their tails after being injured or shedding them as a defence strategy to escape predators. In response to a threat, tails can be voluntarily detached at a specific fracture plane in vertebrae. Bleeding is quickly shut off, the tail stubs heal rapidly and regeneration begins.Oct 28, 2015[7]
Do Tegu Tails Fall Off?
If your degu is handled improperly or experiences other trauma, the animal may shed its tail. This can be an alarming sight for owners, as the tail will bleed, bones may be obviously broken, and the degu’s tail skin will slip off.[8]
How Does A Lizard Drop Its Tail?
If a point on the tail is hit or stressed, the muscles along the fracture plane pull away from one another rather than knitting together – this is known as a reflex muscle spasm. The pulling apart of the muscles causes the tail to fall off along the line of weakness.[9]
Are Tegus Big?
Tegus are often mistaken for savannah monitor lizards as they are large and bulky, but the two species are not closely related. Many Tegus are about three to five feet long and can weigh as much as 20 pounds![10]
Why Tegus Make Good Pets
Tegus are incredibly intelligent and curious lizards that can be tamed and trained with regular handling and interaction. Argentine tegus are known to have ‘dog-like’ qualities in that they are very loyal and seek companionship. Always be gentle, calm and talk softly so you do not accidentally frighten your pet.Nov 22, 2018[11]
Are Tegu Lizards Good Pets?
Tegu lizards can be good pets, but they aren’t recommended for first-time or novice reptile owners. Due to their large size and high intelligence, they require a lot of space and enrichment to thrive in captivity.Feb 28, 2022[12]
Are Tegus Good Pets For Beginners?
Answer: Even if you do not have experience taking care of a lizard, a Tegu is still a good animal to start out wtih. You do need to make sure you have adequate room for a cage, so some beginners will prefer a Leopard Gecko or Bearded Dragon since they are relatively small.Apr 27, 2022[13]
What Tegu Makes 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!Feb 18, 2020[14]
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.[15]
What Whatt Do Tegus Need
Both Argentine and Colombian tegus require 12-14 hours of daily exposure UVB for their health. In captivity, this should be supplemented by opportunities to bask in “real” sunlight as often as weather permits. The best way to provide UVB for your tegu is by using a fluorescent UVB bulb designed for high output.[16]
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.[17]
What Do I Need For A Tegu Lizard?
Tegus require about 75 to 90-percent humidity, and these substrates are the best at retaining moisture in order to provide humidity. Mist the substrate as needed to maintain the recommended humidity level in their enclosure, but also be careful that you aren’t keeping your tegu on an overly saturated substrate.[18]
Do Tegus Need Uvb Bulb?
UVB is required for tegus to thrive in captivity. Aside from helping provide a day/night cycle and providing an infinite supply of vitamin D, UVB is also good for the lizard’s overall health. Here are the best UVB bulbs for Argentine tegus housed in a 8’L x 4’W x 4’H enclosure: Arcadia Desert 12%, 46”[19]
Do Tegus Need A Night Light?
Argentine tegus require UVB lighting to thrive in captivity. UVB lighting helps provide a clear day/night cycle, provides all of the vitamin D that your pet needs, strengthens the immune system, facilitates better digestion, and other benefits.[20]
How Long Do Tegus Live For?
The Argentine black and white tegu (Salvator merianae), largest of all tegu species, is native to Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay and Argentina. Black to dark gray with white speckled bands across the back and tail, these reptiles can weigh 10 pounds or more and live 20 years.[21]
How Long Does A Tegu Live In Captivity?
Their life span in captivity seems to be 15 to 20 years They grow up to about 5 feet in total length and can weigh as much as 35 pounds. They often become very docile when kept in a stable setting and with the attention needed.Oct 5, 2017[22]
Is Tegu A Good Pet?
Tegu lizards can be good pets, but they aren’t recommended for first-time or novice reptile owners. Due to their large size and high intelligence, they require a lot of space and enrichment to thrive in captivity.[23]
How Long Do Black And White Tegus Live In Captivity?
In captivity, Argentine Black and White Tegus can live from 15 to 20 years. The most common health concerns for this species is metabolic bone disease, calcium or phosphorous deficiency, salmonella and internal parasites.[24]
How Old Do Tegu Lizards Get?
After hatching, juvenile tegus grow quickly. Tegus may live up to 20 years.[25]
Why Tegus Can Be Stressed And Not Eat
Why is my tegu not eating and/or sleeping a lot? – Quality Reptileswww.qualityreptiles.eu › why-is-my-tegu-not-eating-en-or-sleeping-a-lot[26]
Why Did My Tegu Stop Eating?
Check the temperatures in your enclosure. Too low temperatures can the engine of your tegu. They can not digest food anymore so they will have big trouble eating too. The hotspot must be around 45/55C (113/131F) and the cold corner 25/30C (77/86F).[27]
How Often Do Tegus Need To Be Fed?
Variety is the key to creating a balanced diet. Hatchlings can eat daily. Until they reach maturity (about 3 years) sub-adult tegus should be fed every other day. Adults can be fed 2-4 times weekly.[28]
Do Tegus Eat Every Day?
Tegus are fast growers with active metabolisms, so regular feeding is important. Juvenal tegus should be fed daily – typically the amount of food that they can eat in about an hour. As they reach adulthood, tegus should be fed small, adequate meals several times a week (every other day or every second day).[29]
When And How Long Do Black And White Tegus Hibernate
Brumation lasts for 6-7 months and can affect tegus as young as 1 year. Colombian tegus are from a warmer climate, and do not typically brumate.[30]
Resources
[1]https://georgiawildlife.com/tegus
[2]https://reptilinks.com/blogs/news/beginners-guide-to-tegu-feeding-and-care
[3]https://www.nessexotic.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/Tegu-Care.pdf
[4]https://reptifiles.com/colombian-argentine-tegu-care/tegu-food/
[5]https://reptilesmagazine.com/housing-and-feeding-tegus/
[6]https://reptileslounge.com/blogs/blog/a-list-of-best-foods-for-tegus
[7]https://www.newscientist.com/article/dn28404-first-known-case-of-a-lizard-growing-six-new-tails-at-once/
[8]https://www.thesprucepets.com/degu-tail-injuries-1238142
[9]https://www.australiangeographic.com.au/topics/science-environment/2017/05/how-do-lizards-drop-their-tails/
[10]https://www.everythingreptiles.com/tegu-lizards/
[11]https://piscespets.com/blogs/news/gentle-giants-basic-tegu-care
[12]https://a-z-animals.com/blog/do-tegu-lizards-make-good-pets/%23:~:text%3DTegu%2520lizards%2520can%2520be%2520good,enrichment%2520to%2520thrive%2520in%2520captivity.
[13]https://pethelpful.com/reptiles-amphibians/why-tegus-are-the-best-pet-lizards%23:~:text%3DAnswer%253A%2520Even%2520if%2520you%2520do,since%2520they%2520are%2520relatively%2520small.
[14]https://reptilinks.com/blogs/news/beginners-guide-to-tegu-feeding-and-care%23:~:text%3DBlue%2520argentine%2520tegus%2520are%2520a,with%2520the%2520proper%2520husbandry%2520techniques!
[15]https://www.softschools.com/facts/animals/tegu_facts/281/%23:~:text%3DTegus%2520are%2520known%2520as%2520very,a%2520close%2520bond%2520with%2520them.
[16]https://reptifiles.com/colombian-argentine-tegu-care/tegu-humidity-temperatures/
[17]https://reptileslounge.com/blogs/care-sheets/care-sheet-for-tegus
[18]https://reptilesmagazine.com/tegu-lizard-housing-and-care-information/
[19]https://reptilesupply.com/blogs/care-sheets/how-to-care-for-your-tegu
[20]https://dubiaroaches.com/blogs/lizard-care/argentine-tegu-care-sheet
[21]https://georgiawildlife.com/tegus
[22]https://reptilesmagazine.com/tegu-lizard-housing-and-care-information/%23:~:text%3DTheir%2520life%2520span%2520in%2520captivity,and%2520with%2520the%2520attention%2520needed.
[23]https://a-z-animals.com/blog/do-tegu-lizards-make-good-pets/%23:~:text%3DTegu%2520lizards%2520can%2520be%2520good,enrichment%2520to%2520thrive%2520in%2520captivity.
[24]https://www.everythingreptiles.com/argentine-tegu/%23:~:text%3DIn%2520captivity%252C%2520Argentine%2520Black%2520and,deficiency%252C%2520salmonella%2520and%2520internal%2520parasites.
[25]https://myfwc.com/wildlifehabitats/profiles/reptiles/argentine-black-and-white-tegu/%23:~:text%3DAfter%2520hatching%252C%2520juvenile%2520tegus%2520grow,live%2520up%2520to%252020%2520years.
[26]https://www.qualityreptiles.eu/why-is-my-tegu-not-eating-en-or-sleeping-a-lot/
[27]https://www.qualityreptiles.eu/why-is-my-tegu-not-eating-en-or-sleeping-a-lot/
[28]https://www.nessexotic.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/Tegu-Care.pdf
[29]https://reptileslounge.com/blogs/blog/a-list-of-best-foods-for-tegus
[30]https://reptifiles.com/colombian-argentine-tegu-care/tegu-health/brumation/