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Photography / Animal related (non-anthro)
Species Lizard
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More from Athus
And this is her looooong tongue 0.o
Category Photography / Animal related (non-anthro)
Species Lizard
Size 1024 x 768px
File Size 167.8 kB
I haven't been able to find any decent ones. Most of them are pretty much the same and most of them fail to inform you about needing to have BOTH a good UVA and UVB source. They usually will run you about 250 bucks if you buy a hatchling. As with any reptile, buying it as a hatchling is always best. All reptiles(obviously, some more then others) need to be handled while they are growing up or they will have a real problem tollerating it once full grown. So you'll need to pick up and handle yours at least once every other day. Argentine Tegu's are the most docile species of all tegu's, and they are very inquisitive and intelligent. When you do pull yours out, it'll want to explore. Just keep an eye on it while it explores to make sure it doesn't get into any small places, like under cablnets or in refrigerators and such =p Once they are big enough where they can't fit in those, you can let him free-rome the house whenever. Most Argentine Tegu's will potty train themselves, scraching at the door when they want to go out. I've heard many people drive there Tegu's around, and that they just sun out on the front or rear dash and watch stuff go buy, hehe
Untill there large enough to not need a tank, you'll want to keep them in a 60Gal deep, usually called a breeder tank, and keep the largest container of water you can find. Tegu's enjoy relaxing in there water bowl.
As for food, untill they get a little bit smaller then mine, you'll want to feed them pinkies and crickets. Crickets mainly, and you can feed yours once every three days or so, unless your anxious for it to grow, in which case you can feed it every day if it'll eat. You also need to get a vitamin powder that accually has vitamin D.(Most reptile vitamine powders do not for some stupid reason -_-) Vitamin D is assential to ALL reptiles for proper growth, and the UVA and UVB is also assention for ALL reptiles, as it's the only thing that circulates most of the vitamins in a reptile. If UVA and UVB bulbs aren't provided, the vitamins will gather in places along the bones and cause deformations, bumps, and sists. The vitamin suppliment you want to give your tegu every time. With crickets, just dash a bit into the bag and shake the bag till all the crickets are coated in the powder =)
Small note though. After a while of doing this(like 3-4 weeks to months), if your Tegu begins to shiver, he is getting to much of the vitamin suppliment. Just start only giving him it once a week untill his shivers stop.(He will shiver off and on, it's not a constant thing) After they stop, try lowering it down to 2 times a week. THe rest of the time, just feed your tegu normally without any suppliments on the food.
About the UVA and UVB bulbs. A flourescent is best. Make sure you get a good reptile brand bulb. Zoomeds makes good onces. one major note though. THIS IS NOT A HEAT BULB. You will also need to get a daytime bulb for his heat needs when he's that small. a 100-150 watt zoomeds bulb will do just fine. you also need a bulb for night. You can not use the same bulb. Most reptiles will develope screwed up problems with internal proccesses. These processes rely directly on the day/night cycle the reptile would normally get in the wild. So for the night bulb, either a red or blue spectrum zoomeds bulb(you want to go with a 70-100 watt for this one) Or you can go with a ceramic heater. THe ceramic ones are ALOT more expensive(like 45 bucks..) but they normally last a good year or so.
Another note about the UVB and UVA. All UVB and UVA bulbs need to be replaced every six months. THE UVB and UVA emitting capabilities of bulbs fades over time. This shouldn't be an issue with any of your bulbs but the flourecent one. Most reptile heat bulbs will fry before 6 months is up =p Just be glad that they are only 6-8 bucks a pop, hehe.
When your Tegu starts to get a little bit smaller then mine, you can start swiching to a GOOD dog food. I highly highly recommend a natural dogfood that has physical chunks in it. I use Merrik for mine, and tend to go with the Grammies Pot Pie flavor. Merrik dogfood is a very very good dogfood and is literally the same quality as human food. Other then dog food, you can feed him raw(cracked open for him =p) or cooked eggs, or just about anything else if they'll eat it. Just use common sense with it =p Try to stay away from risky foods like anything spicey =p
Oh, and when they get large enough to not need a cage, they are alot more heat tollerant and will no longer require a heat bulb to bask under as long as you don't keep your house below 70F average =p Most people keep there house at 70F, so I doubt this is a problem =)
Well, that's about it. If you have any more questions, feel free to ask^^
Oh, one little nugget of joy here. These awesome guys, when they are full grown, are well known for crawling up on there owners laps and cuddling with them^^
Untill there large enough to not need a tank, you'll want to keep them in a 60Gal deep, usually called a breeder tank, and keep the largest container of water you can find. Tegu's enjoy relaxing in there water bowl.
As for food, untill they get a little bit smaller then mine, you'll want to feed them pinkies and crickets. Crickets mainly, and you can feed yours once every three days or so, unless your anxious for it to grow, in which case you can feed it every day if it'll eat. You also need to get a vitamin powder that accually has vitamin D.(Most reptile vitamine powders do not for some stupid reason -_-) Vitamin D is assential to ALL reptiles for proper growth, and the UVA and UVB is also assention for ALL reptiles, as it's the only thing that circulates most of the vitamins in a reptile. If UVA and UVB bulbs aren't provided, the vitamins will gather in places along the bones and cause deformations, bumps, and sists. The vitamin suppliment you want to give your tegu every time. With crickets, just dash a bit into the bag and shake the bag till all the crickets are coated in the powder =)
Small note though. After a while of doing this(like 3-4 weeks to months), if your Tegu begins to shiver, he is getting to much of the vitamin suppliment. Just start only giving him it once a week untill his shivers stop.(He will shiver off and on, it's not a constant thing) After they stop, try lowering it down to 2 times a week. THe rest of the time, just feed your tegu normally without any suppliments on the food.
About the UVA and UVB bulbs. A flourescent is best. Make sure you get a good reptile brand bulb. Zoomeds makes good onces. one major note though. THIS IS NOT A HEAT BULB. You will also need to get a daytime bulb for his heat needs when he's that small. a 100-150 watt zoomeds bulb will do just fine. you also need a bulb for night. You can not use the same bulb. Most reptiles will develope screwed up problems with internal proccesses. These processes rely directly on the day/night cycle the reptile would normally get in the wild. So for the night bulb, either a red or blue spectrum zoomeds bulb(you want to go with a 70-100 watt for this one) Or you can go with a ceramic heater. THe ceramic ones are ALOT more expensive(like 45 bucks..) but they normally last a good year or so.
Another note about the UVB and UVA. All UVB and UVA bulbs need to be replaced every six months. THE UVB and UVA emitting capabilities of bulbs fades over time. This shouldn't be an issue with any of your bulbs but the flourecent one. Most reptile heat bulbs will fry before 6 months is up =p Just be glad that they are only 6-8 bucks a pop, hehe.
When your Tegu starts to get a little bit smaller then mine, you can start swiching to a GOOD dog food. I highly highly recommend a natural dogfood that has physical chunks in it. I use Merrik for mine, and tend to go with the Grammies Pot Pie flavor. Merrik dogfood is a very very good dogfood and is literally the same quality as human food. Other then dog food, you can feed him raw(cracked open for him =p) or cooked eggs, or just about anything else if they'll eat it. Just use common sense with it =p Try to stay away from risky foods like anything spicey =p
Oh, and when they get large enough to not need a cage, they are alot more heat tollerant and will no longer require a heat bulb to bask under as long as you don't keep your house below 70F average =p Most people keep there house at 70F, so I doubt this is a problem =)
Well, that's about it. If you have any more questions, feel free to ask^^
Oh, one little nugget of joy here. These awesome guys, when they are full grown, are well known for crawling up on there owners laps and cuddling with them^^
Thank you Athus! This is an excellent comment, in fact, it's almost a guide, and one that I read with interest. More research shows me that I'll have a bit of problem finding one in my country, but I may stand more chance in the UK, though transport over the border between the UK and the rest of the EU may pose paperwork problems.
But thank you once again for your detailed reply, I found it most helpful. I apologize for not saying so before, but work has kept me offline for a longish while.
Grateful snugs to you from Damoclien
But thank you once again for your detailed reply, I found it most helpful. I apologize for not saying so before, but work has kept me offline for a longish while.
Grateful snugs to you from Damoclien
you lucky sonofagun, you have a tegu?
sweet. When I get into college, then get out of college, then get a house of my own, I'm planning on getting both a Savanna Monitor AND a Giant Isopod.
(If you don't know what an isopod is, just look under a log during spring or summer. If you see woodlice, just imagine them 18 frikin Inches long. WEE!)
sweet. When I get into college, then get out of college, then get a house of my own, I'm planning on getting both a Savanna Monitor AND a Giant Isopod.
(If you don't know what an isopod is, just look under a log during spring or summer. If you see woodlice, just imagine them 18 frikin Inches long. WEE!)
THose things are nuts! If anyone wants a reference pic to the Giant Isopod, it's here:
http://blogs.acceleration.net/image.....ant_isopod.jpg
and
http://www.neatorama.com/images/200.....ant-isopod.jpg
http://blogs.acceleration.net/image.....ant_isopod.jpg
and
http://www.neatorama.com/images/200.....ant-isopod.jpg
Tegu! Aw I used to have one named Adam, he was the cutest little thing ever. When he was old enough, (about 6 months) I started to feed him the things I ate, and found he LOVED chicken Alfredo or Mushrooms. He would ravage the food, then lick his lips for 10 minutes. >^.=.^< It had to be the best pet ever.
Argentine Tegus pwn; making sure everyone knows that :p
Argentine Tegus pwn; making sure everyone knows that :p
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