recommendations on other lizards before getting a tegu

[spikeleebd]

i don't think that i am ready for a tegu. i would like to know what is a good herp to get that will help you kind of learn the husbadry and caring of a tegu but smaller than a tegu.

 

[monstruo-the-tegu]

bearded dragons ummmmmmmm ackie monitor and if u want to get a freaky mean lizard savanna monitors but my savy is some what tame

 

[ilovelizards]

maby tegu relatives like whiptails ect

 

[jamesnyborg]

Bearded dragon.
Maybe crested gecko or some kind.

 

[dabears51]

Bearded dragon.
Maybe crested gecko or some kind.

Crested geckos and Leopard geckos are literally some of the easiest lizards to keep. Cresteds don't need heat and neither of them need uvb!

 

[Ujarak]

Possibly a Chinese Water Dragon. They are similar in the respect that they both require higher humidity. They get about 3 feet but they are all tail and their bodies are much smaller. Also they arn't very expensive.

Here's a good article to get you started but i would do a TON more research on whatever you do end up getting.

http://www.reptilechannel.com/lizards/lizard-species/chinese-water-dragon-species.aspx

 

[Dana C]

Congratulations on saying you're not ready for Tegu. Far too many people acquire a reptile or other animal for that matter that they either aren't ready for or will never be ready for.

I think bearded dragons are a great starting lizard. You can move up from there if you like. Wile I am in no way an expert on anything but my own opinion, (you should laugh here), some species are easier to keep than others, size not withstanding. My big Tegu, Gordo, is what I consider and easy keeper and his small sisters is a little more of a handful. My Black Throat Monitor is very large and still growing and is bit more of a chore accordingly, not to mention that monitors are more "wild".

The Leopard Geckos are beautiful as well. The bottom line is how much $$ can you spend? Can you spend the time it takes to "tame the beast". Also, large=large enclosure, large food bill, more lighting, heating and more electricity.

I applaud you for asking the question!!

 

[Sharm1]

I think it's great that you ask first before starting with a tegu, but can you also say what kind of experience you've had (if any) with reptiles?

If you have 0 experience with reptiles I say: Go for a bearded dragon, they are easy to handle and easy to take care of plus from day 1 pretty much tame. A bearded dragon is lizard no.1 for starters

If you already have some experience with small lizards and want to go bigger i would say:
1) Iguana -> easy to take care of, most of the times easy to handle
2) water dragon -> taking care of a water dragon comes more close to taking care of a tegu as someone already mentioned above (water tank/humidity), yet in my experience not so easy to handle as an iguana
3) varanus exanthematicus -> easy to take care of, easy to handle as they are really calm, but doesnt come close to the care for a tegu
4) blue tongue skink -> +/-same as varanus exanthematicus
5) varanus acanthurus -> easy to take care of, but less easy to handle than the exanthematicus (also less calm)

All 5 are easy reptiles to handle and to take care of.

 

[larissalurid]

Blue Tongue Skink! Good for beginners and adorable looking.

 

[james.w]

Tegus are one of the easiest large lizards to care for. If you have no experience start with a leopard gecko or bearded dragon.

 

[frost]

i have to agree with the leopard and beardies. geckos can handle a lot of errors with first time herpers and beardies are not that hard either. my grandma has them run around her house and has various heat spots for them and they are all as tame as can be. they will even come over to you when someone visits and check you out.

 

[Deac77]

Keep in mind beardies eat a insane amount of crickets for the size it's not uncommon to see a adult beardie to eat 20-40 crickets a day and a big s
"salad" lol I'd say crested gecko or Leo

 

[AP27]

Keep in mind beardies eat a insane amount of crickets for the size it's not uncommon to see a adult beardie to eat 20-40 crickets a day and a big s
"salad" lol I'd say crested gecko or Leo

This is true, beardies can get costly. It costs me roughly $70 a month to feed me 7 reptiles, about $40 of which is for the beardies alone. Crickets are expensive in that number. The Leos are great, simple, tame and cheap to care for. Beardies are a lot more fun though if you can afford the food.

 

[TegusRawsome80]

Okay, well at least half the suggestions have been terrible ideas. Ackie monitors, water dragons, and iguanas are not good starter lizards at all. I say go beardy or leopard gecko but tegus aren't exactly challenging to figure out.

 

[laurarfl]

I agree that igs are not good starter lizards. That is why they are the biggest disposable reptile in the pet trade. I like beardies or BTS as a beginner lizard. They are more interactive than geckos and provide more learning experience. I love geckos, but they are so easy!!!

 

[TegusRawsome80]

^^ A blue tongue skink is a great beginner lizard. Pretty laid back, sort of similar to tegus, and not as small as a gecko but not as large as a tegu.

 

[laurarfl]

You don't have to get tons of crickets and the diet is similar to tegus. So when you get that tegu, you are used to the meat, fruit/veggie mix

 

[larissalurid]

The easiest to take care of would be a leopard gecko in my opinion if it has to be THAT easy. Don't eat a ton, don't need more than a 10g wide - 20g tank for one. Don't need special lighting since they are noctornal,etc.

 

[spikeleebd]

i have two beardies im just ready for the next level

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and my beardies are on a cricket free diet i hate crickets i breed my own dubias and i feed them hornworms , superworms, phoenix worms wax worms for treats and i breed my own locusts. locust are a better feeder than crickets and they don't stink and sing and eat each other

 

[laurarfl]

So you want an intermediate between a beardie and a tegu?