# Those with multiple Tegus?



## robnpg (Jul 9, 2010)

I am one of those anxiously awaiting my normal B&W to hatched from Bobby's latest clutch. I am nearly finished with the new enclosure (8x4, will post pics when done). I have been thinking lately about the future and what if I end up wanting 2 Tegus.
For example, I've always been interested in possibly getting a Blue, but from speaking with Dave if I understand correctly, may have issues raising the B&W and the blue together....
So that all leads to to the question, if I ever decide I want two, would I be able to add a hatchling to an existing tegu's home, or would I have to add two hatchlings at the same time?


----------



## lazyjr52 (Jul 9, 2010)

robnpg said:


> So that all leads to to the question, if I ever decide I want two, would I be able to add a hatchling to an existing tegu's home, or would I have to add two hatchlings at the same time?




As long as they are similar in size yes. 

But before making you're decision you should consider this....

All tegus do not get along with other tegus (depends on personality) especially if both are males. 

Also are you prepared to house another adult tegu if they can't live together.


----------



## robnpg (Jul 9, 2010)

Makes sense. And yeah, no way I would do 2 enclosures. So looks like I may stay at 1...Hmmm....


----------



## DMBizeau (Jul 9, 2010)

I currently house my giant and all american together and my two blues together and they all get along really well. In fact I rarely ever see them not laying on or next to each other. When we had the house fire and had to live with relatives for awhile I had all 4 sharing an enclosure. I had no problems whatsoever. I just made sure I introduced them somewhere outside the enclosure to make sure they got along and I rearranged the enclosure before I put them back in to make things look new so nobody got territorial. Just make sure you tegus are within a reasonable size of each other and well fed before you try.

Lazyjr52 - If you talk to Bobby most males actually don't mind each other at all, especially if there aren't any females around.

I agree with lazy on the rest of what he said, some tegus will just not tolerate another tegu. And you should always at least plan on being able to have an enclosure for every tegu. I house mine together because I honestly thinks it makes them feel more comfortable at the size they are at and lets them get used to other tegus.


----------



## lazyjr52 (Jul 9, 2010)

DMBizeau said:


> I currently house my giant and all american together and my two blues together and they all get along really well. In fact I rarely ever see them not laying on or next to each other. When we had the house fire and had to live with relatives for awhile I had all 4 sharing an enclosure. I had no problems whatsoever. I just made sure I introduced them somewhere outside the enclosure to make sure they got along and I rearranged the enclosure before I put them back in to make things look new so nobody got territorial.
> 
> Just make sure you tegus are within a reasonable size of each other and well fed before you try.
> 
> Lazyjr52 - If you talk to Bobby most males actually don't mind each other at all, especially if there aren't any females around.




Thanks, I was not aware of that. 

I have a male and a female that I can't house together because I have no intentions of breeding them yet. 

I hope my first post didn't seem like I was trying to discourage keeping tegus together. I just wanted to point out that anyone considering keeping multiple tegus should be prepared to house them sepratley just in case. I am speaking from my own personal experience of course. There was also a post on here awhile ago about how their tegu killed the other one in the cage and they were both about the same size.


----------



## reptastic (Jul 9, 2010)

to minimize the possibility of your tegus squabbling try to introduce them a few times in an area thats neutral to both tegus, this way they can become familiar with each other. like dmbizeau said according to bobby most fights are between females rather than males. i personally never housed any of my tegus together because the size between each was to great to risk it, but i did allow them free-roam time in and out side and only had 2 incidents were a squabble occured. hate to say but once you get one its only a matter of time before you start caving a second one lol.


----------



## DMBizeau (Jul 9, 2010)

Even if you had a single pair that had been housed together, as soon as they breed you have to separate them because the females become possesed after mating. All my adult females will have their own permanent enclosures and males introduced during breeding season then removed after.

What most people don't think about is building cages that stack on top of each other, takes up the same amount of space and let's you have more gus!


----------



## isdrake (Jul 9, 2010)

I agree with everyone else. Several Tegus can be housed together but there is always a risk that they don't get along. So I would recommend to not get another Tegu unless you are able to have two enclosures in your home.

I made that mistake. Shortly after we got our first Tegu I was contacted by a person who just recently had imported several Tegus about the same age as ours. And we all now how addictive Tegus are.. That combined with the fact that they are really hard to in Sweden made that we brought another one.

Luckily they got along great and there was never a problem. They lived together a few months and then we had to put the newest one to sleep because he was sick.

But I'm not doing the same mistake again. I want another Tegu but this time I will wait until we have moved to a bigger place. There is no way we can have another large enclosure where we live now. There was problematic getting enough room for one enclosure.


----------



## reptastic (Jul 9, 2010)

DMBizeau said:


> Even if you had a single pair that had been housed together, as soon as they breed you have to separate them because the females become possesed after mating. All my adult females will have their own permanent enclosures and males introduced during breeding season then removed after.
> 
> What most people don't think about is building cages that stack on top of each other, takes up the same amount of space and let's you have more gus!



i agree 100%, i like the stacked cages ideas and i will probably use that when i get my 2 tegus if they happen to not get along.


----------



## DaveDragon (Jul 9, 2010)

DMBizeau said:


> What most people don't think about is building cages that stack on top of each other, takes up the same amount of space and let's you have more gus!


I have 3 cages stacked. You need to use a stool to get into the top one but it saves a lot of space.


----------



## DMBizeau (Jul 9, 2010)

Well I am 6'5 so I can stack them pretty high.  tegus are the most addicting reptile I have ever owned, I already have the garage and part of the backyard set aside in case i need it lol.

I also think people make tegu enclosures much more difficult then they NEED to be sometimes. As long as they have enough room along with the proper thermal gradient and a place to bask and burrow they will be fine. Not everybody has the ability to make a tegu mansion (not that there is anything wrong with that)


----------



## lazyjr52 (Jul 9, 2010)

DaveDragon said:


> I have 3 cages stacked. You need to use a stool to get into the top one but it saves a lot of space.



Same here! I use a step ladder thou lol.


----------



## robnpg (Jul 9, 2010)

I sent Bobby an e-mail earlier today saying, ok ,send me 2. Then 5 minutes later, I chickened out and said keep it at 1. 
:crazy 
The pessimistic voices in my head showed up quickly: What if they dont get along! Now you've gotta tame 2!! Thats a lotta poop to clean!!!

So I guess I'll stick with 1 for now. Then in the fall if I'm brave enough, Ill look into a blue......


----------



## Guest (Jul 9, 2010)

I have more than one tegu and it is not hard to clean up after them.


----------



## DMBizeau (Jul 9, 2010)

Nope, most of mine will just go in the tub when you soak them. Other then that I just put on rubber gloves and spot clean and change out all the mulch once a month or so. Once it becomes habit its pretty easy to deal with, and I have alot more then 2.


----------



## reptastic (Jul 9, 2010)

before the accident i had 4 and i never had a problem keeping the enclosures clean, since most of them dont like to touch there poop as they get older it makes it easier to get them to go some place other than were they sleep.


----------



## DMBizeau (Jul 9, 2010)

Mine are the same way, the older they get, the more likely they are to wait and try to go outside their enclosure. Almost like potty training a puppy lol.


----------



## robnpg (Jul 9, 2010)

Ok, I am officially going with 2 now. No more Bret Farving on this!!!


----------



## DaveDragon (Jul 9, 2010)

You can get a Blue too. They won't be ready until November.


----------



## robnpg (Jul 9, 2010)

We shall see Dave, 3 Tegus and the wife might pack her bags...Hmmm, I suppose 3 is too many for an 8x4 enclosure huh? Dang, I guess the wife will stay...


----------



## DMBizeau (Jul 9, 2010)

robnpg said:


> We shall see Dave, 3 Tegus and the wife might pack her bags...Hmmm, I suppose 3 is too many for an 8x4 enclosure huh? Dang, I guess the wife will stay...



LOL, I told my wife I was only going to get 1.......now I have 5 with 6 and 7 on the way......


----------



## DaveDragon (Jul 9, 2010)

Look at my list!


----------



## DMBizeau (Jul 9, 2010)

DaveDragon said:


> Look at my list!



well my list doesn't include my collection of tarantulas I breed lol.


----------



## DaveDragon (Jul 9, 2010)

My wife doesn't like T's. We have one.



DMBizeau said:


> DaveDragon said:
> 
> 
> > Look at my list!
> ...


----------



## robnpg (Jul 9, 2010)

Ha! You guys do it and ya do it well! I feel like suchh a rookie with my dog and frilled dragon! Well, I do have a Cali round stingray!


----------



## DMBizeau (Jul 9, 2010)

I would trade them all for more tegus if I had to.


----------



## reptastic (Jul 9, 2010)

DMBizeau said:


> robnpg said:
> 
> 
> > We shall see Dave, 3 Tegus and the wife might pack her bags...Hmmm, I suppose 3 is too many for an 8x4 enclosure huh? Dang, I guess the wife will stay...
> ...



i told myself i was just getting 1, then not even a year later i ended up with 4 and 2 on the way. i expect to have at least 5 by next year, tegus have become my favorite reptile by far.


----------



## DMBizeau (Jul 9, 2010)

What all do you plan on getting this time around?


----------



## reptastic (Jul 9, 2010)

well i already have the high white b/w and the extreme giant coming from this season, i was planning on getting a blue or 2 from dave this winter but it may have to wait until next season.but nest season im definately getting 2 reds, 1 all american and another giant.


----------



## Guest (Oct 2, 2010)

if you have 2 tegus from hatchlings. and they love each other to the point its difficult to separate them, will they always get along? or do they just one day turn on each other?


----------



## JohnMatthew (Oct 2, 2010)

> if you have 2 tegus from hatchlings. and they love each other to the point its difficult to separate them, will they always get along? or do they just one day turn on each other?



There are very few, if any, species of reptiles where the word "love" could even be used to describe their relationship to others of their kind. I think as far as tegus go, they can tolerate each other as long as both animals being kept together are getting what they require(ie, proper lighting, heat, food, etc). Personification in reptiles is a dangerous thing and can lead to not providing each individual animal with its basic needs when we try to attach certain tegu behaviors to those of humans.


----------



## Guest (Oct 3, 2010)

i think they love each other... and I'm not sure how that would ever change how i care for them? i certainly did not ask for a lecture on personification..how i feel about my tegus is my business, and they get incredible care. so if you want me to rephrase i will...

i have two hatchlings who are difficult to separate, will they always get along? or will they one day turn on eachother?


----------



## JohnMatthew (Oct 3, 2010)

> will they always get along?



Not necessarily, be prepared to house them separately if need be.


----------



## brutus13 (Oct 5, 2010)

I bought two hatchlings from Bobby. One extra and one all american. Bobby said I would be fine. Even if they are 2 males. As long as they are raised together you "shouldn't" have a problem. I'm sure there are some rare cases!


----------



## TheTeguGurl (Oct 6, 2010)

i have a male and a female, they are house seperate, but they do hang out together from time to time when they are free roaming together.. All though all my male wants to do is GET with her.. :doh And they were not hatchling together either..Every tegu will be diff.. :grno


----------



## Guest (Nov 8, 2010)

Ok so I am going to bring this thread back to the top because I already have one Columbian black and white tegu and I just got a new Columbian gold and white, and I was wondering if I could keep them in the same enclosure? The one by black and white is currently living in is very very big considering he is only 18". Its 6 feet long. The new one is about the same size as he is. My plan was to keep her quarantined for a few more days and then begin to introduce them outside the enclosure, like in the living room, to see what they think of each other. If there appears to be no conflicts, do you think it would be alright to have them live together until they outgrow that enclosure? Its just that they're Columbians, not Argentines, I don't know if anyone on here has any experience with them, if they could possibly be more territorial or less tolerant of others sharing their space.


----------



## JohnMatthew (Nov 8, 2010)

You'll more than likely be fine since they're both young and similarly sized. I don't think you'll see many signs of territoriality until they reach puberty which is why it's a good idea to get them used to each other at a younger age.


----------



## Guest (Nov 9, 2010)

Ok great  And actually Astrid is 4" shorter than he is, when I actually compared them side by side I realized just how much Teggie has grown in the last 2 months! Astrid is more the size of Teggie when I first got him lol


----------

