# How do I tell if my black&white Argentine Tegu is a male or female?



## zombie420 (Jun 22, 2012)

I bought ZaeZae off of craigslist for $45 like 2 years ago. ZaeZae is kind of aggressive because it has not been handled as much as it should be. But anyways can someone help me out on what sex it is and what is the best way to get it calmer?


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## Ujarak (Jun 22, 2012)

Looks to be female


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## got10 (Jun 22, 2012)

Looks to be a female to me too. To get her calm feed her only in a bin or outside her cage. Handle her when you can for about 10-15 minutes at a time. You can do this apporx four to five times a week. Good luck and keep us posted as to the progress


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## zombie420 (Jun 22, 2012)

got10 said:


> Looks to be a female to me too. To get her calm feed her only in a bin or outside her cage. Handle her when you can for about 10-15 minutes at a time. You can do this apporx four to five times a week. Good luck and keep us posted as to the progress



I will try to keep posting. So its a girl what does that mean like as far as size and aggressiveness?


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## Bubblz Calhoun (Jun 22, 2012)

_At 2yrs old you should be able to tell if it's male or female. Take some time to read "Important Threads" at the top of some of the forum sections as well as "Tegu Articles" and the "Taming Tegus" section._


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## zombie420 (Jun 23, 2012)

I have tried to read most of them but some web sites say one thing then some say the complete opposite.


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## Ujarak (Jun 23, 2012)

http://www.tegutalk.com/showthread.php?tid=10040


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## larissalurid (Jun 23, 2012)

She looks female to me as well. Females get around 3 feet with males being around 4.5. The gender doesn't change how aggressive the lizard will be in general, but spending MUCH time (at least an hour a day) with her will help calm her a lot. They are very intelligent and need a lot of attention to calm down or you'll still have an aggressive, scared tegu. I'm not sure how aggressive she is but I'd recommend bringing her into the bathroom and let her walk around on you while you sit in the tub, or if she's too scared just sit in the bathroom and let her walk around and explore and dont try to touch her and dont move fast or be loud. let her get used to you and come near you herself and just let her be so she can see you arent a threat. talking quietly/calmy to her will help and if she is calm enough to be touched a little i'd try that but if not and she is very scared i wouldnt rush her into being forced to be pet just yet or itll make her more scared.


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## zombie420 (Jun 27, 2012)

Well I took her out yesterday and held her for10 minutes she was jumpy for a few seconds then calmed right down.


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## bonedoc (Jun 27, 2012)

Somebody correct me if I'm wrong. But to me that tegu looks like a columbian black and white. I had a pair of argentine tegus, a black and white and a red, and by 2 years of age they were much heftier than that one. Columbian tegus are sleaker in build and generally...from what I've seen do not have the temperment of an Argentine.


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## TeguBuzz (Jun 27, 2012)

bonedoc said:


> Somebody correct me if I'm wrong. But to me that tegu looks like a columbian black and white. I had a pair of argentine tegus, a black and white and a red, and by 2 years of age they were much heftier than that one. Columbian tegus are sleaker in build and generally...from what I've seen do not have the temperment of an Argentine.



That's definitely an Argentine, just has some growing to do.


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## got10 (Jun 27, 2012)

bonedoc said:


> Somebody correct me if I'm wrong. But to me that tegu looks like a columbian black and white. I had a pair of argentine tegus, a black and white and a red, and by 2 years of age they were much heftier than that one. Columbian tegus are sleaker in build and generally...from what I've seen do not have the temperment of an Argentine.



Be corrected . That lizard looks nothing like a columbian. It is an Argentine through and through


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## TegusRawsome80 (Jun 27, 2012)

Columbian tegus look nothing like that. I wish people would google image Columbian Tegu and Argentine Black and White Tegu before confusing the two. They look absolutely nothing alike.


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## bonedoc (Jun 28, 2012)

TegusRawsome80 said:


> Columbian tegus look nothing like that. I wish people would google image Columbian Tegu and Argentine Black and White Tegu before confusing the two. They look absolutely nothing alike.



I did google images of a columbian before making that comment. Which is why I asked the question. Never claimed to be an expert, just stated what I saw. I seen many instances where I live where people have purchased what they thought was an argentine and it turned out to be a columbian.


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## reptastic (Jun 28, 2012)

In all fairness tegurawsome its not always that simple...i have found myself having to do a double take lol


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## TegusRawsome80 (Jun 29, 2012)

Maybe a few times but this one really just looks like a straight up Argentine as do most lol.


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## tommylee22 (Jun 29, 2012)

Looks like a columbian to me as well, where is the black stripe down his side, seems very spotty and a hint of yellow belly. With that said the head thou looks very A. B&W.


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## Grendel (Jun 29, 2012)

It's not a Colombian, there are clearly two loreal scales between the eye and the tip of the nose. the black stripe on the side is not how one tells the two apart. I have an Argentine B&W that has no stripe, just white dots on black background like this one.


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## tommylee22 (Jun 30, 2012)

I see, I stand corrected then.


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## zombie420 (Aug 3, 2012)

Well guys my tegu is growing like crazy she has doubled in size since I posted those pics. 
I can tell she is going to be a big beautiful beast. 

I <3 my tegu!


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## Lynda (Aug 4, 2012)

TegusRawsome80 said:


> Columbian tegus look nothing like that. I wish people would google image Columbian Tegu and Argentine Black and White Tegu before confusing the two. They look absolutely nothing alike.



Geez! Cool out...they sometimes do look similar...we should be helping each other out instead of blasting:s. ...just my take


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## DoctorPepper4 (Aug 4, 2012)

hey how do i post pics on here so i can post some up of my red argentine tegu since you guys are that good that just by looking ya can tell....ive had it for five months but s/he is six months old when i bought it the pet shop told me h/she was a month old


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