# My Tegu Pictures



## nepoez (Feb 22, 2013)

As I have promised. Here are some pictures. 

I also have 2 collared lizards that previously inhabited the viv, but now they have to share... until I find a new home for them. So far they seem to get along, no aggression at all what so ever. But when the tegu gets bigger, I think they might get eaten if I don't get them out of there!

https://plus.google.com/photos/103641022791999749733/albums/5847843616260479585?authkey=CPnUoJ3D9fenYg


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## Cassie (Feb 22, 2013)

Whoooaaaa, reading your other thread you just got him right? Are you sure housing him with any other reptile is a good idea, especially without going through proper quarantine with him?
Granted, I'm a snake person, but I'm preeeeeetty sure you're meant to QT any new reptiles being brought in because they might carry mites or any other multitude of problems and cause disease or death of other reptiles in the same area, let alone the same enclosure.


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## nepoez (Feb 22, 2013)

No I didn't quarantine the new lizard. Hopefully I didn't cause any harm.


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## TeguBuzz (Feb 22, 2013)

Why would you get a tegu if you don't have an enclosure ready for it? You're housing two completely different species of lizards together. I disagree with what it is you have going on, and would strongly recommend splitting them up immediately. If you can't do that, rehome one or the other.


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## BatGirl1 (Feb 22, 2013)

Yes...aside from the differences in care requirements, environment, etc. Parasites are dangerous

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## Dubya (Feb 22, 2013)

[attachment=6530]I don't think housing different species together is a good idea.


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## BatGirl1 (Feb 22, 2013)

Uhhhhh...
That's terrible.! 

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## Deac77 (Feb 22, 2013)

BatGirl1 said:


> Uhhhhh...
> That's terrible.!
> 
> Sent from my ZTE-Z990G using Tapatalk 2



Terrible but what's going to happen


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## chelvis (Feb 22, 2013)

I would listen to what others are saying, the reason being is simple. 

The collard lizard you have there is a desert animal requiring high heat, low humidity and a sandy or dry substrate. The tegu you have is a tropical lizard requiring a high humidity, high heat and a moist substrate, just to do bare essentials. Too much humidity for the collard lizard can cause fungal infection and respiratory issues, too low of humidity for the tegu can cause respiratory issues and skin issues. 

Collared lizards eat insects, tegus eat almost anything including smaller lizards. You could wake up to a hungry tegu munching on a smaller lizard leg. 

Parasites can be passed from either animal to the other. Collared lizards and Colombian Tegus are both often wc and can have lots of parasites. Having lost an animal to a parasite infection its heart wrenching. 

I don't wish to put you off from reptiles, but quarantine new animals is very important and housing species separate can prevent a lot of heart ach.


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## dragonmetalhead (Feb 22, 2013)

Seriously, get the tegu out of there ASAP. You have a ticking time-bomb there with that setup. Somebody is either going to get sick or eaten or both.


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## BatGirl1 (Feb 23, 2013)

Agreed. Mixing certain fish in a tank is not the same as mixing reptiles. 

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## nepoez (Feb 23, 2013)

Thanks guys, I agree. The tank was converted from a dessert(for the collards) to a tropical(for the tegu) and now I'm afraid for the both species. 

1.) The collards are very fearless guys, they constantly run around and now with the Tegu, they trample on him and probably stress him out.. they even use him as a head rest
2.) the tegu is gentle now but one day he might eat them
3.) I'm afriad the moisture level might make the collards sick

I've found a buyer and they'll be coming to take the collards today. And yes it was irresponsible on my part but the tegu landed on me and I took it. The good news is this situation has only been for 3 days so hopefully the collards will be ok still.

Thanks


It will be a sad good-bye to the collards but if I like them so much I should let them go live in a suitable place. The tegu is too amazing and I have to keep him. I get the most amazed feeling waking up every morning these 3 days just watching him move around, digging, eating, trying to escape. I keep telling my wife what how amazed I am.. So the collards will have to be the ones leaving today, sad.. but the tegu totally makes it up.. I LOVE HIM!!!! I can't believe how awesome he is! And I am not taking your criticisms personally as we all just want our reptiles to be healthy. So, I'll be posting more pictures and updates so hopefully I get more tips if I'm doing anything else wrong. I really hope he lives a long time healthily.

So here's a few questions. Since Columbians are WC, do you guys take them to a vet to check for parasites when you first get them? Do you take them to the vet regularly for checkups, etc?

thx!


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## bfb345 (Feb 23, 2013)

Not all Columbians are wild caught there are small breeders of them and yes any animal you suspect to be WC should be taken to the vet but I wouldn't think they would need regular check ups unless health issues arise



Dubya said:


> I don't think housing different species together is a good idea.



OUCH


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## BatGirl1 (Feb 23, 2013)

It is very good that you take advice well and not adversely.  sad to give some up but it shows that you want to do the right thing. You are probably like me in that when you see animals in need you impulsively say yes to help. A lot of us on here are probably this way. But as time goes by we must all learn to think 'rationally ' sometimes.  like when a 'ferret ' was brought to me injured from the side of the road and I discovered it was actually a weasel! Haha. I put on gloves, tended to some ticks and wounds, unsuccessfully tried like three animal hospitals to help him then finally got a wildlife control guy to promise he would not euthanize and take to a specialist if I kept the weasel overnight and it lived.haha.  we can't save ALL the creatures but we can try our best right??? 

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## nepoez (Feb 23, 2013)

Yeah I'm glad I posted the pics to get corrected. The people will be coming probably pretty soon. Gonna take a look at them a little longer... at least I got lots of pictures.


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## TegusRawsome80 (Feb 23, 2013)

To my knowledge, no one in the US has successfully hatched Columbians bfb. Laurafl got really close and has gotten eggs multiple times but I don't think anyone has hatched them before, so yes all of them are W/C. I am glad you have decided to take the advice given to you. It is very refreshing to see.


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## TeguBuzz (Feb 23, 2013)

I applaud you for taking the right course of action, those are signs of a true keeper who cares for his/hers animals.


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## nepoez (Feb 25, 2013)

So the collared lizards have been gone for a couple days now. Yesterday Twirp was only out for 2 hours all day and the rest of the day he's underground. Today he was only out for 1 hour, and came out 2 more times for less than 10 minutes each time to grab some food and went back in.. Really love him, just a shame that I rarely get to see him..


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## BatGirl1 (Feb 25, 2013)

If he's trying to hibernate he'll eat less and less then refuse altogether. Then will just eliminate stomach content but continue to come out of burrow occasionally to drink. 

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## nepoez (Feb 25, 2013)

I've heard contradicting info from different people. Some say Columbian tegus don't hibernate, and some say they do... What's your experience?


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## Bubblz Calhoun (Feb 25, 2013)

_There are plenty of threads on the topic of hibernation. But if you look at it from the basic definition of what hibernations is "to spend the winter in a dormant or torpid state" then yes they do.
Most people when they think of hibernation they think of bears practically comatose during the winter. But even that's not the case since it has been proven that some are active during. _


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## nepoez (Feb 25, 2013)

Bubblz Calhoun said:


> _There are plenty of threads on the topic of hibernation. But if you look at it from the basic definition of what hibernations is "to spend the winter in a dormant or torpid state" then yes they do.
> Most people when they think of hibernation they think of bears practically comatose during the winter. But even that's not the case since it has been proven that some are active during. _



So what affects the hibernation? Is it the temperature or just simply an internal clock built in? Because my temperatures are definitely not Columbian winter temperatures.


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## kingofnorse (Feb 25, 2013)

From what I know of reptiles in general, it differs between WC(wild caught) and CB(captive born) ones. If its captive born then its typically a temperature thing. Columbia is kind of the souther california climate with more humidity. 70-80 inland while 60-70F coastal. Now, you also may want to note that taking the two collars is a change to the environment, no matter how small thus he may still be in his 'new' stress mode and just needs to get adjusted again. Just double check your temps and you should be good I would assume.


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## Chantel (Feb 28, 2013)

chelvis said:


> I would listen to what others are saying, the reason being is simple.
> 
> The collard lizard you have there is a desert animal requiring high heat, low humidity and a sandy or dry substrate. The tegu you have is a tropical lizard requiring a high humidity, high heat and a moist substrate, just to do bare essentials. Too much humidity for the collard lizard can cause fungal infection and respiratory issues, too low of humidity for the tegu can cause respiratory issues and skin issues.
> 
> ...





I just want to thank this user for actually explaining what the problem was instead of attacking OP for doing something wrong. This user wasn't a jerk about it, but helped to educate OP which is what we should all be here for. 

I just do NOT understand why 99% of the people on this site feel the need to be so rude all the time. Unless you're a herpetologist with a degree you need to calm down, I bet your conditions aren't perfect, either.

We need to be more focused on EDUCATING and EXPLAINING instead of ATTACKING and INSULTING. I'm sick of it already!


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