# Just got a tegu! adult female, but.... what is she?



## pouchedrat (Jan 13, 2013)

So I picked up an argentine black and white tegu female today from a woman rehoming her. Beautiful, lovely, friendly, huge, but one thing seemed off. I remember while researching long and hard (we were planning on getting a baby this summer but this girl came up instead) I remember the whole "colombian vs. argentine" tegu debates and how you can tell them apart via the nostral scale. 

Well... hers is like, singular. on both sides. 








I'm such a newbie.... oh well. At least she's a sweetheart, colombian or argentine!


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## chitodadon (Jan 13, 2013)

Of there is no spots on the head she is a argentine

from Samsung Galaxy S3


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## TeguBuzz (Jan 13, 2013)

That's an argentine. Congrats on the new addition.


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## dragonmetalhead (Jan 13, 2013)

Argentine without question. Colombians are more pointy-faced and sleek by comparison.


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## pouchedrat (Jan 13, 2013)

Thanks!! Like I said, newbie. I figured she was, but it felt like every thread I'd come across would be about "hey look at my argentine!" and someone would note the scales on the nose and tell them it was a colombian instead. I just wanted to confirm since that is what I adopted her as. Plus I ran into some images while searching for "adult columbian tegu" that looked VERY much like an argentine! It seems like adult images are hard to come by for the smaller species.

She is absolutely amazing btw. She comes to the side of her enclosure when I walk nearby. I'm definitely going to have to have serious hours-long bonding time with her


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## Bubblz Calhoun (Jan 14, 2013)

_Congrats on the new tegu and welcome  to the site. Like previously stated she's definitely an argentine. The quickest way to tell the difference between argentines, colombians or goldens is the spots in side the scales on their head. Where argentines scales are usually one solid color (or outlined), red, black, white or what ever. The others will have yellow, white or gold scales with black spots or speckles in them. 

Loreal scales vary from one to the next some have one scale on one side and two on the other._


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## james.w (Jan 14, 2013)

Are you sure its a female??


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## pouchedrat (Jan 15, 2013)

Well, she was adopted out as an adult female, and from what I can tell from trying to sex them, that's what she is. 

She also escaped yesterday from her temp cage. She was able to reach the top and pull off the hardware cloth I had nailed on.. It's a little under 6 feet x 4 feet x 22" high, but since she was in hibernation I figured it'd be ok until we got her permanent enclosure in. I had to put multiple layers of cloth on and nailed it down every inch or so to be super-sure, and half is covered up to hopefully keep humidity up. 

Anyway, her cage is in the basement (there's a floor panel heat emitter and two lamps with ceramic bulbs, two with mercury vapor, and UV lights all across for light cycles, but I'm keeping it cool and all the wattages are LOW just spread out across one side), and when I found her she was underneath a pile of laundry, so she probably needed to burrow. I threw a bunch of fleece in with her last night (she did all this LATE at night) and she burrowed underneath it and hasn't moved since. She also wouldn't eat, but seemed on the move and was digging a lot. I think adopting her while she was in hibernation threw her off....... so definitely going to let her be until she's ready to come out. Hopefully I'll have her permanent cage by then. Hoping to order the taller version of the boamaster 8 footer with tax return money. Either that or the 10 foot retic one, since I need a cage for my savannah baby eventually as well (whichever I get, I'm getting two to stack). 

I COULD build them, but honestly after what she did last night, I'm more comfortable having someone ELSE do the work and just pay for it, LOL! I also managed to break the glass panels on TWO doors to another cage last night....... I let go of the door and it slammed shut and shattered, then while laying it on it's back and trying to nail on hardware cloth at 1AM last night so I wouldn't have ANOTHER escapee, I stupidly put my knee through the glass on the second door!!!!!!! gahh... just a bad night all around.

this is what you get when you adopt a full grown lizard underprepared. We were planning on buying the adult cages, then buying a baby come summertime, but someone local had an adult they were rehoming and I was all "OK!" Yeah.... but she's amazing, and definitely down for the winter again.


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## chitodadon (Jan 15, 2013)

They are escape artist mine ripped his screen top and got out too yesterday

from Samsung Galaxy S3


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## TegusRawsome80 (Jan 15, 2013)

Premade cages are terrible for monitors. I would suggest building a custom cage that will hold 2+ feet of substrate for your baby Savannah monitor


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## pouchedrat (Jan 15, 2013)

TegusRawsome80 said:


> Premade cages are terrible for monitors. I would suggest building a custom cage that will hold 2+ feet of substrate for your baby Savannah monitor



True. trust me, I've been reading up on it all. I know they need a ton of dirt (his tank currently is over 50% sand/substrate mix, with a huge bowl of water big enough for him to completely submerge in.. and that's where he spends most of his time). I've been checking up on all the how-to cage building for monitors long before I got the sav baby, and have built enclosures previously, just not for a large and strong lizard. I think these recent mishaps have made me incredibly nervous about DIY.... I'm not trusting myself now. I think my first step should probably be buying a heavy duty window instead of ordering large panes of glass, and build around it. But like I said, very nervous....


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## TegusRawsome80 (Jan 15, 2013)

If he spends most of his time in his water the cage probably isn't humid enough.


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## pouchedrat (Jan 15, 2013)

TegusRawsome80 said:


> If he spends most of his time in his water the cage probably isn't humid enough.




his fave water bowl is underneath the heat lamp... I know they need high humidity as well compared to what most care sheets and dealers will tell you... kind of like how sulcatta need high humidity and most don't get it because people think "desert" animal even though they're burrowers. that and savs aren't from sandy deserts. 

he has two heat lamps set up, temps rise about 110-120 under the lamps, I try to disperse heat around so it's not concentrated in one single spot. But he enjoys it in the water bowl directly underneath.


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## james.w (Jan 15, 2013)

Can you post some pics of your sav and tegu enclosures? The boamaster will NOT work for an adult Sav. Maybe for a tegu, but I don't really like them for that either.


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## chitodadon (Jan 15, 2013)

Sonhow would two 6 ft long vision cages stacked on top of each other made into one tank

from Samsung Galaxy S3


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## SnakeCharmr728 (Jan 15, 2013)

If your monitor is spending most of its time in the water dish directly below the light, I would move the dish elsewhere so he can be below the heat... Its not in a savannahs natural behavior to be soaking in the dish. They dont do it unless the husbandry is missing something, unlike niles and water monitors will spend a great deal in the water... 
I would bump his basking temp up to 135-140, and give him as much substrate as possible, even if you have to rig up some boards to place in front of the doors to hold the dirt in. then make the substrate damp enough to clump when you squeeze it in your hand. If theres any air vents, seal em up. This will greatly improve your humidity. 

I know you didnt ask for monitor care advice, so Im sorry if its stepping on toes, but I run a rescue for monitors so this is just what I do. Hope this helps.


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## pouchedrat (Jan 16, 2013)

This image is a over a month old, there are now two heat lamps on top. 40 gallon breeder, the savannah was 12 inches and now is getting to 14 inches long. I want to get the adult cages done or purchased or whatever within the next couple months so I can move them in immediately. I did the tegu and cage acquirement backwards, I WANTED to get the adult cage FIRST before getting a baby in the summer, but decided to go with getting a rehome who was local but was in hibernation. 

I'll get new photos whenever it's not 5AM and everyone's asleep.

/edit- oh and the sav's dug up the thing big time since this pic was taken

I use disposable plastic bowls for water since he uses it as a bathroom and also kicks dirt in it. I get them free from work in huge stacks, and toss them out when needed. They're lids we don't use for large cheesecake platters


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## SnakeCharmr728 (Jan 16, 2013)

If you level it out a bit more so that it puts the surface closer to the basking bulb and use a flat rock, the dirt and the wood dont hold the heat so it makes it pretty impossible to get a surface temperature that is high enough. the rock will hold the heat. What is your ratio of sand and soil? it looks really sandy....


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## pouchedrat (Jan 16, 2013)

SnakeCharmr728 said:


> If you level it out a bit more so that it puts the surface closer to the basking bulb and use a flat rock, the dirt and the wood dont hold the heat so it makes it pretty impossible to get a surface temperature that is high enough. the rock will hold the heat. What is your ratio of sand and soil? it looks really sandy....








today's pic, bit too wet at pic time, just misted and replaced the water bowl.. 

I think it was 1 bag sand to 2 bags dirt, but I'll admit it isn't mixed very well. 

I stuck a second bowl for water on the opposite side of the tank just now to see how it goes, although I need to bury it, I just threw it in and took a pic lol. 

I never thought of placing a rock in there. I mostly keep tarantulas and a few snakes and lizards, only now getting into the larger species with the monitor and tegu (and honestly they're going to be my only large species). I just remember so often everyone telling you NOT to place rocks in any enclosures because if they dig underneath it, it could collapse on them and crush them. I guess I have that drilled into my head and didn't think it'd ever be ok for any species. All of my final tarantulas' enclosures have foam and great stuff sculpted and painted to look like rocks, and any wood is permanently affixed, so there's zero chance of anything collapsing.


I should probably mention I'm a bit cage obsessed. If something's inappropriate, I'll try to go above and beyond to fix it. I don't want to do the final cages until I'm 100% certain about what to do. So far I've watched a TON of build videos and looked at a ton of threads since early last year when I decided to get a sav (and didn't get him until late fall when I was CERTAIN what I was getting into, but of course that doesn't always work either. Everything I thought I was going to do I wound up questioning), but I was hoping to save time by buying a cage. If the 8 x 3 x 30" and the 10 x 4 x 30" are both not good enough for an adult female argentine tegu nor sav, I guess I'll have to do a build anyway for both cages.... 

I'm trying to not take things personally, as I know you guys just really care about the animals in question and don't know me from any other newbie who comes by. It's just been a VERY VERY long time since I've felt like a complete newb to any animal forum, lol... I forgot what it was like to take it


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## james.w (Jan 16, 2013)

Your Sav cage is all wrong. Savs NEED deep substrate, a high basking spot temp and 50-80% humidity throughout the cage. You can't get the in a small aquarium with a screen top. If you did your research you should have already known these things. Get a 8*4*4 enclosure ASAP for the Sav. If it is a female you will definitely need to have deep enough dirt so she has a place to lay eggs. My Sav grew to 30" in 7 months or so. You will have a severely dehydrated monitor on your hands if you don't get things fixed quickly.


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## SnakeCharmr728 (Jan 16, 2013)

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Reputable Monitor Caresheets:
http://savannahmonitor.co/ <----- the truth to caring for savannah monitors
http://www.savannahmonitor.net/gout/ <--- the important of deep burrowable substrate

In depth savannah monitor care sheets:
http://www.reptileforums.co.uk/forums/lizards/841282-boscs-savannah-monitor-care-sheet.html
http://www.reptileforums.co.uk/forums/lizards/119922-so-want-sav.html

http://www.repticzone.com/forums/Monitors/messages/1272637.html


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## pouchedrat (Jan 25, 2013)

I just received my reply from boamaster cages and they will custom build me my sizes. I am getting a 10' x 4' x 3' for the tegu's enclosure once she is out of hibernation and a 10' x 4' x 4' for the sav with doors built towards the top. These are being ordered within the next month. Radiant heat panels since the basement is a constant temp., fixtures for bulbs, uv lights, etc. I will be modifying as I see fit and sealing the insides completely. If a 10x4x4 is not good enough for my 15" baby, then I don't know what to tell you. The tegu will probably have free roam in a room when I'm home once she is more active and we have a playroom with tiles for my son that is gated off and all toys are put up in storage cubes when not in use, that I can lay mats down for and mop easily until she is used to us. Will set up basking areas during her use of it but she isnt awake yet.

If this is still unacceptable then whatever. I don't have time to build my own cages at this time, but I can modify a prebuilt fine. My husband has at least agreed to help me with lifting the melamine boards and holding things while I drill etc. I'm not sure I can piece the boamasters together on my own (weight and size) it may come to that though depending on our baby. I don't care anymore. Information is all conflicting


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## james.w (Jan 25, 2013)

Those cages will be great for both. Tell them to not put any ventilation in either.


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## pouchedrat (Apr 18, 2013)

I just received my two boamasters. 10' x 4' x 4' and 10' x 4' x 3'. They made the doors huge and put ventilation in anyway. I just.finished building one and am going to build the second one tonight. It looks like I'll have to get some melamine boards and drill them into the bottom sectio.s to hold in enough dirt. Also I am going to be sealing the insides and waterproofing them both so that'll take care of vents (theyll be covered up) .

So I'm conflicted ... they're huge (monitor is only 15" now). I want to build a sturdy background and rocks and pond area now. With the kniwledge they'll probably get destroyed... but most of my display cages I build backgrounds and stuff in.


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## SnakeCharmr728 (Apr 19, 2013)

wow those are huge! how much do those cost?


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## pouchedrat (Apr 19, 2013)

It is cheaper to buy materials and build them yourself.... trust me on that.

They were $975 each, plus I bought two 160 watt radiant heat panels, and shipping cost $290. UPS had to freight it in and the guy couldn't get it off of his truck at all. We had to take the pallet off the truck piece by piece. 

My next step is to get some melamine boards for the bottom parts, to drill them in to hold dirt in. Then sealing everything with silicone in the edges and fiberglass, then probably sheets of that stuff for bathrooms and more silicone lol. 

I've been pricing light fixtures and will probably get two 4' UV light fixtures (they hold multiple bulbs) for each cage... making 4 total. Then 3 heat lamp fixtures per cage on top of already having the heat panels.

I found nice looking preformed ponds that hold 33 gallons I'm going to attach inside each, and add pipe to bottom to drain outside. Also I'm VERY tempted to build foam backgrounds and a very small waterfall trickle to keep water moving. Also have an idea for basking areas/caves made with a skeletal structure of PVC pipes and joints cemented together, egg crate and zip ties to form the shelves, real slate rocks for the flat surfaces, then building up with pink insulation foam, then great stuff over that keeping slate exposed. After shaping it all and carving, cement over it all and acrylic paint (and sand it down etc...) gonna do it all outside the enclosures and let em cure before putting it in. It is mainly an idea for the monitor not tegu. And if he destroys it then oh well LOL. I just like building things and backgrounds for all my tanks.... 

I actually have a list of stuff I need to do before these are habitable... the decoration possibilities are NOT part of it and those'll be done outside of the cages.. so the monitor and tegu get their big cages first. Especially now that the tegu is out of hibernation


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## SnakeCharmr728 (Apr 19, 2013)

ouch, ya definitely cheaper to build.


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## tegutattoos (Apr 19, 2013)

wow people need to calm down, Your savannah monitor looks very nice  Not having deep soil isn't going to kill your monitor nor will it become dehydrated. There are many ways to house monitors and many keepers have successfully housed them without deep soil and those high temps. Here is a good Website http://savannahmonitornews.weebly.com/ that could give you some ideas if you wanted some  Just remember what works for one doesn't mean it works for all.


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## tegutattoos (Apr 19, 2013)

Lol I am not going to argue with you but I think the reader can decide.


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## TegusRawsome80 (Apr 19, 2013)

I sure hope so. Long term dehydration kills!


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## pouchedrat (Apr 19, 2013)

I know I'm supposed to look for signs like sunken eyes, enlarged forearms or whatever else. I can tell you right now my boy (he is definitely male.... lol) is nasty, feisty, and you cannot hold him. I don't except for transportation to baths or whatnot. Was worried about shed skin on a couple toes . Otherwise it is a whole lot of hissing, thrashing, and he has bitten me twice both times drawn blood because I got careless and he can be FAST. 

When his cage is set up that's it. Except for vet visits or something else, id rather leave him alone. I love his attitude though! But savannahs are definitely NOT docile LOL. And I don't want to stress him. Luckily tegu girl is cuddly, plus our bearded dragon is my gardening buddy. She hangs out with me on the porch while I work outside.


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## pouchedrat (Apr 19, 2013)

I guess I should mention I keep 20 different tarantula species including old world arboreals, scorpions, etc. as well as have various exotics knowledge and other reptiles and mammals. I mentioned my boy is feisty.. I'm not afraid of him nor do I believe I couldn't handle an adult. I just don't want to stress him out with unnecessary handling.


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