# New baby golds



## m3s4 (Mar 10, 2012)

Here's a few pic's of the new baby golds Purchased from LLLReptile.com...





First peak out of the gunny-sack













That's all for now...I'll be sure to post more as they come, as well as any and all videos posted on youtube when we get some.


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## dragonmetalhead (Mar 10, 2012)

So cute! Congrats!


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## Bubblz Calhoun (Mar 10, 2012)

_Glad you got what you wanted, was advertised and not the pic posted. Would love to see more pics of the second one._


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## m3s4 (Mar 10, 2012)

While I'm posting pics, here's some of Sam (3 year old male colombian gold before he passed) and Ally our 5 year old Arg. B&W. In some of the photos you'll see Tanzi, a juvenile Colombian that we took in for free (craigslist re-homing) that had severe *MBD*. We took her in knowing she had it and tried our best to rehabilitate her, along with help from a local vet, but she finally and sadly succumbed to the disease in 2010. 



























































Sam was an incredible tegu. Imo, there's A LOT to be said about trust and a very tame tegu when they'll let you peel shedding skin from around they're eyes. Most animals don't like anything near or close to their eyes - myself included. 

I was very surprised when Sam would let me peel all the skin from around his eyes and face/head/nose/ears. He'd let me help him with his toes as well, which I'm sure, wasn't easy for him to do. To me, that was the pinnacle of the trust and bond we shared. He and Tanzi are sadly missed. 

Hope you all enjoy the pics!


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## dragonmetalhead (Mar 10, 2012)

Gorgeous lizards, all three.


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## monstruo-the-tegu (Mar 10, 2012)

dang those golds are amazing i will have to show my sister these she wants a tegu but one thats not expensive


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## laurarfl (Mar 11, 2012)

Very nice! I'm glad you got what you wanted!


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## MadameButterfly (Mar 12, 2012)

Awesome pics, I hope to eventually get my little tornado to calm down enough to be able to get pics like that at some point lol


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## m3s4 (Mar 12, 2012)

He'll calm down.

I don't know how much you interact with him, but typically the more often the better. 

With extremely skittish golds, you can try handling them when they're cold or at room temperature (pre-basking). The reasons for this are quite obvious and it's worked well for me. 

It's what I'm currently doing with the babies. When they're young, they see almost everything as a threat - until they're conditioned/learn what is and isn't a real threat. They should never see you or your hands as a threat or food source. 

That being said, the first part of the equation has to be you and your hands. Try different techniques when attempting to pet him, pick him up or simply move him. You know him best, so you're the best judge of his character and what he's willing to let you do or not do to him. 

In the end, your persistence will pay off and taming him is really just about acute awareness of how he reacts to you followed by relentless consistency.


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## m3s4 (Mar 14, 2012)

And here's a pic of the second baby gold. 

They've both been letting me pick them up and move them from their hide to their feeding bin with little to no problems. 

Squirming seems to be the biggest issue atm, but I expect that for a while to come. 

Zoomie, the first baby pictured in the thread, did manage to get a couple puffs in at me earlier. I had to laugh. 

Something tells me this guy here won't be a puffer or even that aggressive. Just something about him. He's goofy - all his mannerisms seem to be so far. 

After this photo, they both got their first bath this afternoon. 







Ally found some afternoon warmth in the sun while the little guys soaked it up in the tub.


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## laurarfl (Mar 15, 2012)

They are so pretty! My female huffs all the time. It's my favorite part about her.


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## m3s4 (Mar 15, 2012)

laurarfl said:


> They are so pretty! My female huffs all the time. It's my favorite part about her.



Thanks, Laura - and I agree, the huffing is one of my favorite things about colombians. 

Sam (the large gold) used to huff at Tanzi (the smaller colombian pictured with him). He'd do it really quickly, and then he'd stop. He'd lick the base of her tail and then go skitzo with the huffs. 

On one occasion, I moved him about 7-8 feet away from her because he wouldn't stop. I put him up on our bed, and tanzi was down on the floor basking. He saw her move from where he was, and started huffing all the way from up on the bed. I was like wow...Sam...really? 

Colombians just wouldn't be the same if they weren't vocal.


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## m3s4 (Mar 21, 2012)

Ok so I made a quick video showing that baby tegus can and will tame down quite quickly. All this represents is the fact that yes, you can hold them right when you get them, be around them as much as possible, interact with them as much as possible and be patient with them. 

They aren't perfectly calm yet, but they're 30x better today then the day after I purchased them. No biting, no gaping, no whipping, no lashing...Basically no bad behavior - especially for Colombians. 

Obviously they're both a work in progress, but hopefully this can be of help to those that have problematic tegus. 

I set them in their feeding bin (a rubbermaid 45 gallon tub) and let them warm up a little bit. Once they were active, I took a quick vid. 

Enjoy. 

[video=youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1-zlMsV8NPM&context=C41496c1ADvjVQa1PpcFNUZwYijlq7JoVB_Gm6iHZzaXJTetbBFDA=[/video]


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## Bubblz Calhoun (Mar 21, 2012)

_I know they're not related but it looks like you got a 2 for 1 in resemblance on that deal. Body wise Zoomy if that's how you spell it looks like Sam and head wise Sketch does._


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## dragonmetalhead (Mar 21, 2012)

Those are some interesting names. How'd you come up with those?


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## m3s4 (Mar 21, 2012)

Bubblz Calhoun said:


> _I know they're not related but it looks like you got a 2 for 1 in resemblance on that deal. Body wise Zoomy if that's how you spell it looks like Sam and head wise Sketch does._



Yea it's crazy you mention that about Zoomie and Sam - they have the same "side eye" when they're looking at you and they really do resemble each other in more then a few ways...A few of their mannerisms could be considered remarkably similar - even at Zoomies young age I can see some of Sam in him.

As for the names, my gf named Zoomie - it's her tegu actually. She named it after the headers on her hot-rod - zoomies or zoomy pipes if you will. 

Sketch, well - that might not end up being his name. It's his name currently because he's really sketchy. He moves with robotic-like movements; walking then pausing, cocking his head then continuing on at random. He jerks around...It's pretty funny really. And of the two, he's definitely the more curious, alert, more high-strung and energetic. 

I have a ton of names I'd like to use, but I really need to know the sex before I can assign something permanent to him/her. 

Zoomie works for both sexes so my gf is set.


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## m3s4 (Mar 31, 2012)

Quick update:

Zoomie, the smaller of the two new babies, escaped. 

I put him in the sleeper under his blankets then went and did some work on the pc. Came back 20 min. later and poof. 

He somehow managed to wedge his head between the (2) zippers that close the front of his sleeper and then pry his way out. In the room, I had the front door open with the screen door closed. Problem is, there's a 1" gap between the door and the floor and guess what? He found it. 

I've looked everywhere, including inside the room he "was" in, but he's nowhere inside. I've looked outside but there's fields all around my house. I'm 99% he's long gone. 

Talk about dumb luck. 

I now have a small lock for the zippers which will prevent something like this happening with my other baby gold. 

Since this has never happened to me before (With Sam, Ally or Tanzi), I was over-confident in thinking they were secure. Obviously that isn't the case - even when the zippers are at the top of the sleeper when the door is closed. 

Totally preventable, and totally my fault. I should have had a lock _before_ something like this happened.


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## TegusRawsome80 (Mar 31, 2012)

Not to be rude, but this is a strong argument for keeping tegus, especially baby columbians which are typically flighty, in cages.


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## Bubblz Calhoun (Mar 31, 2012)

_With or with out cages we can all get a little complacent and mistakes happen. 

Depending on how far away the set up is from the door it may still be some where inside. As small as they are they can fit into just about anything anywhere.

If you haven't already I would close all the doors and windows. Turn off anything you can in the house to reduce the noise level and listen. Just in case he's still moving around somewhere. 

How active are they during the day and when was the last time he ate? If he has a full tummy he'll more than likely find some where to settle down for a day or so. Something that small can be hard to find unless he's actually moving around and making noise some where.

I hope he's still inside and you find him lounging some where and or he comes out on his own._


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## dragonmetalhead (Mar 31, 2012)

TegusRawsome80 said:


> Not to be rude, but this is a strong argument for keeping tegus, especially baby columbians which are typically flighty, in cages.



Tegus can get out of cages, too. They're so damn smart and if they see a weakness, you can bet your bottom dollar they'll figure it out and exploit it. Kodo figured out how to get out his his old tank at the mueum, and I though it was secure.


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## m3s4 (Mar 31, 2012)

Bubblz Calhoun said:


> _With or with out cages we can all get a little complacent and mistakes happen.
> 
> *Indeed. I really didn't think he'd be able to push passed the 2 zippers. I'm actually quite impressed that he could, and did. Now I know I have to keep them fastened via a lock so they can't be spread apart from the inside.*
> 
> ...


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## TegusRawsome80 (Mar 31, 2012)

If you have a suitable cage for the animal it won't escape, that's the reason people have cages.


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## AP27 (Mar 31, 2012)

m3s4 said:


> Bubblz Calhoun said:
> 
> 
> > _With or with out cages we can all get a little complacent and mistakes happen.
> ...


I once lost my tegu outside due to a careless mistake. Thankfully he predictably went to the first hiding place he found and after tearing apart the bushes we suspected him to be in, found him again 6 days later. So there is still hope that he hasn't gone far and you may find him. Check any hiding places in the immediate vicinity of your front door, he may be there. Unfortunately when my tegu hid we could be touching him and not know it because he wouldn't move a muscle or make a sound, so double or even triple check. I hope you find him!


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## m3s4 (Apr 1, 2012)

AP27 said:


> m3s4 said:
> 
> 
> > Bubblz Calhoun said:
> ...



Checking all the close spots daily...Thanks for the heads up, I hope we find him as well.


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## TegusRawsome80 (Apr 1, 2012)

Do you really still not want to cage your tegus? I don't wanna come off wrong here but your system clearly ISN'T working. I would suggest a cage for nights. One with lockable doors. Preferably wooden.


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## m3s4 (Apr 1, 2012)

Took Ally for a walk in the park today. 

She's almost completed her shed. 

If you look closely at her rear leg, you can see some shedding occuring, as well as her tail. 

She was dragging her hands across the sidewalk after this pic, ridding herself of some loose skin on her toes. Was quite amusing to see her cruising along dragging her claws upside-down. 







Also, in a interesting twist of fate...I stopped by our local reptile shop here in Colorado Springs to check on a Colombian tegu they've had for sale for some time now. The owner let me hold him right before I got the babies from LLLreptile.com. I absolutely thought he was kick ass. 

Apparently, he's had a rough go of it. 

_The first owner gave him back to the shop because they said he was too aggressive. 
The second owner turned him back in because he was too big and ate too much. 
The third, potential owner, had a deposit on him and backed out last week. _

So, yesterday, he found himself a new home with us. 

He's in great shape, amazing coloration (black and white patterning - with some tan on his head and jowls along with whitish, almost clear nails)

He's extremely calm, so I'm a little suspect of the first owners assessment of his temperament. The guys down at the store were frequently picking him up and chillin' with him during work hours so he's totally used to being handled. He's really mellow. 

Before buying him, the guys let us hand feed him 5 roaches outside of his cage. 

He laid on my arm for 30 min last night and almost as long earlier today for his photo shoot. 

Now if I can just find Zoomie. 

Here's Tai:


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## m3s4 (Apr 9, 2012)

Easter Sunday, spent with family, friends and Tai of course.


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## laurarfl (Apr 10, 2012)

Nice! I don't take my Colombians out much so they are a little buggy when they get outdoors.


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## m3s4 (Apr 10, 2012)

Laura,

So you don't take them outside that much eh? Even Chester? 

That guy looks super cool.


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## dragonmetalhead (Apr 10, 2012)

Tai looks great. Glad he found an owner who will love him like he deserves. Whenever I take Kodo into the backyard and put him on the patio table, he always crawls to the edge and tried to jump off. I need to get him an outdoor playpen or something. Oh, and I find your signature extremely amusing; made me laugh out loud and smile like the tegu who ate the canary the first time I read it.


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## m3s4 (Apr 10, 2012)

What I practiced with Sam and Ally are two things:

*First*, I kept them in their nylon dog carriers whenever I took them outside for about a year - before i let them just free-roam. This way, they could see, hear and taste what was going on at all times. And because they knew they were inside their sleepers, they also knew they were safe in their "hide" if you will. They could observe everything with the full comfort of knowing nothing was going to harm them. 

This way, they got used to life - and all the crazy sights, sounds and smells around them; cars, motorcycles, people on bikes riding by, all the talking, yelling, laughing etc...All of it, from the comfort of their homes, if you will. 

*Second*, when I finally did let them free-roam outside, I'd let them bask outside when they were *cold,* (for obvious reasons) and of course, under my supervision at all times. They surprised me at first, they really did. They just chilled out and enjoyed being in the sun and I can honestly say, never gave me one problem. They were never leashed, and to this day, Ally is perfectly fine outside. 

Here's a pic of Sam chillin with me on a park bench, very content - even when young kids came up later to check him out. 






And with Ally:






Hope this helps those of you that want to let your tegus enjoy life outside of a home or their enclosure. 

**My gf used to push Sam around in a dog stroller too, so...Yea...we did some a-typical things with him and I think he enjoyed every minute of it. That being said, one time we were walking him in his stroller and two old ladies came up expecting to see a baby - to their surprise they saw Sam. One of them made the remark that he was beautiful and aside from that, looked totally content and happy to which I couldn't agree more.


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## m3s4 (Apr 14, 2012)

quick group photo:


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## Bubblz Calhoun (Apr 14, 2012)

_This reminds me of something I have yet to see but would love to. Which is a pic with at least one of every type of captive tegu in it. Like when you see photos of different types of Bp morphs together._


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## m3s4 (Apr 15, 2012)

I totally agree.


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## dragonmetalhead (Apr 15, 2012)

You should use that for your Christmas card. A beautiful photo of some beautiful lizards. Not gonna lie, looking at this pic makes me wish I could give Ally big hug; she looks so sweet and cuddly.


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## m3s4 (Apr 15, 2012)

dragonmetalhead said:


> You should use that for your Christmas card. A beautiful photo of some beautiful lizards. Not gonna lie, looking at this pic makes me wish I could give Ally big hug; she looks so sweet and cuddly.



As a matter of fact, 3 years ago Karri and I sent out x-mas cards with a pic of Sam as the cover...So I must agree it's a great idea...I think we'll have to do that this year with this pic. 

As for Ally, yea, she's awesome. I never thought a reptile would actually cuddle with you, but she does - for reals - as I'm sure many others do. As an example, if you lay down and set her on your chest, she'll walk up near your face, lick you a few times then lay her head by your neck - usually right next to your ear - it's her favorite position - at least I think it is.


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## reptastic (Apr 15, 2012)

You have some gorgeous tegus, I'm in love with scoob lol


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## m3s4 (Apr 15, 2012)

reptastic said:


> You have some gorgeous tegus, I'm in love with scoob lol



thanks I really appreciate the compliments.


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## Aardbark (Apr 16, 2012)

They are all beautifull. Its weird, I never liked how golds looked before. But seeing so many peoples golds, and how aawesome they are, now I like them too.


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## m3s4 (Apr 16, 2012)

Aardbark said:


> They are all beautifull. Its weird, I never liked how golds looked before. But seeing so many peoples golds, and how aawesome they are, now I like them too.



Yea, golds can have great coloration. They have incredibly shiny, soft skin and very smooth scales. 

Glad more and more people are beginning to appreciate Colombians and are willing to take the time to learn about them and work with them. 

They get a bad rap but it's only partly their fault - a lot has to do with their accessibility the low cost associated with that and first-time tegu owners. It makes for a volatile combination that often ends up poorly for the tegu. 

For those with experience, or those that just want a little challenge along the way, I highly suggest adding a Colombian to your collection. 

They're feisty, active, alert, spontaneous, goofy, fast, agile, prone to get into trouble by just being curious, are often fearless and they're sometimes irritable and let you know it but "huffing". 

That said, they're always down right awesome, and of all the tegus we get in the states, they're definitely my favorite.


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## dragonmetalhead (Apr 16, 2012)

And they don't hibernate, so you can play with them all year long!


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## m3s4 (Apr 17, 2012)

dragonmetalhead said:


> And they don't hibernate, so you can play with them all year long!



Ahh very true - and glad you mentioned it. 

For people that don't want a tegu that hibernates, Colombians are a great choice. 

Sam was active all year. 

He kept eating (and I kept spending money) all the way through winter.


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