# Columbian tegus :|



## fox020708 (Apr 14, 2012)

So I made a deposit for a varnyard argi tegu.. but someone was in dire need of rehoming a columbian tegu so i cancelled my varnyard and took on the columbian since it was in need.. This guy is FIESTY. He is still pretty young probably a little over 10 inches.. what can i do to tame this sucker down?

A friend that i talked to wanted me to trade it to him for his ackie monitor. So I may do that.. since saving this guy took up my argis spot id like the more docile/tame of the two... Anyone have any idea which is easier to tame down?


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## TegusRawsome80 (Apr 15, 2012)

Probably the Columbian. Columbians get bigger and in my opinion mediumish large lizards are the easiest to handle. With something small like an ackie the chances of it being able to successfully run away and get lost are much higher than with a 3 ft Columbian. It'll take time with either though. An ackie for a Columbian is a great deal financially for you but if you just want something tame I say go with the Columbian and raise it up.


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## fox020708 (Apr 15, 2012)

I've heard people saying they go in their ackie cages bare handed and that columbians can buy through a wielding glove.

bite*


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## TegusRawsome80 (Apr 15, 2012)

Okay. Well you probably shouldn't listen to people like that then. Going in an ackie cage bare handed I believe without a doubt. Ackies aren't normally a pet that are gonna want to sit and cuddle with you or stay still, and you can't put them on a leash due to their size. Going in their cage bare handed is no big deal because they're very small and their bites don't hurt. They are tolerant of people but they aren't going to have the same dog-like personality of a tegu. Columbian's can't bite through welding gloves in my opinion. Tegu bites hurt, but only if you get bitten. As long as you tame it down before it's big then those bites you receive taming it down won't hurt due to size. I've only been bitten one by a tegu and it was a 3 foot adult male and it was my fault for reaching in the cage without letting him know I wasn't food. However, the bite wasn't altogether that bad. It bled and hurt some but it wasn't anything I have scars from. I know tegus are capable of a lot of damage, but I doubt they could bite through a welding glove or any heavy duty leather glove for that matter.


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## m3s4 (Apr 15, 2012)

First off, not everything we are told, is always true. 

In my experience, this is the case with _most_ Colombian Tegus. 

They can definitely be more feisty then many argentine b&w's when they are juveniles, but not always. Like anything, individual temperaments vary. 

However, as they age (and as a general rule of thumb) feisty Colombians mellow out quite a bit. With proper care, attention and regular interaction with a them, I think that within 6 months to a year you'll notice significant changes in their temperament. 

It takes a little more patience with a Colombian due to their skittishness, but eventually, they lose their fight or flight instincts - especially as they pack on size and realize not everything out there is trying to eat them. 

For a little more in-depth look at Colombians and what some of us have done to help promote them and interact with them, you can visit this thread:


Colombian Tegus, a Comprehensive Guide


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## dragonmetalhead (Apr 15, 2012)

If you take the time to work with it, you will not regret adopting the Colombian. Everyone likes to compare tegus to dogs due to their tameness so to stick with the canine comparisons, Argentines are more like labs (calm, demonstrative, willing to come up to you for love or to sleep in your lap) and Colombians are more like Chow Chows (a tad high strung, aloof at times, wanting affection on their terms not yours). Kodo was labeled as an Argentine when I bought him and it wasn't until months later when after posting a pic on this forum someone pointed out the mistake. I initially freaked out, as in the course of my pre-purchasing research I read all about the Colombians' bad reputation. I was legitimately afraid Kodo was going to turn into some sort of hyper-aggressive beast, but a correct identification didn't alter his personality one iota. I kept on doing what I was doing when I though he was an Argentine, and he's turned out to be the best pet I've ever had (along with my first dog, Tawny).

Oh, and good for you for adopting. I'm one of those bad, spoiled, rich kids who likes to go to the pet store and by a reptile as a baby so I can raise it its whole life, although I did adopt my current kingsnake.


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## Bubblz Calhoun (Apr 15, 2012)

_Colombians are just as good as any other tegu._


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## fox020708 (Apr 15, 2012)

Thank you everyone for your replies but I've decided to take the ackie simply because I feel my friend could work more with the columbian since he was seeming sick and lethargic. He is much more experienced with reptiles than I. I also may end up getting an arg tegu in the coming weeks. In the end I got a great deal on an expensive monitor and I know the cplumbing is in good hands.


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## m3s4 (Apr 15, 2012)

fox020708 said:


> Thank you everyone for your replies but I've decided to take the ackie simply because I feel my friend could work more with the columbian since he was seeming sick and lethargic. He is much more experienced with reptiles than I. I also may end up getting an arg tegu in the coming weeks. In the end I got a great deal on an expensive monitor and I know the cplumbing is in good hands.



If the Colombian appears sick and lethargic, please try and get him to a vet. He could have MBD, a poor previous diet, a lack of nutrients - who knows. It's definitely in the tegus best interest, and if your friend is willing to take care of him, it's the least that can be done for what appears to be, a mistreated/poorly kept animal. 

If he's definitely willing to take the tegu and isn't a member here, please point him in this direction as there's is a wealth of knowledge floating around that even an experienced herper may not be privy too. 

Lastly, if your friend doesn't want the hassle of dealing with him (or can't) someone here may wish to take him off your hands. If that's the case, put me down as an option.


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## fox020708 (Apr 15, 2012)

m3s4 said:


> fox020708 said:
> 
> 
> > Thank you everyone for your replies but I've decided to take the ackie simply because I feel my friend could work more with the columbian since he was seeming sick and lethargic. He is much more experienced with reptiles than I. I also may end up getting an arg tegu in the coming weeks. In the end I got a great deal on an expensive monitor and I know the cplumbing is in good hands.
> ...



Although he is not extremely experienced with tegus. He is experienced with monitors and smaller reptiles. I will point him in the direction of this website.


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