# how big



## welshghost (Jun 27, 2011)

how big should my baby tegu be he is 16 weeks and 20cm is that right


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## Rhetoric (Jun 27, 2011)

I wouldn't worry too much. If hes slowed down activity wise he isn't going to be doing a ton of growing. If hes truly hibernating he might stop growing all together for the time being. All tegus grow at different rates. Variables include: UVB, diet, genetics, hibernating, brumating, etc. 
Some tegus brumate or hibernate and when they wake up 4-5 months later they are still around 1ft to 1.5ft. Some tegus stay up their entire first winter (Guru did) and end up just short of 4 ft at a year old.


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## Toby_H (Jun 27, 2011)

I received my Tegu at approx 6 weeks of age and it was approx 20 cm (8 inches). When he first arrived he was growing slow but within a month his growth rate spend up considerably. Overally his growth rate in his first summer wasn't anything more than expected...

He fully hibernated his first winter and then grew incredibly fast his second summer... incredibly fast...


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## mrcleansheet (Jun 27, 2011)

yeah i was wondern the same about my tegu if he wa right size he about 9 or 10 months and about 26inches i think !


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## james.w (Jun 27, 2011)

Mine is 11 months old and 37", he is an All American by the way. All Tegus will be different sizes at different ages, none of them grow the same.


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## mrcleansheet (Jun 27, 2011)

i knoow  i want him biiig ! mines a red !


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## teguboy77 (Jun 28, 2011)

I mean all the tegus i had before grew at different rates as someone metioned,mine never grew slow lol,if they were hibernating they were'nt growing much but as soon as they were up from hibernating they grew like weeds lol.


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## jumper123 (Jun 28, 2011)

I have an 11 month old who is 21 in. hes rather small compared to the others some have on the forum, but i only feed him every other day.


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## reptastic (Jun 28, 2011)

Do you mind if i ask why u feed every other day? My b/w tegu was only 18" at 10 mos. Old and now he is 12 mos old and 36", he hit a major growth spurt around 11 mos old, before hibernation he was a very slow grower only growing a inch like every other week or so if that


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## jumper123 (Jun 29, 2011)

My new herp vet is also an expert in tegus. He said that it generally isn't healthy to feed daily. Also because my little guy has mbd from his
Past owners so the vet wants his growth slow So his
Bones can catch up. After the first month my tegu walked again after being almost completely paralyzed I was so excited! Some disagree I know a lot of breeders and keepers disagree I don't mind but I have seen incredible progress in my little boy. <3


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## montana (Jun 29, 2011)

Glad he is coming around ...

I personally would be concerned that MY tegu would try to eat mulch if I didn`t keep him topped off..


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## jumper123 (Jun 29, 2011)

Haha ya I haven't seen him eat mulch, yet! Lately he's been attacking my toes thinking it's fuzzy time.. I feel bad cause he is hungry.. But he's doing so well I dont want to screw it up now.


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## Maro1 (Jun 29, 2011)

Put some butter on those toes!  LOL


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## Rhetoric (Jun 29, 2011)

jumper123 said:


> Haha ya I haven't seen him eat mulch, yet! Lately he's been attacking my toes thinking it's fuzzy time.. I feel bad cause he is hungry.. But he's doing so well I dont want to screw it up now.



Rango does that, I always wear shoes or slippers when I have him out lol. He hasn't bitten any toes but he sure shows a lot of interest. I wouldn't put it past him.


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## rrcoolj (Jun 29, 2011)

I am so glad my tegu isn't the only one who does that. IDk what it is about my feet but she seems to think it's a meal sometimes even after feeding her. I can touch her mouth with my hands no problem but if she sees my toes she goes hunting so I wear slippers and that seems to work.


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## jumper123 (Jun 29, 2011)

The sad part was he did it while I was feeding him ground turkey (he eats off of a spoon because he is still too weak to pick up his own food) I try to get him to eat out of the bowl but after a few minutes of trying he walks away.. And at this point the meals he gets are important. He got my nose the other day. Dangerous little creature.. Doesn't hurt a bit though because of his weak jaw pressure! Maybe it's because toes move? And are low to the ground and short and fat like mice?


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## james.w (Jun 29, 2011)

jumper123 said:


> My new herp vet is also an expert in tegus. He said that it generally isn't healthy to feed daily. Also because my little guy has mbd from his
> Past owners so the vet wants his growth slow So his
> Bones can catch up. After the first month my tegu walked again after being almost completely paralyzed I was so excited! Some disagree I know a lot of breeders and keepers disagree I don't mind but I have seen incredible progress in my little boy. <3



I wasn't going to comment on this, but what makes your vet a "tegu expert"? 

How long have you had your tegu?


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## jumper123 (Jun 29, 2011)

its all good. Hes been raises and rescues tegus and monitors, his expertise is in lizards and especially tegus. If he could make a living off being just a tegu vet he would, unfortunately there just isnt enough tegus in the area, so he does all exotics. Hes quirky old guy.


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## james.w (Jun 29, 2011)

How long have you had your tegu? Can you post some pics of him, I would like to see the tail base.


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## jumper123 (Jun 30, 2011)

Want to see the radiographs I took at work?! I'll try and upload them. He's got a pretty thick tail base for his size. He just doesn't grow lol

I have had him since October he spent (hatched) august to my date of purchase with no UVB light  and we are talking about a reptile store! And only fed pinkies. Cause ya they are smart


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## montana (Jun 30, 2011)

I would like to see them ...


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## reptastic (Jun 30, 2011)

I have a so called reptile store in my city who has no heat/uvb on their reptiles, they advised me i could substitute mice with hotdogs on 2 occaisions, i went on a rant cause i was pissed off, i got put out the second time, it was so sad, they got iguanas, geckos, uromastyx(who need basking temps 130*+) and some savies and columbian tegus + others, i called the authorities but havnt heard bk from them yet, its past animal cruelty its inhumane


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## jumper123 (Jun 30, 2011)

Yes it's heart breaking, but buying their animals only allows them to buy more  the spca. Insane how you call the SPCA on a canine cruelty case and they are there in hours but reptiles are pushed to the end of the list. they had snakes just sitting in feces And urine the place reeked of ammonia... Snakes eating snakes. I figured I would rescue 2 Argentine tegus which were sold to Me as columbians for 75$ each. Good thing I knew the difference and just took the offer. One tegu didn't make it, his spine shattered so i put him down. This one is making improvements slowly..

I'll try and get them up for you montana. I'll make a separate thread if I can so that I don't continue hijacking this one!


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## kellen.watkins (Jun 30, 2011)

There is one exiotic pet store where I live and they actually rescue neglected animals and turn them into pet store pets (not for sale) this poor b&w tegu there is 3 years old its a male and is only about 3 feet long if that and the people who had it kept it in a 40 gallon breeder for 3 years and only fed him hard boiled eggs nothing else, he's extrmemly obese but now he's got a 6x3x2 with a doggy door on it and happily gets attention from whoever walks in I bring him turkey when I go on cricket runs lol


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