# meet nikkytine



## kellen.watkins (Oct 21, 2011)

I got my red gu from underground this morning she's a pretty girl  a few concerns though one of her front toes don't work it could be broken, has a scar on the base of her tail, and all the skin from her previous shed is still on her back feet and it looks like she might lose a couple toes and is absolutely tiny for being 4 months old and absolutely skinny, I'm going to give underground a call and express my concern, if your gonna ship out damaged animals at least ask for the persons consent. I probably won't do any business with underground reptiles again. But anyways gave her a bath in warm water and shed ease I'm gonna have her humididty between 90-100 for the next few days (til all the old shed is gone) and give her a cod liver oil turkey diet. She was really calm though even after she got some heat in her.


----------



## james.w (Oct 21, 2011)

I think I read somewhere that they feed cat food to the tegus. That would explain the lack of size if it is true.


----------



## kellen.watkins (Oct 21, 2011)

That's horrible, how much does it cost in ground turkey to feed a baby for a month 3 dollars 5 maybe. Oh well ill have her growing and healthy in no time 

I'm not even gonna call underground I doubt it will do any good. More than likely they will deny it and its not gonna change the behavior


----------



## james.w (Oct 21, 2011)

Ground turkey is cheap, but has to be kept frozen and thawed at feeding time. Cat food is easier, those who are in it to make money take the easier route. 

I agree with not calling unless you want to send her back. Calling and complaining won't change anything. 

Congrats on the new addition by the way.


----------



## kellen.watkins (Oct 21, 2011)

Thank you  well she's in good care now, I did send an email not asking for anything, explaining my concerns, and stating that I have been disappointed twice from them and I would no longer do business with them nor recommend them to anyone


----------



## spark678 (Oct 21, 2011)

I would have called and complained. I would be pissed. He needs to make it right for you. How can he not nottice that scar on his back. I am sure he is going to keep doing it to people as long as he gets away with it. Congrats on your new gu btw.


----------



## Aardbark (Oct 21, 2011)

Even if imperfect, she still looks good. Its always nice to hear when a mistreated animal finds a loveing home. Espesualy cute Tegus!


----------



## Bubblz Calhoun (Oct 21, 2011)

_It's not just her back end that has retained shed but her head as well it also looks a little off to me like somethings not right. She doesn't look under weight in the pics to me though,.. a little dehydrated yes but not under weight. Body wise she looks fine to me,.. it's the head that's throwing me off. 

I don't know if you fed her before of after these pics were taken but her tail is not too skinny for her size at least for now. Her back is pretty smooth and you can see the muscle indentations on her back in the second and third pic. If she was under weight it would be more tent like with her spine being the top of the tent.

For me it's just the dryness and the shape of her head that's throwing me off. Hopefully that will change once shes done shedding and gets more fluids in her.

But I've always had this thing for heads on animals. It's the first thing I look at, I don't care what it is,.. I pass if it doesn't look right._


----------



## kellen.watkins (Oct 21, 2011)

I emailed them and told the and they called and offered to make it right, I told them I would keep her and not to worry about it. I am surprised they called back though

And bubblz her head threw me off at first after inspecting closely I can see fresh new scales under dry skin. It looks kinda bad unless you look close


----------



## spark678 (Oct 21, 2011)

Tell them you want to another red gu and your keeping this one ; ). As long as your happy im glad it worked out. Sounds like nothing but a couple of sheds will take care of it and some nice loving.


----------



## 1000StyleZ (Oct 22, 2011)

I've also have a four month old "paraguayan red & white tegu" from underground reptiles, she is undersize not more so under weight and she too is very friendly despite the fact I have just purchased her in the past week... Why is it these sisters we have is so mellow natured? I don't even know but the way I see it, its our duty to get them to they true potential and they well natured mentality makes reaching that goal that much more marrier ... I'll say don't let these casualties discourage you... In a since it should be your motivation.


----------



## kellen.watkins (Oct 22, 2011)

The guy who talked to me (rian) said they weren't 4 months old, I told him someone else has one and you told them they were. And pointed out the vids of those reds hatching were put up at the end of july and he was trying to say they were only a month old, I talked to him on the phone and basically argued with him. I've been into tegus for almost 15 years homeboy needs to try and blow smoke up someone elses ass. I told him with proper care and diet this tegu wouldn't have shed issues, then we argued about over feeding baby tegus, he says you can over feed where they can't move, I told him bs cause I would of made that happen with my other 2 lol I feed twice a day until 4 or 5 months old. And I don't want another tegu I have her and I'm gonna make sure she is taken care of the way She deserves and then some. I hope she doesn't lose a toe but I'm prepared for it.


----------



## 1000StyleZ (Oct 22, 2011)

So are you telling me I was lied to and my baby girl (kiko) is really a month old?... And why do you think she's so mellow?... I swear she's lime a puppy its not the temp neither because I have a infer red temp gun and her hot side goes no higher then 115 and her cool side is exactly 81 humidity is around 50 to 70.


----------



## babyyitslove (Oct 22, 2011)

Regardless. ..... she's absolutely beautiful =0)


----------



## kellen.watkins (Oct 22, 2011)

1000StyleZ said:


> So are you telling me I was lied to and my baby girl (kiko) is really a month old?... And why do you think she's so mellow?... I swear she's lime a puppy its not the temp neither because I have a infer red temp gun and her hot side goes no higher then 115 and her cool side is exactly 81 humidity is around 50 to 70.



No what I'm saying is who knows how old ours are, I would say somewhere between a month and 4 months lol


----------



## 1000StyleZ (Oct 22, 2011)

LOL okay .... It makes since I just took her out for the 1st time Sinse I got her ... Wasn't much a hassle jus a skittish, she even left me a lil gift on my bed


----------



## Rhetoric (Oct 22, 2011)

Congrats. Thats horrible about the cat food... It's really not that hard to stock up on ground turkey. Every time I see buy one get one I load up lol. Sometimes Safeway does big packs of it for their $5 friday things.


----------



## kellen.watkins (Oct 22, 2011)

Lol I do the same, I go grocery shopping for my tegus but not for me


----------



## kellen.watkins (Oct 22, 2011)

Sweet now there are black bugs crawling everywhere in her enclosure


----------



## babyyitslove (Oct 22, 2011)

Didn't someone post something previously about getting an underground tegu with a side of bugs?
The explanation they gave them was that the substrate they use gets critters but are harmless to the animals.

Try a good soak in the tub and see if they fall off. If not, then there is another issue.


----------



## kellen.watkins (Oct 22, 2011)

They came off in the tub, I bought some new substrate cleaned out and sanitized (flame kissed) another 40g breeder I have and she is already in there. I tong fed her some turkey too and she ate a lot for how small she is. Look at that plump little tummy


----------



## new2tegus (Oct 22, 2011)

I am sorry to hear about your experience,but she's a gorgeous girl, I believe you said she? I've heard that a lot about underground. I will only buy a tegu I think from Bobby, couldn't be happier,except mine is most undoubtedly hibernating. I'm happy though, Jekyll let me put my hand back in and came over and tongue flicked me and laid down next to my hand. So there is hope, and I'm happy he's back to beginning to trust me again.


----------



## kellen.watkins (Oct 22, 2011)

That's awesome news  my vanilla is handlable she still has the escape mentality but most of the time has no issue with me picking her up


----------



## BillieJeAn (Oct 23, 2011)

My Red gu from underground is tiny too. She's put on a lot of size since she's been here (even though it hasn't been long). 
Just like yours she was super calm as well. 

Your red is adorable


----------



## 1000StyleZ (Oct 23, 2011)

Here a pic of my baby girl I purchased last week from undergound she's calm just like your's[/u]


----------



## babyyitslove (Oct 23, 2011)

These little pocket sized tegus are SO cute.

All of mine have been big when I got them =\


----------



## tegtaker007 (Jan 9, 2012)

Wow im surprised to hear so many bad things about underground. I've bought all my animals from rian. And nevet got bugs or had any problems. my wife bought my red tegu for me for christmas and he's very active and eats like a champ he's already going to shed. I hope your gu grows to be big and beautiful!I have been buying snakes from him for 5 years, he's the pastor at my church and a mma coach of mine also! either way best of luck to your tegu....


----------

