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Front limb reduction in tegus

WestiesRoo

New Member
5 Year Member
Messages
22
Hello,
I have two juvenile tegus almost 3 months old, One is a blue red hybrid (Zane) and the other is a red (Rex).

Rex hatched out with limb reductions of both front legs. He was shipped to me accidentally and the people that sent him apologized and offered to exchange him for another but I couldn't put him through the shipping process again. Does anyone else have any experience with this kind of thing? Rex gets around ok for the most part as long as the surface he is on isn't to smooth. I do worry about his mobility as he grows and gains weight. He is a good eater but not very active. I have tegu proofed the very large master bathroom so they eat and can get exercise but the only exercise Rex seems to be interested in is the walk from his food dish to the blanket I have down for them to hide in. The first pic is what I saw right after I opened the package. I have to say I was pretty heart broken at first.
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WestiesRoo

New Member
5 Year Member
Messages
22
I know it looks terrible but he has no idea that he is any different than his brother. Just like a human child born with limb reduction he has learned to adapt and luckily he was born into captivity so he does not have to worry about predators. Because he belly scoots and is slow moving his biggest threat is obesity. I have to find a way to keep him slim without making him feel he is being starved. He is already a chunky monkey.
 

Roadkill

Active Member
5 Year Member
Messages
497
Location
Earth
What a funny coincidence. Years ago I had one that had limb reduction similarly to yours (I wouldn't say the whole limb was as reduced as yours seems to be, but mine had a reduced number of fingers on each hand) and I had named him T-Rex, also known as Lil' Bastard (as he had a really, really nasty attitude until he grew up). In mine, he was a small size for several years, was always aggressive until his growth spurt kicked in. However yours also seems to have a little deformation regarding the scales around the right eye.
 

WestiesRoo

New Member
5 Year Member
Messages
22
Hi, Rex is also very aggressive. Does not like to be touched at all and will try to get out of my hands every time I have to move him to and from his feeding bin. He has not tried to bite me in the last two weeks so thats a good thing. He does not seem to fear me because when I talk to him or approach he won't try to scoot away but will turn his head sideways to look at me. He actually has those scales around both eyes and a very crooked lumpy tail. Other than that he is a great little guy. I am waiting for that day he realizes I am OK and will come to me to get of his enclosure like Zane does.
 
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