Greetings from New York!

[Friedasian]

Hey guys what's up! Well I guess cause this is the welcome room lemme introduce myself. Im 16 years old and I am really diggin these Tegus I plan to spend most of my summer working to get a good sized tank and all the fixings, and I am thinking of buying a baby male Argentine black and white Tegu or a Black nose Tegu from Varnyard Herps. Umm I currently have a large aquarium which is my dads and when I was young I had 3 dogs. But fish just swim around in their tank and don't have much personality and I am allergic to dogs so yea :dodgy: I guess you kinda know where I'm coming from.

I know that raising a large reptile won't be exactly easy but I am willing to put my all into it! Like I said before I never had any reptiles or anything before I just want to ask you guys if getting a Tegu as a first reptile pet would be a good idea. Some people I have talked to said that raising a bearded dragon or something smaller would be better, but I read that starting with a smaller reptile isn't really necessary and that just doing research would better better idea...

But thanks in advance guys and sorry it's kinda long

 

[rrcoolj]

Welcome to Tegutalk!

What part of NY are your from? I have family in NY.

I just turned 17 a month ago so it is defiantly possibly. I got my tegu when I was 15. But then again I have been keeping reptiles since i was like 7. IMO I believe tegus are more of an intermediate not beginner reptile. I would start with something smaller and simpler even if it's just a crested or leopard gecko to familiarize yourself with reptile husbandry needs. Bearded dragons or a blue tongue skink would also be great beginners to start with. They are smaller and much easier to feed and take care of. I am not saying that people don't get tegus as their first reptile and don't do fine but I would start small first.

That being said if you do tons of research(I mean months) and are truly dedicated I can't see why you wouldn't be able to get a tegu assuming you can provide proper facilities, space, and food for your animal. I researched tegus for a year before I got mine. I will say tegus are great but there's nothing wrong with starting small. I have 2 4year old leopard geckos and I love them just as much as my tegu. They have a ton of personality and are very cool lizards to watch.

GL with whatever you descide!

 

[Strange_Evil]

Hey my fellow New yorker, what part? I'm from Westchester but i am in the city all the time at my internship at the Museum of natural history, i volunteer in animal care, we have all sorts of reptiles beardies,skinks,corns,kings, and much more. You can stop by and i'll give you a tour if you ever want .

Tegu for first reptile? I agree with rrcoolj, i'm 17 as we'll and while i got my fair share of experience with reptiles some still would consider me " Not ready" for a tegu simply because of my age. But from research alone i managed to learn many things about tegu's and the care. But of course nothing compares to actually owning one. But i could hold a pretty good conversation on the General Information and Care of tegu's with a owner.

In all honesty though, none of the reptiles i had prepared me more than my long period of research. Try to go past the care sheets and look at common health issues, taming, wild diet,hibernation, what not to feed ect. Check out the thread called " Best of Tegu Talk".

I wouldn't jump head firste it some real thought and research because that aquarium you have won't last it long! Soon you will need to build a huge enclosure for it. That's one thing that almost stopped me from getting a tegu, the enclosure. I have the space i just suck at building . But i found someone who would build two enclosures that stack 8x4 and 6x3 on top of each other (Sav & tegu).


Good luck and Welcome to the forum !

 

[rrcoolj]

^cool to see young herp keepers out there. I thought of working with animals as a career but I will probably go with engineering. I have many interest.

Don't be too put off about the cage. It's not that hard. I built mine myself and it was the first thing I built like it. It's 8x4. They do grow super fast so just know that. I had my female in a 40 breeder and it barely lasted a year with her hibernating like 5months. There aren't a ton of great care sheets on tegus so i would really just read the forum. That's what I did. Just read the posts people made and the replies and it will cover alot of what you need to know. And if you decide to buy one get one from a Breeder like Bobby Hill(he owns the site by the way). He breeds great quality tegus and is super friendly and easy to talk too. I got mine from him. His website is Varnyard-herps.com.

 

[james.w]

I won't say whether it is a beginner reptile or not, I don't believe there is such a thing. I haven't been keeping reptiles long and have some of the so-called more difficult to keep herps. The only reason your age would come into play, is are your parents willing to let you have a large lizard which requires a large enclosure. Will they help you provide anything you can't, ie. food? What are you plans for college?

 

[Bubblz Calhoun]

Hi,.. welcome to the site and thanks for coming.

James took the words out of my mouth,.. it's not just age that most people have an issue with but life style, living situation as well as stability. Yes these are things that everyone has to consider but some more so than others.

Certain pets are not cheap to care for and when you're dependent on someone else,.. you change your mind or they change their mind,.. that's a problem. Of which in most cases could have easily been avoided.

 

[got10]

I have a total of nine tegus . And they are NOT for beginers at all . Yes they are tame for the most part. But they gey LARGE and need lots of room . my big guys have the run of the den . The smaller ones all remain i tanks until they are 24 to 28 in long. To prevent them getting stepped on by me or eaten by the bigger guys

 

[herpgirl2510]

I agree with James and bubblz I had started to keep herps my senior year in high school once I went to college forget about it. I was off living my life not to say you would be like that at all. Now I am older and so much more settled. As long as you are not like me and your parents understand the expense of a 4-5 foot eating machine then go for it. Not to mention the huge enclosure.

 

[Strange_Evil]

I understand, where you guys are coming from. But i'm the kind of guy to always think 10moves ahead, i already know what i plan to do, the college i will attend is a short drive away. And i already have a permit.

Also as far as feeding and housing goes, i hold my own for my reptiles. Its sort of an agreement moms and i came up with. I rarely ever go to her for "reptile money". My room is pretty big and i know how to organize things so its hardly ever a problem with space. I just decided to stack the tegu and monitor enclosure's because it will save space.

Actually i cannot remember the last time i paid for insects or some rodents, My internship really has its perks. We get 1000 mice every two weeks and 1000 crickets every Tuesday and Thursday.

Reptiles are one of my main passions and i'll take care of mine's long after.

 

[got10]

I only used rodents for a small pert of my Gus's diets . Feeding days are chicken( necks hearts gizzards livers ) ground turkey fish grapes roaches cantalope collard greens kale broccoli zuccini eggs and any small creatures unfortunate enouh to end up in they're path while in the back yard.
I once had an incident( oh and by the way they can and will climb) where i had my big guys out on the deck in my yard . The phone rings i reach inside to answer and I only saw three of my four I had outside with me.And the phone was five feet from the door. I grab the remaining three .My son and I are under the porch looking ,on the side, front and in the crawl space ,while ignoring the chatter and barking of the squirels from the trees above. It seems Gonzo smelled ,saw or heard a squirels nest and was in the tree making short work of it . Until THAT moment, I had no idea they could climb
But that day the diet was rodents . lol

 

[BlackendMetalDeathHead666]

welcome to tegu talk! hi hi hello hey hi there hey there helloies!!

 

[WhiskeyTang0]

Depending on what part of NY, you live in you may need to check to see if it's okay to have them. As everyone has said, they are not a beginners reptile. They require adleast a 8x4 enclousure and eat ALOT..Especially if you have a good bit of seafood in there diet.

Start small. Work yourself up to something larger with experience.

 

[Bubblz Calhoun]

I only used rodents for a small pert of my Gus's diets . Feeding days are chicken( necks hearts gizzards livers ) ground turkey fish grapes roaches cantalope collard greens kale broccoli zuccini eggs and any small creatures unfortunate enouh to end up in they're path while in the back yard.
I once had an incident( oh and by the way they can and will climb) where i had my big guys out on the deck in my yard . The phone rings i reach inside to answer and I only saw three of my four I had outside with me.And the phone was five feet from the door. I grab the remaining three .My son and I are under the porch looking ,on the side, front and in the crawl space ,while ignoring the chatter and barking of the squirels from the trees above. It seems Gonzo smelled ,saw or heard a squirels nest and was in the tree making short work of it . Until THAT moment, I had no idea they could climb
But that day the diet was rodents . lol

A couple of days ago I was wondering if Natsuki could scale the wall in my back yard. He was walking next to it and a lizard ran half way up it in front of him. It definitely caught his interest,.. he chased if for a sec while it was on his level until it went higher up. Then he just looked at it for a bit and walked away.

I wonder if he would have tried a little harder if he hadn't already ate. I know they can climb,.. they just usually prefer not too or don't have much of a reason to.

 

[Friedasian]

Damn thanks for all the replies guys. Im defantly going to have to think this whole thing over again. I have absolutly no idea where i am going to go for college, and the last thing i want to do is leave behind a giant Tegu. But space and money shouldnt be a problem. I have the whole basement and an extra room to myself, as for the money i got a job so yea. But I think it would be a better idea to get a smaller and an easier to care for lizard before jumping into gettin a Tegu. Im thinking of a bearded dragon or an ackie...if you guys have any other sugguestions that would be great.

Oh and im from Brooklyn but i sometimes travel to Manhattan.

 

[rrcoolj]

I have a couple of friends from Brooklyn who moved down here. My family is mostly from mt. vernon but I have some cousins in the bronx. Anywau ackies are great but are not reall what I consider a hands on reptile. They are more for show. Bearded dragons would be great and so would blue tongue skinks.

---

I have a couple of friends from Brooklyn who moved down here. My family is mostly from mt. vernon but I have some cousins in the bronx. Anywau ackies are great but are not reall what I consider a hands on reptile. They are more for show. Bearded dragons would be great and so would blue tongue skinks.

By the way I live in maryland right outside D.C.

 

[mrplatnium]

I live in Queens NY and my red tegu has his own room too himself and counld not be happier....

 

[Ariel]

Hey guys what's up! Well I guess cause this is the welcome room lemme introduce myself. Im 16 years old and I am really diggin these Tegus I plan to spend most of my summer working to get a good sized tank and all the fixings, and I am thinking of buying a baby male Argentine black and white Tegu or a Black nose Tegu from Varnyard Herps. Umm I currently have a large aquarium which is my dads and when I was young I had 3 dogs. But fish just swim around in their tank and don't have much personality and I am allergic to dogs so yea :dodgy: I guess you kinda know where I'm coming from.

I know that raising a large reptile won't be exactly easy but I am willing to put my all into it! Like I said before I never had any reptiles or anything before I just want to ask you guys if getting a Tegu as a first reptile pet would be a good idea. Some people I have talked to said that raising a bearded dragon or something smaller would be better, but I read that starting with a smaller reptile isn't really necessary and that just doing research would better better idea...

But thanks in advance guys and sorry it's kinda long

 

[Ariel]

you can do a 20 gallon starter tank but I suggest this double front opening 40 gallon with lots of things to climb and keep his mind active plus he wont be scared when handling because your not getting him from top like a predator would you just open door and let him come to you From NY also

 

[Yvonne G]

Welcome!

 

[Ariel]

Welcome!

Thank You