Hello Everyone! (From Massachusetts)

[Walter1]

It was not a marketing scheme. It was an apt description for a naturally occurring morph found in Florida. The red belly appears in animals of varying dorsal patterns and some individuals have more intense red than others. Captive hatchlings may or may not have red bellies. Not knowing the genetics of it does not discount it being a morph. A morph just as brown or red hair, etc. in humans.

 

[Rodney Irwin]

Firebellys are not a fad any more than blues are a fad. I coined the term Firebelly out of a need to call them something.
I am glad to see that you do not believe it is caused by food or water. If that were so, all tegus I capture would have it,
not just a fraction. Also, they would loose it when I move them to my enclosures with a different diet and water. they do not.

 

[Rodney Irwin]

Firebelly has no meaning beyond the need to identify them as something different. Trust your eyes. Should you choose to purchase a Firebelly tegu, do so because you wish to help the Florida Tegus and like the idea of owning a reptile that falls outside the most common version. If you love tegus and would like to assist the balance of nature in a way that protects the very special ecosystem that is the Everglades, this is a purchase you can feel good about.

MORE THAN JUST BREEDING ]

 

[Walter1]

Exactly Snibborsirk and Rodney! Absolutely no, no, data exist to support their belly color acquired by food, none, AND they (firebellies) pop up in clutches with non-firebellies = morph of the species, pure and simple.

 

[Rodney Irwin]

They are black and whites with red tints to their bellies.

Breed a "firebelly" to a "firebelly", and you will not get "fire bellies". These occurred in nature primarily due to what they ate, the water they drank and the nutrients within the food/water they took in - much like a certain types of flamingos.

Edit: When I say in nature, I don't mean in their native lands - instead, referring to Florida, so not exactly nature.

Are you really that familiar with the location and diet of the population from which I trap all my tegus (including Firebelly) ?.

The entire population from which I capture are within 5 miles of this GPS CenterPoint, located 25.425734 80.503113 .
Please explain what is in the water or food that would account for the distinct coloration in these tegus.
If that were to be the case, they would all be Firebellys, not just a small percentage. I capture Firebellys throughout the tegu populated area,
not in one certain spot. The University of Florida is also trapping the same range with the same results.
Other lizard species, as well as alligators, snakes, turtles, birds are located in the exact same habitat with the same
water and food yet they do not have this trait.

If breeding Firebelly to Firebelly does not produce Firebelly offspring, please explain the firebelly hatchlings in the pictures below.

Please back up what you say with facts. I am very interested.

 

[snibborsirk]

Rodney - wasn't trying to say Firebellies are a fad in that sense - was just referring to the fact that Firebellies (or whatever you want to call the orange/red bellied b&w's) have always been around both in the wild and in captivity - it's just kinda crazy how they are just now getting so popular in the tegu world like they are some kind of new hybrid or something! It amazes me that some believe the food and water source creates the Firebelly...in that case just add a steady supply of food coloring to your tegus diet and you can get whatever color tegu you want!

By the way - this is Kris that made your GIS tegu maps for you. Any response or action being comsiderd from your report? Hope your dog has made a full recovery! Still working on the wife to allow a tegu in the house...slowly wearing her down!