im new i need advice

[Alan]

ok so here is my problem; just recently i was supposed to be getting a ball python as my first reptile but my mother is afraid of snakes and didn't want me to get one but i was aloud to get a lizard. i have done research on bearded dragons, leopard geckos and tegu and i have come to the conclusion that i will enjoy tegus better than the other two. what i need you guys to answer is should i get a tegu as my first reptile and what kind of tegu? or should i get a bearded dragon to start off with before i get a larger lizard?

thanks
-Alan

 

[kaa]

I would say a bearded dragon. but tegus are awesome too. if you go with the tegu, go with a BnW.

 

[Alan]

ok thanks the tegus just seem more appealing from what ive seen between the beardies and the tegus

 

[kaa]

They are. But make sure you will be able to properly care for them before you jump in on one.

 

[HorseCaak]

Read the care sheets on this site and pretty much this site only. Lots of false information out there! Make sure you have the money and the space. Tegus get big and are way more expensive to care for than i had anticipated. My leopard gecko is cheap and easy! Tegu requires me to be home a lot because she only eats in the middle of the day. Lots and lots of care. Lots and lots of raw meats. Lots of responsibility. She is a handful right now being almost a year old.

 

[Alan]

so would it be better to get the bearded dragon first then the tegu later on?

 

[isdrake]

I wouldn't recommend a Tegu as a first reptile. I think it's better to have some experience before getting one.

Bearded dragons are awesome, I love them. But you don't have to get a beardie or a leopard gecko just because they are are said to be good for beginners. I'm sure there are a lots of lizards out there that you will find interesting.

What kind of climate are you interested in? Rainforest? "Desert"? How big enclosure are you planning on?


And btw, don't get a leopard gecko. They are really boring.

 

[reptastic]

i have to disagree isdrake, leopard gekos make great pets at least mines very interesting to watch! he comes out like a hour or 2 before the lights on the other reptiles go out and will eat his mealworms and explore, and he always comes up the glass were im at if he isnt satisfied with the amount of mealies he got lol,and he is still a baby only 3 mo. however i do agree a tegu is not for a novice keeper, there is a lot more to care than meets the eyes. the food bill alone is enough to choke a horse lol and just think i only got 3 and only 1 is full size but there are many people here who have 6+. just think i spend $30+ on raw meats and another $30+ on rodents vs $6 on mealies and cricket fo the gecko and $15 on mealies and crickets for my bearded dragon. and this is only for 2 wks of food! i would also recommend a skink specie like a broad head or something similar!

 

[CaseyUndead]

I think that generally Leopard Geckos or Beardies would be better for someone who hasn't kept reptiles before.. But if someone really wants a tegu and is going to do a lot of reading to make up for their lack of reptile experience, then i think starting with a baby would be okay. When they get large, they can be pretty intimidating to someone who isn't familiar with taking care of lizards. And, even though they are usually tame as pets, when they get big their strong jaws, claws, and tail are definitely capable of inflicting real damage(I end up getting little scratches even when my tegu is being totally calm and friendly climbing on me.. and he's still got a bit of growing to do). If you start with a baby then you'll probably get used to him as he grows though, so you won't be overwhelmed by a big lizard without any experience. Just know what you're getting yourself into. Out of all my reptiles, my tegu requires the most work and attention. That said, he's also pretty much the most fun to be around and he's awesome.

 

[CaseyUndead]

double post, sorry

 

[Alan]

thanks everyone i just needed i second opinion and btw i dont like geckos i feel like im gonna break it when i touch it lol

 

[CaseyUndead]

Ah, i can relate. I get scared when holding small lizards too because i feel like if i dont hold onto them good they'll jump away but if i restrain them at all they will get hurt. Little ones are fast and i always think i'm going to hurt them. I got both of my Leos as adults and i can handle them fine. They have enough body mass that i can feel that they are being supported and aren't about to dart off. but with baby leos or baby beardies i'm not good at all, makes me too nervous. So you could always get a Leo or Beardie that are already adults. Tegus start out at about gecko-size and kind a seem fragile at first, and they can be fast. My tegu was a little bit hard to handle when he was little though because he liked to run off and try to jump up on things(they can be like little kids with adhd really). I lost him for a few hours once soon after i got him. He still likes to try to jump onto things sometimes, but he's big now so it's pretty easy to keep track of what he's doing, lol.

 

[Alan]

so ive done some more research and my tech teacher would help me build a enclosure for when my tegu will get older and i have decided to go with the tegu and i will be doing much more research before i even look at buying the animal. but thank you everyone for your advice and i will defiantly stay on the fourm for long to learn more about tegus

 

[reptastic]

well congrats you are already in the best place to learn about them, and not to mention once you are ready the owner of the site is the best breeder out there!

 

[Alan]

ya i gave bobby a call but the problem is that i live in canada and i cant get a baby from him unless i want to pay 1400 dollars or get it illegally which is not an option

 

[HorseCaak]

ya i gave bobby a call but the problem is that i live in canada and i cant get a baby from him unless i want to pay 1400 dollars or get it illegally which is not an option

Wow, there is a girl on this site from Newfoundland that has a tegu. Her name is DragonQueen4.
http://www.tegutalk.com/forum/memberlist.php?mode=viewprofile&u=851

Talk to her and ask her how she got her tegu, among her ginormous collection of other reptiles...

 

[isdrake]

I feel sorry for you, getting a Tegu outside of the US can be tricky. I took us quite some time before we managed to get ours. But I think it will be easier to find one in Canada then in Sweden.

Don't you have any big expos in Canada? You might find one there.

Anyway, good luck with the hunt and with your new Tegu. I just hope you will take your tine to study and prepare everything.

 

[CaseyUndead]

Maybe you could check kingsnake.com and see if there's any canadians selling tegus? But be careful of getting any before hatching season, because bobby says those are imports. Also, a lot of people will lie about what kind of tegu they are selling(sometimes people icorrectly call columbian tegus "black and whites"), so make sure you read some information and reviews on the seller you decide to get them from.

 

[isdrake]

Maybe you could check kingsnake.com and see if there's any canadians selling tegus? But be careful of getting any before hatching season, because bobby says those are imports. Also, a lot of people will lie about what kind of tegu they are selling(sometimes people icorrectly call columbian tegus "black and whites"), so make sure you read some information and reviews on the seller you decide to get them from.

If there aren't any breeders in Canada the Tegu he will get will be imported neither way?