New Tegu

[Carnival_Frog]

I found this site and thought I could find more people with the love and knowledge of tegus. I am an experienced reptile owner, but have never owned a tegu. Any helpful tips or knowledge would be greatly appreciated. Her name is Pele, she is a year old and she was given to me as a argintina tegu, but after doing my research she is actually a columbian tegu.

Thank you for any helpful tips or knowledge.

 

[TheTeguGurl]

Yes that is a Colombian Tegu... She/He is gorgeous

 

[Carnival_Frog]

Yes that is a Colombian Tegu... She/He is gorgeous

Thank you.. Would you happen to know if she will keep her colors? I can't wait to see her full grown.

 

[james.w]

The darker color on the nose is probably what her colors will look like as she gets older.

 

[TeguBlake]

Great looking columbian. congrats

 

[Carnival_Frog]

Does anyone have any suggestions on what her tank tank should be like.. Or specific diet.. I also have a retile fogger, didn't know if I could/should use it..can post a pic of her setup tank that she is in now, if it would help

 

[Bubblz Calhoun]

Welcome to the site and congrats on the new tegu.
Care is pretty much the same as any other. I don't do anything different for mine other than Millas (colombian) enclosure is on top of Natsukis (b&w) so her temps may be a little warmer at times.. other than that everythings the same.

Can you post more pics from different angles, they do go through color and pattern changes as they age. Yours looks similar to Milla when she was little. If so the brown shade of it's head right now just looks like it's getting ready for a shed but some of the smokey areas will turn into black spots and it's body will get lighter.

It's pattern will break up and become more digital with less solid black bars. I can already see in some areas where that's happening, it's kind of like blushing on snakes.

Here's Millas (formerly known as Korben) changing thread, to give you a better idea of what I'm talking about.
http://www.tegutalk.com/showthread.php?tid=8873

 

[Carnival_Frog]

This is different angles of Pele. She just finished shedding 2 days ago.

 

[Bubblz Calhoun]

[size=small]That third pic says it all and verifies what I was seeing in the first pic you posted. It's body will definitely get lighter over time, even the black stripes over it's chest have some blushing that will get lighter and break that up. The lower half will become even more of a shattered or digital pattern. The yellow tone may or may not fade, Millas faded a bit but not much.

Some of the grey smokey areas on the head will turn black. If it turns out to be a male we might have to work a breeding arrangement out. I like it... it would complement Milla well. If for what ever reason you can't keep it (male or female) let me know.[/size]

 

[Carnival_Frog]

Glad to know that the colors will stay. Do you happen to know how/ when I can tell if it is a male or female? I can also post pictures of the underside if it helps.

 

[Bubblz Calhoun]

Only males show signs so it's best to look for those. Like cloacal spurs, they feel like little bb pelets or pimples one on each side, just below the cloaca. As they mature they develop jowls and start leaving sperm plugs with their poo. They also start to invert their hemipenes.

Like most things when the spurs pop up is random, some show around the three foot mark for b&w's. But I recently had a baby golden that already had his spurs. Either way it wouldn't hurt to check. Pics will help if you think you might see or feel something there and you're not sure. But not having any right now doesn't mean anything.

 

[dragonmetalhead]

I love your tegu's colors. I've never seen a Colombian that yellow.

 

[Carnival_Frog]

I love your tegu's colors. I've never seen a Colombian that yellow.

Thanks I still can't get over her colors, and her personality is just as bright