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Newbie prepping for a tegu!

Argentine Black & White, or Argentine Blue x Red hybrid?

  • Black & White

    Votes: 1 50.0%
  • Blue x Red

    Votes: 1 50.0%

  • Total voters
    2

Dragon392

Member
Messages
34
Location
Texas
Hi, all!

Been perusing the site for tips and info for a while now, and finally got around to making a profile! New to tegus, but not reptiles, though it has been a while*, and this will be my first large lizard. Been wanting a tegu for years, and finally getting to buy one...next year. Oh, well—more time to prepare!

I have a T100 on order from AP that should arrive sometime this summer, and plan to build out cement faux rock formations, and make it all bioactive (hence why I’m not getting the lizard until next hatching season—this is going to take a while to set up!). Pretty sure I’ve found the breeder I want to buy from, but now I’m not 100% certain which tegu I want! Argentine, for sure, but while I WAS set on a B&W, the breeder told me about his blue/red crosses, and those sound great, too! How do you pick just one?! Anyone have any thoughts on B&W vs. hybrids? If it helps, I’m not looking for anything flashy, or to breed; I’m just looking for a chill tegu with a friendly disposition that I can spoil rotten.


*Had a CWD some years ago, when hubby and I lived in an apartment. Sadly, the apartment’s exterminators disregarded my request with the office, the closed door, AND the sign on the door asking them to skip the room she was in, and treated the room. She passed shortly after, and I decided against owning another reptile until we bought a house, and thus had 100% control over the space and what was done in it. Bought a house with a system built into the interior of the walls that the exterminators treat, so that the poison never reaches the actual living space, so we never have a repeat of that tragedy. RIP Kimchi, my college study buddy. We will never forget your belly flops into salads, your sassy side-eye, or that time you jumped on my mother and scared the hell out of her.
 

RomanPort

Member
Messages
77
Location
Hugo, Minnesota
Hi there, welcome! Really glad to have you here.

I'm in the same boat as you. I'm planning on adopting one of these guys next year once I have an enclosure ready. I'm not looking for anything flashy either, just a buddy I can love to death.

I haven't really looked into hybrid Tegus, but my personal favorite right now are Blues. I don't think there is a ton of behavioral difference between Black & White Tegus and Blues. Much of their personality comes from how much time you give them. I may be wrong, but I'm pretty sure Black & White Tegus are going to be larger than Blues.
 

Walter1

Moderator
Staff member
1,000+ Post Club
5 Year Member
Messages
4,384
They tame down. Some more interested in people than others.

My concern is unscrupulous breeding with intens inbreeding to fix a trait. Result in any animal is amplifying frequency of deleterious traits being expressed, such as hip dysplasia in some dog breeds.
 

Dragon392

Member
Messages
34
Location
Texas
Thanks, guys!

@RomanPort, yeah, the B&W seems to be the largest, based on everything I’ve read. It looks like the major behavioral differences are between Argentine and Columbian, but some stuff I’d read early on had me under the impression reds were grouchy, so I’m trying to sort out for sure what the case is. I’ve read good things about blues!

@Walter1, that’s a good point to bring up, and something I’ve been doing my best to watch out for. The breeder I'm looking at does a lot of YouTube videos and such, so I’ve been watching all of that and getting a good look at the tegus. Seems like a nice little operation and healthy lizards, so I’m feeling pretty good about getting one from him.
 

Walter1

Moderator
Staff member
1,000+ Post Club
5 Year Member
Messages
4,384
I applaud you for your homework. Blues are smaller, look distinctly different, males with reduced jowles, and appear less cold tolerant than black and whites. A handsome animal.
 

Dragon392

Member
Messages
34
Location
Texas
Thank you! The blues do look rather cute, but they ALL look cute to me. It’s hard to pick. Almost glad it’ll be next year...that might be just enough time for me to make up my mind!
 

Debita

Well-Known Member
1,000+ Post Club
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1,218
Location
Prescott, AZ
Don't forget to consider Rodney Irwin's rescues! They're Argentine B/W's, and people seem to agree that they have hardy constitutions. (Tegus Only) I have 2 of those now, and not only love the animals, but love the cause. (I'm not a cause person, but this one touched me)
 

Dragon392

Member
Messages
34
Location
Texas
I’ve seen that, and I do love that folks are getting the tegus out of the Florida wilds, and into good homes! I worry a bit about it though, because everything else I’ve ever heard or read warns against wild caught reptiles due to temperament and health concerns. On weekdays, I’m out of the house for most of the day, on only have 2-3 hours tops to devote to taming/free-roaming activity (free on weekends, though!), so I’m not really in a position to take on a difficult taming project. I also have a kid who will be about 7 when I get the tegu, and will definitely want to pet it, so I’m nervous about taking on one that may be more liable to bite.
 

Debita

Well-Known Member
1,000+ Post Club
Messages
1,218
Location
Prescott, AZ
I wouldn't get one (like I did) that was a year old. I love Skully who's 2 now, but he was difficult, and still isn't a Tegu that I'd want around a 7 yr old. I'd go with a baby (like I just got from Rodney) that doesn't think she's in charge already. I pick her up when I want, and even if she wants to hide it's not difficult to overcome her when I need to. That said, I try to give them their space when they want it. Mine like to go chill and hide after they've eaten, and not be handled and played with immediately afterward. Seems like the digestion process is taking place, and they like to rest through it. That's just my observation. The best lizard for a 7 yr old would prob be a Bearded Dragon. They are smart too for the most part, and love being handled. Easy to keep. As far as the time you have, it seems normal to me! I think they settle in to the routine they're given. I haven't personally heard about extra probs with wild caught animals - but there's no guarantees anywhere.
 

Dragon392

Member
Messages
34
Location
Texas
I could see where a baby might be doable. And don’t worry—the tegu is absolutely for me, not the kid! She just loves animals, and I know she’ll want to pet it, so I want to do everything I can to make sure everybody is safe (including the tegu, by including locks on my cage order!). The tegu is MY dream lizard I’ve been waiting years for; kid gets a gargoyle gecko.
 

Debita

Well-Known Member
1,000+ Post Club
Messages
1,218
Location
Prescott, AZ
She'll love watching you with it, and that's awesome just in itself right? My kids are grown, gone, and in their 30's! I'm thinking about going gecko myself!! LOL - and, If I didn't lock my tank up, my Tegu would have opened it right up and waltzed right out of it. You'll be great - it's exhilarating to hold an adult Tegu and place it in your tub for a nice soak. Love it.
 

Dragon392

Member
Messages
34
Location
Texas
Haha, true! She’s still going to want to pet it, though!

Bathing reptiles is fun. My CWD loved her baths, and swimming she looked just like a Chinese dragon in flight. I’ve missed having a lizard around.
 

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