stupid questions?

[nessanicolle]

I know I ask alot of stupid questions but hey, I love learning about reptiles..

So, I was thinking about my tegu's tail because about an inch and a half is regrown, and was wondering (I read that when they grow back they almost never grow back looking the same) about that ALMOST and if anyone by any chance has had the experiece of having any reptile grow its tail back and actually look normal or like it should with colors or patterns?

The other question was about temperament. I know most colombians are feisty and jumpy at times especially when they're young.. but does that gradually "fade away"? Like with age? Of course the amount of handling and weight affect it but in general, is it a phase or are colombians cursed and usually more flighty their whole life?

 

[Ujarak]

I personally have never seen one to grow back to look just like the old tail. When they loose their tail the vertibre do not grow back. My understanding is its made of cartilage and not muscle or bone. I have only ever had one drop his tail on me and the pattern did not grow back with the virticle stripes but instead grew back with faint horizontal stipes.

Also your not asking stupid questions

 

[dragonmetalhead]

The more you handle your tegu, the more docile it will ultimately become.

 

[laurarfl]

Tail regrowth never creates exactly the same tail. There is cartilage instead of bone and new skin is going to look different. I have an iguana with about 1 inch of regrowth and the tail looks pretty darn close to original. The only difference is that the pattern if scales is a different direction. It seem that B/W colored tegus regrow black tails, but red tegus do get different coloration.

The fiestiness of baby animals does fade away with age. Little tegus are prey animals and are defensive so that they do not get eaten in the wild. It is purely survival instinct kicking in. Proper handling builds a positive association that humans are OK and not so scary. So in time they get used to you, and as they get bigger, they gain confidence that the world is not out to eat them.