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tegus can swim.... psh, mine can surf

krazyeyez

Member
Messages
42
That's right surf, no board, my tegu can body surf.
Last year I wanted to get drazil out of the house, and the yard had ants, so I thought, "hell, why not take her to the beach? people bring their dogs." I live next to a very big lake in the desert, perfect place to be when its 120+ out... So, I get drazil out of the truck, and I get the usual "ooo's and awww's" and a few concerned mothers that see a 3ft dragon and grab the children running to the car.... Great more room on the beach for us. I set her down on the wet sand as the dry burnt the s*** out of my feet, she struts around for a moment and takes a poop... Then, she sees the waves crashing in on the shore, creeps up real slow, one of the waves slaps her right in the nose and you'd've thought it was a fat hamster rolled in banana paste, bc in that instant, she darts into the water like she's after prey. She gets about three or four wakes out and realizes she's floating... Huh, well ok, not unlike the tub once in a while when it gets a little full for bath time.... She slowly turns around, facing the shoreline, puts all fours out, the next wave comes in and flushes her right back onto the beach. She looked at me for a moment, as if to say " dad, that was f***in amazing. I look back, she gives me this little "wuz'up nod", turns around and does it again.... And again...
I started to wonder if she was really trying to swim and the waves were just cutting her short, so I pick her up, walk her out waist deep and ease her into the water. She motor-boated around for a couple mins until she figure out which direction the beach was and swam straight towards it... Then, she went surfing again.
I have taken her to the beach several times, everytime, we scare the elderly, children gaulk, mothers cry, she poops, and if the water is warm enough, she surfaced. Occasionally she swims with me, about fifty feet off shore, side by side... When she gets tired she swims up onto my shoulder, takes a breather, and "gainer's" off my back, back into the water. No surprise, this semi-aquatic monitor would take to the water, but it makes me .laugh every time she belly boards into shore and looks up like a little kid on a kool-aide high.
The water is getting warmer, about two weeks til the lake reaches 70, secretary going surfing, i'll post pics :)
 

AP27

New Member
Messages
183
That's awesome! Lol. Definately want to see pics. The salt water isn't bad for them? I don't know why it would be, but I've never heard of anyone bringing their tegu to the beach. Still, very cool. :)
 

krazyeyez

Member
Messages
42
I live on a lake on the Colorado river, in az, no salt water here... But if the designation "argentine" is more than just a name, and I think it is, lol, I.do believe they have beaches there....
A distant cousin the kimoto dragon swims through salt water after prey... Saw it on discovery, has to be true... Like aliens being present at the first thanksgiving...ha
 

dragonmetalhead

Active Member
1,000+ Post Club
Messages
1,037
Forget pics, I want video! This could be the next big viral sensation. Who wouldn't want to see a lizard who enjoyed body surfing? Do you have her leashed/harnessed when she's out in the water? Otherwise, how do you keep her from running off in such a large, open space?
 

krazyeyez

Member
Messages
42
Alright guys... Will work on video... I just think its awesome...
I walk beside her in the sand, and we swim together, I don't let her too far out in front of me, if she does, I just give her a small tug on the tail to allow me to catch up, and yes, she's fast. Wouldn't want her to get the wild idea to swim to the California side of the lake, the natives over there eat chucahuala, don't want them to BBQ my baby
 


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