vet probing, x-ray, sexing

[Rhetoric]

I'm on the fence about this:
I might end up taking the female to get sexed next week. I'm nervous about it but the vet office has 2 herp specific vets and one of them is "more experienced and knowledgeable" when it comes to sexing (the owner of the practice). He's on vacation this week which is why I would go next week, if I do. It's like $70 for an exam and like $8 for a probe if need be, or they might do x-rays which is like $100 or something...

Would it be better to make the splurge and say to x-ray her over an actual probing? It is significantly more expensive but if it safer...

It's really hard to tell with her, sometimes she looks jowly but other times she doesn't, shes keeping up in size with Gary, they're both a little over 3 ft. I've felt one possible spur type bump on her but not on the other side.. It's weird.
I haven't seen her poop, I know she poops but she never does it when I'm around, so I haven't been able to look for a hemipenis.
It's not really a necessary thing but it would really help in terms of housing and letting them all hang out together, especially as the other 2 males get closer to breeding size. Gary is almost 2 but hes still a little small. Guru is almost 1 so hes got another year haha.

 

[Riplee]

Feed her and put her in a big fish tank with warm water over her body (not her head. )

Then watch it...

 

[Kebechet]

I'm not a vet, but I am local to you, and seem to be pretty good with sexing reptiles by checking them out. How old is the female? I might be able to take a look at her, confirm that there's no buttons or anything.

 

[Bubblz Calhoun]

It depends on how important it is for you to know right now. Certain Vets are great when you really need them but for this,.. I would go about it some other way. A lot of places are ridiculous with exam prices exotic or not,.. even though they really don't do much.

If waiting to find out, is out of the question. You can try and find a breeder of reptile shop that probes and some of them don't charge for it.

 

[Rhetoric]

I don't know of any breeders here in oregon. There are a couple local reptile places but I think one of them just went out of business. The only reason I would prefer a vet would be because I would think they can do it more safely. But thats not always the case.
With Gary the spurs are more obvious. I'll check again tonight when I get off work, maybe shes sprouted something more recently lol. Or it could jut be a funky scale. If I can get her to hold still I'll get some pictures as well.

Riplee, how long after feeding should I try soaking her?

Kebecheet, I was told shes almost 2. They were really small for their age when I got them, around 2.5 ft long. In the last month they've both gotten a lot bigger, weight wise and length wise. Shes a little over 3 ft now. I'll call house of reptiles in Tigard and see if they do sexing. If they don't, I'm in Beaverton but I could meet up somewhere if you want to check her out. I'm not sure what area you're in but I wouldn't want you to be driving around if you're doing me the favor lol.

---

Kind of a random thought/idea, since I know guru is a male... Does anyone think that his behaviors around her might help determine the sex? When I had first had them out together he was huffing over her, not really aggressive or anything. I haven't had them all out together for a couple weeks. he may or may not do it again. Guru might be a little young for breeding behaviors but I know hes a male.

 

[Kebechet]

Kebecheet, I was told shes almost 2. They were really small for their age when I got them, around 2.5 ft long. In the last month they've both gotten a lot bigger, weight wise and length wise. Shes a little over 3 ft now. I'll call house of reptiles in Tigard and see if they do sexing. If they don't, I'm in Beaverton but I could meet up somewhere if you want to check her out. I'm not sure what area you're in but I wouldn't want you to be driving around if you're doing me the favor lol.

I'm not sure if House of Reptiles does sexing or not. They're awesome though, that's where I got Link. They're really knowledgeable there.
As for where I live, I'm in the heart of downtown Portland. XD I walk Link regularly at the park along park street, so if you've ever seen a girl walking a Tegu, that's me. I can easily MAX out to Beaverton though.

 

[Rhetoric]

I think thats where this tegu came from, it was either her or Gary.. One of them came from there lol. I love having the max near by, before I moved there was only one bus and it would sometimes no show..
Well I'll keep you posted!

 

[Wil]

For what it's worth, I am not a fan of probing lizards. I tried it with my first clutch of blues and didn't like it at all, even though i was 100% accurate. Do you have any good pictures of the vent?

 

[james.w]

Why do you need to know the sex?

 

[Riplee]

For the fresh baby, u can use a high light to irradiate the base of tail.

@rhetoricx,

Tegu always pop in the next day. So if you feed them at noon or afternoon, just try to soaking her in the next day same time before or after feeding. They will automatically pop in the warm water.

Try it out. Maybe your tegu is different, but all my 5 tegus I owned now and 8 tegus owned before. They all like this.

Let me know if it works.

good luck.

 

[Rhetoric]

Thank you everyone for your input.
James, I'm hoping to figure out the sex sooner than later because of housing and general roaming around. Her and Gary aren't quite the right size for breeding but hes almost 2 and I think that would make him of breeding age. This summer I wanted to let the 3 of them hang out in the garage and the storage space attached to the garage and if shes a female it might change how I decide to do things. Also with building an enclosure, if she is female I can house her in Gurus enclosure and just make him a larger one.


I tried to get the best pictures I could, she is a squirmer and I had to manage her and take the pictures lol. Hopefully this helps, still no spurs really, that I can notice. The weird bump on the right side of the vent, its like a small zit. It's in two of the pictures. Anyway here are a few of her vent area and a few of her head and body.

[attachment=2512][attachment=2513]

 

[Rhetoric]

bump.

 

[Rhetoric]

Could she be a hermaphrodite?

 

[Bubblz Calhoun]

Body wise,.. not even considering the spur,.. I see a male. With what looks to be a narrow head in the fourth pic, the beginnings of jowls and a more slender or stream line body. For a female I would expect it to be a little heavier and wider around the pelvis.

Do you know if they hibernated at all before you got them? Or if the previous owner got them from a breeder or store? They may not be as old as previously thought and or could be just playing catch up from hibernating.

Just my thoughts on it.

 

[Rhetoric]

They didn't hibernate this last year. The "female" in question came from a local shop, House of Reptiles (for those in my area lol). I was given the paperwork the owner had signed when he purchased her in 2009. I'm not sure about Gary, I just sent them a message asking where Gary came from. He had Gary for at least a year before I got him.
I thought it was weird that they didn't hibernate and were still small... It could have been diet though.
Off topic, should I be concerned if they just flat out don't hibernate? Are there any long term consequences if they don't? I know there are some who don't every year but are they any who just don't?

 

[Kebechet]

They didn't hibernate this last year. The "female" in question came from a local shop, House of Reptiles (for those in my area lol). I was given the paperwork the owner had signed when he purchased her in 2009. I'm not sure about Gary, I just sent them a message asking where Gary came from. He had Gary for at least a year before I got him.
I thought it was weird that they didn't hibernate and were still small... It could have been diet though.
Off topic, should I be concerned if they just flat out don't hibernate? Are there any long term consequences if they don't? I know there are some who don't every year but are they any who just don't?

If they don't hibernate, I've heard people say that they are incapable of being bred after that. Something about development of the sexual organs being changed. Someone else might have a more through explanation on that one though.

 

[Rhetoric]

I've heard that about females. If she is a girl, thats fine, if shes a boy no issues lol. I wasn't planning on breeding any of my tegus.

 

[Gandolf38]

Is there any way to tell the sex of a baby?

 

[Wil]

I think that I would have to say male. Although the enlarged scales are more pronounced on the right, it looks like some enlarged scales on the left to me. Although I can only tell so much from a picture, it would be a lot easier in person.