tegus

[kane]

Hi ,i just got 2 young tegus and was wondering if anyone can tell me if you can house them together? One is a white and black and the other is a golden. They are the same size and we think they are male and female. If anyone can tell us how to sex would be great. We have been told they can be breed but again not really sure so any help woul be great.

[Aaron_S]

I wouldn't keep them together if one is a golden and the other is a black and white. Means they come from two different areas in the world. I also would not be breeding them for those same reasons. How is the golden's temper so far?

[kane]

ok thanks they are very tame for tegus lol i'm thinking of selling one to get a male for the other which one is worth more?

[kane]

and i need to know how to sex them so i ucan get the riht mate for it?

[Aaron_S]

I'm sorry I am not experienced enough to let you know how to sex tegus! I would say that the Black and Whites are more valuable.

[kane]

ok thanks i thought the golden would be worth more because i never see them for sale lol.

[crocdoc]

Are you sure one's black and white?

Golden tegus are usually wild caught, whereas true Argentinian 'black and white' tegus are captive bred, so there should have been a price difference of almost one magnitude when you bought them (golden close to $30, Argentinian $250-300).

[kane]

hi here is a pic of the black and white.
http://i70.photobucket.com/albums/i109/cornles/my084.jpg

[crocdoc]

Looks like a golden (Columbian)

[kane]

this is the golden.
http://i70.photobucket.com/albums/i109/cornles/my085.jpg

[crocdoc]

Yes, those both appear to be golden tegus.

Here's a link that explains some of the differences.
Argentinian vs Columbian tegus (http://www.reptileallsorts.com/black-white-tegus.htm)

[kane]

so you are telling this is a golden tegu?
http://i70.photobucket.com/albums/i109/cornles/my092.jpg
http://i70.photobucket.com/albums/i109/cornles/my093.jpg

[Aaron_S]

It looks golden to me as well but I could be wrong.

[kane]

this is a golden tegu.
http://i70.photobucket.com/albums/i109/cornles/my095.jpg
http://i70.photobucket.com/albums/i109/cornles/my094.jpg

[Aaron_S]

Hey man, I only said it LOOKS like one to me and I COULD be wrong. Your pics aren't the best quality so it's difficult to tell one way or the other.

[crocdoc]

I'd need clearer shots but yes, those both look like golden tegus to me.

Did you have a look at that link I provided? It states some of the differences between the two species. The quickest way to tell is the scales (black and whites have bead like scales that stand out, goldens have scales that are flatter) and the loreal scales (big scales on the side of the face between the eye and the nostril - goldens have one, black and whites have two).

[kane]

ok it's not yellow and black it's black and white hence the name black&white tegu and it have bead like scales that stand out on it's face.

[crocdoc]

Colour has little to do with it. They are two different species with different head structures and scalation. Both of them can vary in colour so the 'golden's can often be black and white.

The bead-like scales I was talking about are on the body, not the head. The loreal scales are on the sides of the head. Compare the two of them or take better shots, but my money is on them both being goldens.

Which leads me to my next question: were they similar in price?

[crocdoc]

Check out this photo comparing the heads. The Argentinian is on the left, the 'golden' (Columbian) is on the right. This is from the same link I posted earlier (not my photo). The Columbian has a single, large loreal scale on the side of its face, between the scales surrounding the eye and the scale surrounding the nostril. In the Argentinian, there are two scales there. http://www.agamainternational.com/images/tegu/merianae-vs-teguixin-loreal1.jpg

The names 'black and white' and 'golden' are misleading, so don't look for gold vs black and white colouration.

The light coloured snout of the Argentinian is characteristic, too.

[crocdoc]

righto, well your golden tegu photos have just turned into a bluetongue. Did you swap photos around on your photo hosting site?

[kane]

i don't know what happened.

[totheend]

this is a golden tegu.
http://i70.photobucket.com/albums/i109/cornles/my095.jpg
http://i70.photobucket.com/albums/i109/cornles/my094.jpg

That is a BTS

[crocdoc]

Oh, really?

[kane]

how do you get kill tape worms? friend just told me my black&white tegu haves tape worm?

[crocdoc]

Columbian tegus are almost all wild caught, which would explain the presence of tapeworms (Argentinian tegus, the ones usually referred to as 'black and white' tegus, are captive bred).

Take a faeces sample to the vet, or even the animal and a faeces sample so he/she can get an accurate weight, and the vet will determine whether or not it really has worms and, if it does, will prescribe worming medication.

[kane]

sorry wrong pix.

[kane]

sorry wrong pix

[kane]

how about a red tegu can you get a cb?

[crocdoc]

Yes, red tegus tend to be CB

[Hellbound]

I agree with Crodoc, both of your tegus are golen/columbian tegus. I have an cb b/w argentine tegu that looks very different then the one you refer to as a black and white. Here is a pic of my boy Zeek.
http://i212.photobucket.com/albums/cc10/hellbound322/zeek016.jpg?t=1202602109


http://i212.photobucket.com/albums/cc10/hellbound322/DSCN0725.jpg?t=1202602554

As far as captive breed reds go they are fairly common and tame down very easily. A juevie red will probably run you somewhere around 300 to 350. Reds are beautiful tegus but seem to come across issues with skin problems, but this can be avoided with a proper diet.

Hope that helps! Good luck with your tegus, if possible cage them seperately! But they still look young and probably would be ok in the same cage for awhile, just make sure its a good size cage with two basking spots to avoid competition, and feed seperately!

[kane]

thanks i will post pix of the red when i get it.

[kane]

here is a pic of my rd tegu.http://i70.photobucket.com/albums/i109/cornles/my055.jpg
http://i70.photobucket.com/albums/i109/cornles/my054.jpg

[crocdoc]

nice red tegu!

[kane]

thanks and she very tame to.

[StrictlyScales]

From the pic that i saw....I would say it looks more like a skink of some sorts. Got any better pics?????

[crocdoc]

it's a tegu, not a skink.

[kane]

she's a virgin not a skink.LOL