Lucy, the Red Tegu

[Little Wise Owl]

I just picked up my first ever tegu this morning.

I'm in love :P She has a great personality even though she is shy and jumpy.

The pictures aren't too good because my iPhone was being a jerk and I didn't want to bug her too much.

She's in shed right now.
http://i67.photobucket.com/albums/h281/Shaylah_Rawr/IMG_1103-1.jpg
http://i67.photobucket.com/albums/h281/Shaylah_Rawr/IMG_1108-1.jpg
http://i67.photobucket.com/albums/h281/Shaylah_Rawr/IMG_1106-1.jpg
http://i67.photobucket.com/albums/h281/Shaylah_Rawr/IMG_1105-1.jpg
http://i67.photobucket.com/albums/h281/Shaylah_Rawr/IMG_1109-1.jpg

[dshin963]

awww I really want a Tegu :D

[Little Wise Owl]

Get one! haha

I'm looking forward to watching her grow.

[NennaMeerkat]

Cool lizard can you give me any information on them? Never seen one or really heard of anyone owning one.

[Little Wise Owl]

They're a large, omnivorous lizards from South America. Argentine Red Tegus (Tupinambis rufescens) typically reach 3.5-4.5ft in length and are fairly hefty in weight. Males are larger than females and sport large jowls.

Argentine Reds, Black and Whites and Blues are usually known to be rather tame as adults (though you'll get a bad egg every now and then). They're very intelligent and have amazing personalities.

[Little Wise Owl]

Burrowed under her basking spot after eating turkey, papaya, collards with calcium supplement.

http://i67.photobucket.com/albums/h281/Shaylah_Rawr/IMG_1117-1.jpg
http://i67.photobucket.com/albums/h281/Shaylah_Rawr/IMG_1121-1.jpg

[Wolfus_305]

Awwwww! such a cutie pie!

[Max713]

Is that her only basking spot? If so, what is the surface temp? Just judging from the pictures, it looks rather small and possibly cool.

Great looking girl!

[Little Wise Owl]

It's 101-105 F and it fits her entire body (minus tail).

[mistersprinkles]

Where are you going to put her when she's 4 feet??

That's a nice healthy tegu. You never see them around any more :(

[Max713]

It's 101-105 F and it fits her entire body (minus tail).
Ok, that's definitely on the low side. Most everyone would recommend at basking spot of at least 110F, but best case scenario offer a gradient, let your Tegu decide what temp she want's to bask at. I offer Kimo a gradient basking area, from 100F - 125F. I regularly find him at the 125F basking position, although he is most often found around the 110F range.
What are you measuring your basking temps with?
Also, a Tegu's tail makes up a very good portion of their mass, and has a large roll in their thermo-regulation. A basking area large enough for her entire self would be much better.

Would you mind posting an entire enclosure pic?
Hope your girl is doing well :)

[Little Wise Owl]

Low side? Rick, Bobby and a few other sources I've read say the basking spot should be 110F max (From Bobby's site), Rick's care sheet states: "Optimally, you want the basking spot to be 100F to 110F, while the cooler ambient side should be 70F to 80F."

I'm measuring the basking spot with a temperature gun.

[Little Wise Owl]

Where are you going to put her when she's 4 feet??

That's a nice healthy tegu. You never see them around any more :(

She's going into a homemade 7'x3'x3' enclosure in a few months.

[Max713]

Low side? Rick, Bobby and a few other sources I've read say the basking spot should be 110F max (From Bobby's site), Rick's care sheet states: "Optimally, you want the basking spot to be 100F to 110F, while the cooler ambient side should be 70F to 80F."

I'm measuring the basking spot with a temperature gun.

Yes and no.
A 130F basking spot is not going to harm your Tegu. On another forum, a member went on a day hike on a 70F spring day, recording random surface temps along the way. On a 70F sunny day, he recorded 108F surface temps. I can provide a link to this information if you'd like, it will just take some digging on my part.
110F is actually not that warm. What kind of surface temps do you think you would see in Argentina on a 100+F day?
I'm definitely not saying to only offer a 110 or 120F basking area, but I think you would be surprised how much your Tegu would appreciate it if you offered a hotter spot among the gradient.
The point is, your Tegu knows what it wants, you are only guessing/assuming what it wants.
The only way you are going to hurt your Tegu with a very hot basking area, is if the enclosure is too small to disperse the heat, and the ambient temps rise to an un-safe level.

Remind me who "Rick" is?

And good work using a temp gun for basking temps.

[Little Wise Owl]

Rick Sisco.

The administrator of TheTegu and owner of Sisco Reptiles. He's the one who made that "Tegu Attention" video where all the tegus swarm him and try to crawl on him.

[Max713]

Rick Sisco.

The administrator of TheTegu and owner of Sisco Reptiles. He's the one who made that "Tegu Attention" video where all the tegus swarm him and try to crawl on him.

Oh ok, I know him by Sisco (by his videos), I was unaware of his first name :)

No response to my basking suggestions?

[Little Wise Owl]

Nope... lol

[Max713]

Nope... lol
Ok then... Just trying to help.

[Little Wise Owl]

I know. I just don't really have a response.