Baby tegu

nepoez · 10-07-13, 12:36 PM

I finally bought a baby tegu. Currently setup in a 2ftx1feet aquarium, I use wet towel on the screen to keep in humidity. Basically the environment is similar to my sav's, in regards to humidity(85%+), basking temp(140f), gradients, etc... except the sav is in 1 8x4 cage. I'll be building the exact enclosure that my sav is in now for this tegu in a week. I'll be feeding the same diet as well, whole prey(mice,fish,anything I can get), also fruits and veggies when it's older since tegus do eat those.

Does anyone have any feedback, warnings, tips? I have been scouring the net for info for a long time and I find the tegu community has very different kinds of advises compared to varanids. Not sure what my point is, but I'm seeking knowledge, and so far from what I gather, my best bet is to keep the tegu in the same environment as my sav's, which is the knowledge I have gotten from this forum. Only difference would be the tegu's diet would have more fruits and veggies, otherwise all the same. So if anyone has any advise, warnings, etc, please don't be afraid to be frank.

video: https://plus.google.com/u/0/photos/s...22791999749733

thinkbig317 · 10-07-13, 12:48 PM

Not quite sure Tegu's require such high basking spots but I could be wrong.

drumcrush · 10-07-13, 12:49 PM

Lookin good, I hope to get a tegu soon

nepoez · 10-07-13, 01:06 PM

I forgot to mention another thing different I'll do for the tegu would be the addition of UVB bulb. Seems like the tegu community really emphasizes on UVB being mandatory.

smy_749 · 10-07-13, 01:48 PM

Tegu's aren't varanids ! :P

nepoez · 10-07-13, 01:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by smy_749

Tegu's aren't varanids ! :P

I aware of that lol. However there isn't a tegu section in this forum and I find the people in this forum more trust worthy so I shamefully posted this thread here in hopes of getting good advices..

smy_749 · 10-07-13, 01:55 PM

Don't be so sensitivie hahahaha Was just messing, I don't have the answers as I've never kept any tegus. They are close enough to varanids I guess lol

nepoez · 10-07-13, 03:58 PM

hehe, yeah that's kind of how I plan to raise this tegu with the exception of some if the things I pointed out, but still hoping to find more guidance.

Gatorhunter1231 · 10-07-13, 05:21 PM

I raised my tegu like a monitor. Temps where 120 for basking spot and humidity in 70-80s. My tegu loved to burrow. It was a red tegu and was growing fast. Never had skin issues that red tegus are suppose to have.

nepoez · 10-07-13, 05:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gatorhunter1231

I raised my tegu like a monitor. Temps where 120 for basking spot and humidity in 70-80s. My tegu loved to burrow. It was a red tegu and was growing fast. Never had skin issues that red tegus are suppose to have.

Hi! Can you please tell me more about your tegu experience, if you think you've figured out a good set of rules and if you feel you succeeded in providing good husbandary, his diet, etc.. since it was a baby, then as it grew up, what about now?

Adding vegetation to diet is a brand new thing for me so it would be good to learn from someone with some success...

Gatorhunter1231 · 10-07-13, 06:39 PM

Mined died in a large fire I had with my salvadorii and eveything else. It was growing fast. Baby to juvie I feed it Dubia roaches primarily, added hopper mice once it was large enough. Ate bananas, strawberries, and blueberries twice a week. Some mix veggies once a week (carrots, collard greens and chopped tomato). I have read reds don't eat as much vegetation as the other tegu species. Mine wouldn't touch greens without some chopped tomato. I used several inches of sandy peat moss.
My buddy had an argentine tegu that I raised for a year and it double in size from the same kind of setup. He sold it two years ago (kids). Had it 6yrs and was a 3 1/2 ft female. After he copied what I did then the tegu did really well.

nepoez · 10-07-13, 09:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gatorhunter1231

Mined died in a large fire I had with my salvadorii and eveything else. It was growing fast. Baby to juvie I feed it Dubia roaches primarily, added hopper mice once it was large enough. Ate bananas, strawberries, and blueberries twice a week. Some mix veggies once a week (carrots, collard greens and chopped tomato). I have read reds don't eat as much vegetation as the other tegu species. Mine wouldn't touch greens without some chopped tomato. I used several inches of sandy peat moss.
My buddy had an argentine tegu that I raised for a year and it double in size from the same kind of setup. He sold it two years ago (kids). Had it 6yrs and was a 3 1/2 ft female. After he copied what I did then the tegu did really well.

Did you have uvb setup? If so how? Thx!

Gatorhunter1231 · 10-11-13, 06:26 PM

Nope, but would be just the addition of another bulb . Should be easy.

Grendel · 10-12-13, 03:11 PM

Go to Tegu Talk and you will get all your answers there. There is no debate on how to keep them. Overall they are easier to keep then monitors from the aspect of temp/humidity and temperament. You can also brumate them for a few months a year saving on food/upkeep etc.

smy_749 · 10-12-13, 05:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Grendel

Go to Tegu Talk and you will get all your answers there. There is no debate on how to keep them. Overall they are easier to keep then monitors from the aspect of temp/humidity and temperament. You can also brumate them for a few months a year saving on food/upkeep etc.

I dont' know why people say things are 'easier than monitors'.

All you do is put them in a bucket filled with a bunch of dirt and heat. Thats it....Food? anything that was once alive and small enough to fit in its mouth...

I fear that the tegu community is somewhat similar to the bearded dragon community. Won't go into details but it wouldn't surprise me if thats the type of care you find most have agreed on.