My newest addition--an Argentine Black and White Tegu!

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Meg90

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She's HERE! I am SO excited!

Alittle background: Argentine Tegus are one of the most docile, and intelligent species of monitors. They mature between 3.5 and 4 ft including tail. Males weight between 10-15 lbs, females 7-10 (the size of a small dog or housecat) they are also said to have the temperament of a good cat---once bonded with their caregiver they will seek out affection, and attention.

I got this baby from Varnyard Herps Inc. Bobby was an AWESOME person to deal with....his animals are all bred for temperament as well as color and size.

My new little lady is promising to be a very cool pet. she doesn't have a name yet, but I am working on correcting that.

Right out of the bag, she was very docile (might have been because she wasn't as warm as she would have liked :D ) But I held her for about 5 minutes with no problem. She was content to sit in my hand! I would have held her for hours if I didn't think she'd rather be under her light!

She is just STUNNING. I haven't ever handled/met a tegu up close and personal before, and I think she will break me in just fine.

I did an unwrapping video (wherein I look like a total dork!) and if I can get it to upload, I will post it. I was so excited my hands were just shaking! I couldn't get a good pic of me holding her really, because I needed two hands to steady the camera.

Just so ya'll know, she's also only around 10 weeks old. She's teeny compared to what she will be in a few months.

After class tonight, I'll be picking up a log hide or two to add to her enclosure.

Here are the pics!

(the ONE shot I have that isn't blurry-tastic before I set her in the enclosure)
tegu09-23-09010.jpg


Enclosure (its the giant exo terra 36 in Long by 18in Wide, by 24 in high:
tegu09-23-09028.jpg


Just after I set her down
tegu09-23-09018.jpg


GORGEOUS shot!
tegu09-23-09019.jpg


Close-up, look at that pretty face!
tegu09-23-09022.jpg


My tired lady--all worn out.
tegu09-23-09039.jpg


What is this thing called, camera? Can I taste it?
laterinthedaytegu09-23-09015.jpg


Look, I is not a tegu, I is a crested gecko!
laterinthedaytegu09-23-09040.jpg


SUCH a pretty girl!
laterinthedaytegu09-23-09035.jpg

She's SO beautiful! She's got a black nose too!
 

terryo

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What an amazing looking beauty Meg. She is just beautiful. What will you put her in when she gets big?
 

Meg90

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A custom cage....its gonna have to be 5-6 ft long, by two feet deep, by three feet high! Or something of that sort!

The good news is, in the summer, when she's bigger, she can stay in a dog run outside, and get some real sun. Her care is alot like that of a tortoise (a large tortoise lol).

I'm really excited to start bonding with her. I plan to istart after she has breakfast tomorrow. :)
 

Stazz

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Oh Meg she really is lovely, I'll show Nick the pics of her tonight, he'd probably want one hehe. What about the name Deja...as in Deju Vu, tegu :p
I can't wait to see the unwrapping video, can just IMAGINE the excitement !!!!! She's a pretty little lady, ad will be uber happy at home with you for sure :D

How big do they grow by the way?
 

chadk

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Congrats! A tegu is on my wish list. But the size of housing and expense of feeding and heating are holding me back.

FYI - i don't think a tegu is really a monitor - just very similar in ways.
 

Meg90

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I had a nice session today with her in the tub--you sit in a dry tub with them, and let them explore you. Its supposed to help build trust.

She's pretty sweet, not real fond of being picked up at this point, but once she IS in my hands, she's a complete lady. She doesn't thrash, or try to bite, or tailwhip me, so I'm thinking were doing pretty well. She's been home for 24 hrs now. :)

She had ground turkey with strawberries this morning, as well as an earth worm.

People say they are really expensive to feed, but in reality, they eat basically what I eat. We always have ground turkey, or chicken in the freezer, as well as fruits (and rodents) on hand. Her diet is like a combo of what I feed my snakes, myself, and my torts.

Fruit, f/t rodents, turkey, chicken, egg, tuna, and some plant matter----

As an adult, I'm thinking it will maybe cost 10$ a week to feed her. That allots for a couple lbs of turkey/chicken, eggs, and fruit.

Right now, I used maybe 1/5 lb of turkey and that will constitute a weeks worth of feedings.

I'm so happy with her though. She's pretty awesome.
 

chadk

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Well, compared to my torts and boxies (99% of their food is from my yard or garden), anything is expensive to feed I guess. My snakes are pretty expensive to feed. Adding to that, plus heat lamps, UVB, caging, and probably heat pads would kill me right now. Of course, then there is the intial expense of getting the little tegu. They aren't cheap!! It will be hard to turn one down though if one ever get's turned in to the rescue I'm associated with here in the Seattle area.

Keep the pics coming. Would love to see how fast it grows. Maybe take a pic next to a ruler or other object and repeat each month :)
 

Meg90

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No prob! I took another 40 pictures of her today, and 80 yesterday! She's not bothered by me peering at her, or the camera anymore. Yesterday she would give me the eye when ever she saw me. :D

Today, she just naps on, after one peek to make sure I'm not gonna try anything.

Here she is, using two large Cyprus chips for a pillow.
Tegudaytwo040.jpg


And this is the look she gave me, when she opened her eyes and saw me standing there
Tegudaytwo038.jpg


Here is another shot of her giving me "the eye" as you can see, she's going to be excellent at it. She practices it religiously! :D
Tegudaytwo011.jpg
 

Stazz

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Hahahahahah Meg, she really really is SO beautiful !!!!! Thats such a good "eye look" she gives you !!!! She's definitely going to be good at it if shes that good already haha
 

Meg90

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Here's a bit of an update

Well, her name is Cleo. And she is just beautiful! She's already pretty tame and used to me, and I've only had her for one week today! Here are some pics of "tub time" she was almost done shedding when I took these pics--and after I put the camera down, I rubbed her little back until that last piece came off. She was very appreciative! Sat still and ladylike the whole time! Oh, yeah, she's exactly 3 months and 1 day old too! (hatched Jun 29th)

Yes, my sock is dirty! I spilled substrate by her enclosure, and lazy college kid that I am, I haven't swept it up yet!
Tubtime004.jpg


cruising, always cruising
Tubtime018.jpg


Getting big---one of her siblings is already 30 INCHES long!
Tubtime020.jpg


Pretty Cleo, just look at that face!
Tubtime019.jpg


Here's a video too, if you are all so inclined!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1nIjZp7TxCs
 

Isa

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Awww Cleo is such a beautie Meg. I really like the tub idea, it must create a strong bond between you and her.
 

Stazz

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Aw Meg, Cleo is the perfect name for her ! Totally suits her to a tee. She is such a beautiful girl, wow. I love the video, thanks so much for sharing that. I've never seen a tegu in real life. I will show Nick this vid tonight, bet he'll want one hehehe.
 

K412

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Tegu's are lovely creatures. I have one also, his name is Ski but he is now in FL w/ a very good friend of mine. Hopefully he will remember me when I go to visit him! He is being used as an ED animal and probably going to be bred eventually. Great personality!
Nice pictures!!! Invest in ground turkey!!:)
 

Meg90

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Well, OH MY GOODNESS. Cleo will be FOUR months old on October 29th

This is Cleo when I got her, 1 month and four days ago.
Tegudaytwo034.jpg


THIS is her now!
CleoandNovaandsomeutubevids011.jpg


Growing faster than I can notice apparently! Here I was thinking she wasn't growing much!
 

Yvonne G

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Meg90 said:
People say they are really expensive to feed, but in reality, they eat basically what I eat. We always have ground turkey, or chicken in the freezer, as well as fruits (and rodents) on hand.

A-HA!!! The truth is now out! And just how long have YOU been eating mice, Meg?

Yvonne
 

Stazz

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SHEEEEESH Meg !!! Cleo really has grown since you got her ! She really is so lovely looking! hahahaha Yvonne is so sharp !!
 
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