The Tegu is coming

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EchoTheLeoTort

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As some of you know after reading my threads my only tortoise had to be put down do to HFS. I decided to change to a new animal because I didn't want to ever try and replace my little Echo. I currently said that I was saving up to get a blue tegu in August, but my grandma is going through some medical things and I wanted to help her pay for stuff, so I originally was going to just cancel the whole tegu idea but my dad suggested that I should get just a regular black and white argentine tegu because they cost half the price of a blue, so I waited till 1 of the 2 companies I had picked out got them in stock, and July 2nd they did. I finally placed an order yesterday and it's on its way today so I meet the little bugger tomorrow morning. Wish me luck on not getting bit or tail whipped :D Will post a new thread with a pic in the morning.
 

Tom

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I like the B/Ws or the reds best anyway. I've got a big B/W now. He lives in a big outdoor cage with a 4x4' underground bunker. Its really cool.

They can be really cool if you handle them a fair amount AND appropriately. Careful, they CAN drop their tails too. Mine really liked roaches when he was little. Make sure to introduce all sorts of other foods at young age too, or they can get picky on you later.

Looking forward to pics.


Here is my enclosure, but have the pics have been deleted by tinypic.com apparently...
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/thread-25998.html

In the text I refer to the lizard as a "she". It actually turned out to be a "he". Apparently the breeder got it wrong.

Another thread:
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/thread-16041.html

The enclosure at my old house:
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/thread-13236.html
 

wiccan_chicken

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Good luck with your new buddy! I look forward to seeing them and how you two bond. I've been thinking of owning a large lizard and was talked away from monitors. I'm thinking a Tegu is a good alternative. I'd like to own more reptiles before I get any huge animals.
 

LisaTurtle

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Yes good luck! Can't wait to see pics. So sorry to hear about Echo :( He sure was a cutie! *hugs*
 

EchoTheLeoTort

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Tom said:
I like the B/Ws or the reds best anyway. I've got a big B/W now. He lives in a big outdoor cage with a 4x4' underground bunker. Its really cool.

They can be really cool if you handle them a fair amount AND appropriately. Careful, they CAN drop their tails too. Mine really liked roaches when he was little. Make sure to introduce all sorts of other foods at young age too, or they can get picky on you later.

Looking forward to pics.


Here is my enclosure, but have the pics have been deleted by tinypic.com apparently...
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/thread-25998.html

In the text I refer to the lizard as a "she". It actually turned out to be a "he". Apparently the breeder got it wrong.

Another thread:
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/thread-16041.html

The enclosure at my old house:
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/thread-13236.html

wow thanks for the share! You make really good enclosures for torts and lizards. Really liked the one at the old house :D I do plan on trying a variety of foods, and I'm making sure to handle (supposedly him) Every day after he settles in. Just finished cleaning out the old "closed chamber" That i had for echo and setting it up for the tegu. He is only 6 days old i think so will still have a green head. I simplified the enclosure for the tegu, there is a big brick hide in the hot end where there is coco coir inside and its shallower inside and that will serve as the "warm side hide" And then there is a basking rock just under the heat lamp. Then a big water dish, and i decided to make 2 hides on the cool end. But seeing as they need similar temps to what the leopard hatchling did, its already worked out that way so i don't need to test anything out. I tried to make the cage simplified because i heard they make a mess if you put plants or anything. I have to run tomorrow to get crickets but i have some ground turkey, a piece of fish, meal worms, and eggs set aside for him. Your tegu is very cool by the way. I do love the black and whites as well.


wiccan_chicken said:
Good luck with your new buddy! I look forward to seeing them and how you two bond. I've been thinking of owning a large lizard and was talked away from monitors. I'm thinking a Tegu is a good alternative. I'd like to own more reptiles before I get any huge animals.

I was looking on youtube of videos and i've seen a lotttttt more videos of water monitor bites than any tegu attacks. It really kept me away from monitors in general. I know tegus can be tame if worked with properly and they are so much prettier that i knew thats what i wanted. Just an idea but i've heard that Columbians are more aggressive. They stay smaller but they are just harder to train. Of course though every animal is different so you never know, but i think columbians get about 3 feet and argentines get up to 4-5 feet. Be prepared to have space lol


LisaTurtle said:
Yes good luck! Can't wait to see pics. So sorry to hear about Echo :( He sure was a cutie! *hugs*

Thanks it really sucked to make the decision but I gave him a week of baby food soaks, extra calcium, more sunshine, and his shell just kept getting softer. I can't say if he was in pain or not, but I imagine it would suck to stop eating, always want to sleep, getting a soft shell, etc. So i figured the best thing for him was to give him a premature ending in a humane way. I was thinking of getting another tort from a member on here, but I just decided over time that I didn't want to replace Echo and get another tortoise. so i looked around for other options and landed on a giant 4.5 foot lizard lol
 

Johnlaws

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ImageUploadedByTortForum1373326159.483269.jpg Everyone seems to Shy away from Monitors, however I have a 3ft or so Savannah that is dog tame. He enjoys hanging out with me and "watching TV". lol , good luck with your new friend.


Sent from my iPhone using TortForum mobile app
1. Sulcata baby
7. Assorted Ball Pythons
1. XL Savannah Monitor
1. Red Iguana
 
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mike taylor

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Awesome I hope every thing goes well for .

Sent from my C771 using TortForum mobile app
 

EchoTheLeoTort

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Johnlaws said:
Everyone seems to Shy away from Monitors, however I have a 3ft or so Savannah that is dog tame. He enjoys hanging out with me and "watching TV". lol , good luck with your new friend.


Sent from my iPhone using TortForum mobile app
1. Sulcata baby
7. Assorted Ball Pythons
1. XL Savannah Monitor
1. Red Iguana

I really liked the look of Nile monitors but somehow when I saw tegu's i became intrigued. I thought they were very cool. I am definitely not saying monitors are bad or anything of the sort, I just had a preference of a Tegu. Happy to hear that you have a nice monitor pet :)


mike taylor said:
Awesome I hope every thing goes well for .

Sent from my C771 using TortForum mobile app

Thanks Mike! :D on a side note. I have fed my ball python 3 times now, and she is doing wonderful at feeding! She has an amazing response and I haven't had her turn down any food yet. She is eating live mice, i have a technique to ensure she doesn't get bit by them so its working very well, wanted to say thanks for all your tips and advice! :)
 

wiccan_chicken

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Lol I'm going to definatley make sure I have the space before getting anything large!
 

Johnlaws

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Tegus are awesome as well, I've had a couple over the years.


Sent from my iPhone using TortForum mobile app
1. Sulcata baby
7. Assorted Ball Pythons
1. XL Savannah Monitor
1. Red Iguana
 

AustinASU

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Are you getting your from undergroundreptiles.com they have some really nice black and whites?
 

EchoTheLeoTort

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AustinASU said:
Are you getting your from undergroundreptiles.com they have some really nice black and whites?

Yes I did :) I was planning to get a blue tegu from teguterra but I just didn't find the justification of spending $400 on a lizard :/ I think the black and whites are beautiful too and half the price. I went with Underground because they make youtube videos and show their facilities and how they keep their animals and I really like that. I placed an order sunday and they got ahold of me monday and we shipped the same day and I got him yesterday morning. He is very gorgeous, way skittish but thats expected. Check out my new thread on him for pics
 
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