Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I have been researching the two for the last month or so but can't decide which would suit me the best. How do they compare in size, temperment, and cost of feeding? I am looking for a large calm (if possible) lizard. I have a 10X6X6 enclosure already built but I still havent decided which one to go for. Thanks for any replies.

Im replying mainly cause I was just recently faced with the same decision. I decided for me to get the blackthroat Id been offered, but I highly suggest before you do you read below a little the posts under blackthroat opinions as they seem to be several feet longer at adult size than the tegu.

10x 6 would not be big enough for an adult blackthroat and they eat MUCH more than a tegu even in early years. You'll find more info on Tegus in the Tegu forum
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1.0.0 YBS
1.3.0 RES
1.0.0 red belly cooter
1.0.0 Fire belly toad
0.0.1 Savannah Monitor
0.1.0 Leopard Gecko
cats, dog, ferret, rats, mice and hamsters

I am guessing the red would also be cheaper to feed because fruit makes up a large part of its diet. I reading all over the Tegu and Monitor forums right now, but I think I am leaning towards the Tegu. Which animal do you think is easier to tame?

hopefully someone with more knowledge will reply, everything Ive read indicates Argentine Tegus are relatively calm in temperment. The blackthroats it varies on their temperment and trusting issue to determine how well theyll tolerate you. But there seems to be lots of reports of not so friendly blackthroats.

For me the variety of diet of the Tegu was not helpful as I have trouble keeping fruit in my home, but I breed rats and mice (and my kids have no desire to eat those).

Just remember these are wild animals and the word tame is relative.
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1.0.0 YBS
1.3.0 RES
1.0.0 red belly cooter
1.0.0 Fire belly toad
0.0.1 Savannah Monitor
0.1.0 Leopard Gecko
cats, dog, ferret, rats, mice and hamsters

Since you already have a blackthroat, how do you like it? how old is it? size?

I just got him Friday and he is only 18 inches so Im not the one to say. (However he did eat 6 fuzzy mice, and 3 dozen crickets on Saturday as an example of his appetite already)

If you scroll down a little bit I started a thread "Blackthroat opinions" last week. It includes many peoples experiences as well as pictures of adult blackthroats.
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1.0.0 YBS
1.3.0 RES
1.0.0 red belly cooter
1.0.0 Fire belly toad
0.0.1 Savannah Monitor
0.1.0 Leopard Gecko
cats, dog, ferret, rats, mice and hamsters

both lizards with get large but the black throat will get larger
like animals you may get a tame one you may not i do not keep tegus so i dont know what there like to keep. my black throat temperment is good. he is about 2 1/2 feet now i got him feb 1st and is growing like a weed. as far a feeding most the the black throats food can be frozen untill you need to feed it to them, and could by in bulk, with a tegue you would have to buy fresh fruit. black throat start out eating insect wich is kind of a pain but when they move to mice,rats chicks it becomes easy to stock up. i feed mine large mice, ground turkey, coach roaches and a eggs every now and then.. i think that size of a housing unit should work for a adult bt unless u get a very large one but the more room the better
hope this helps

Yeah I read that thread of yours - it was very informative. I think I got scared away from the blackthroats by that one pic of that 50lb giant!

red tegu all the way. way better, and for one good reason..... they hibernate.... keep them in a nice big outside cage all summer then come oct nov. bring them inside put them in a plastic tub and let them sleep till april.no feeding no lights no work....i put mine in a tub with wet leaves and mulch and leave him in my 60 degree basement all winter i just check to make sure its damp 1 every 2 weeks. black throats are great but can be a little aggressive where i find red tegus to be pretty mellow most of the time. good luck...

That is plenty room for a bt. Those giant pictures and measurements you hear are not all that common. With all reptiles there are exceptions. That 50 pound male at 7 feet is not something you see every day, and I would bet money that your bt or any for that matter would most likely get that massive. If so you would be seeing those pictures everywhere and that size would be considered normal, and would not be a shock to everyone.

What I meant to say was that it would not be likely for every blackthroat to be that large. Its something you should be aware of, but in most cases they stay significantly smaller than that. There are only 2 massive blackthroats that I have seen on this forum over the last couple years (since I have been here), and that is Sobek, SHvar's female, and Black, that 50 pounder...

As stated before, that last post of mine was worded kind of funny and came out wrong, lol...

Hello Newstorm,

The reality is just the opposite of what you stated- all blackthroats should reach these sizes. When blackthroats used to be imported as adults, they all came in big. They had heads comparable to a well fed pitbull. I mean Huge! Everyone who acquires one or more should have already prepared for this adult size. So when many have them and few are adults, well, the success rate with these varanids is exposed... Best to you- Mike

Makes sense. My apologies for thinking I know what I'm talking about, lol. I guess from whats out there isn't really the case. I haven't experienced this massive size myself yet, but my girl is still growing like a weed at 5 or more feet already. She lacks the bulk of a male, however.

No apologies... We learn as we go. It sounds like your girl is getting big too. They bulk up with maturity but not as much as the males. Would love to see pics of her... Best to you- Mike

I can get some of her tonight. Would love to share them.

Thanks everyone for all the replies. This is going to be a tough decision, but I have until Aug 2nd to choose (reptile show in Hamburg PA). For now I will continue to do my research and ask more questions. Thanks!

Another question... I have a few options on where to get a Red Tegu, but Does anoyone know of a good dealer or website in which I can purchase a blackthroat?

A cape banded WT instead, they dont get so big, and there are a few CBB from Rob Faust I think now. Hes a great breeder, and great guy to talk to about these creatures.

It was common for friends and aquaintances involved in the reptile industry to get 6ft male BTs imported easily, huge, nasty, strong, and wound up tight ready to let loose when you unpack them. At some point in time it was realized that the adults imported didnt live very long, therefore they decided it was better to get the young BTs imported to get them to live longer, to be more capable of adapting to captivity.
I knew a couple many years ago when I got into monitors that had a 6ft 6 inch male, his head was enormous.
My experience with red tegus, B&W tegus, etc through a rescue and private owners who are disgusted with the forums and the advice given on them rarely ever feed fruit, the majority of the diet they feed is rodents, and chicken peeps. All of these owners have big, healthy colorful, long living red tegus.