The trouble with Dwarf Tegus is that there is not very much in the way of reliable information on their care in captivity.
Some things that I am aware of are:
1) They are very active, in spite of their size they need roomy enclosures.
2) Individuals I know who have kept them found that they eat better when they are kept in groups, they also tend to be less stressed when there are others of their own kind around.
3)Handling is not recommended, as this leads to stress overload. They appear to do better when setup as a display animal only.
4) They are ALL imports, whereas the Argentine Giant Tegus are all Captive Bred, this is a huge factor when determining if you are getting a healthy animal from the beginning.
5) Their taxonomy is in dispute right now, always confusing when you are trying to get information on a particular species.
Do not take the things I have said as "facts" or "rules", just as information I have gathered. Reptile care even now is alot of trial and error regardless of what species we're dealing with. Teiidae and Varanidae are some of the most poorly understood creatures in nature.
Another thing to consider is that these animals are sold under the trade names "Ameiva Festiva", "Central American Whiptail", "Dwarf Tegu", and "Blue Tailed Ameiva" sometimes these are all the same lizard and sometimes they are not. Ain't that fun?
Take Care,
Kit
