Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I decided to see if they would lay around with me today. I was surprised they both stayed put for 5-10 mins. I'm so happy with them all around.

Cute pics. It's cool when they just hang out, huh? My gold will sit on my shoulder or on top of my head and watch TV or the computer.

I'm going to have to lounge around with them more often! I always thought they would just try to walk back to their cage. Maybe I was warm enough that they kind of liked it. I had them under a blanket with their head sticking out. They actually seem less content the few times I've tried to let them climb on me. That's so cool that yours sits on your shoulder or head. I always expected this type of behavior from my bearded dragons but from tegus ... I'm surprised. I think more people should give Columbians/golds a try. When I read the monitor forum and see people ask what they should get for a big handleable monitor I feel like telling them to look into tegus, is that wrong?

Funny you should say that. I was just visiting from the monitor forum. Like a lot of people, when I first started looking for a larger lizard I went through the monitor vs. tegu debate. (I got monitors, and love them.) At the moment, I have a 6' x 3' x 2 ' melamine cage that's unoccupied, and I was thinking about maybe venturing into tegus. Would this be a large enough cage to be comfortable for an individual? Or are tegus better off living with another tegu? Of course, the tegu(s) would have roaming privileges, and I don't want to squish one into a cage that's really not large enough. (The cage could also be expanded, if necessary.)

That is the same size as my cage. The only thing you have to worry about I think would be how well the cage will hold humidity. My cage is sealed, sealed, and sealed again (the joints between the wood pieces) I have 3 air vents (one on each side of the cage), and on top of the cage are 3 openings just big enough for the lights. If you use cypress mulch as your substrate, and wet it down often (I use a humidity gauge inside, and when it gets down to 40% or so, I wet the mulch down again) then the humidity should stay high enough. If it doesn't, you run into shed problems.

I thought it might be too cramped for him when he gets larger, but I've noticed on weekends when I'm actually home, he will mostly lay in the cool part of the cage all day and sleep until around 5 or 6, then he starts moving around, and by that time I'm home from work and can let him out. That may just be how HE is rather than a species trait. I think different species may behave differently though. The Red Tegus and the Argentine black and white's are the largest, Red's growing from 4.5'-5' and weighing 20-25lbs, and the Argentines growing around 4.5' and about 15lbs. I've heard the Reds have to be fed a lot of fruit to help with their shedding also. Don't know if that's true or not. There are also Columbian Black and White tegu's not to be confused with the Argentine. Then there are blues and goldens which only grow about 3'-3.5' I'm no expert, just regurgitating all the info I've read

Thanks. I have a section of the top of the melamine cut out and covered with a wire cover in a frame on which the basking lights rested (decided it was safer after my Sav, for some reason, once stood up and grabbed one of the basking light bulbs!). I could replace it with a permanent melamine cover and seal it, though.

What kind of monitor did you decide on?

Me? Ackie and Sav (but my Sav died of kidney cancer last March).

Yup 6' by 3' is what you need to house one. I would think you'd need more space for 2 big ens, more like 8' by 3'(that's what I got btw). Time and time again I post that my tegus are only out 2-5 hours a day because I never read that when I was looking into them. It might just be my setup and I'm not sure how that compares to most monitors or other tegus. The main reason I decided on a tegu is because I got the impression they would have a better chance of being nice. I was afraid if I got a big monitor it could be mean and I personally don't think I could accept that.

Thanks! Unless tegus are happier and healthier being kept together, I was only thinking about getting one. I'm not interested in breeding them. If I did end up with a monster of a lizard, I could easily expand that cage by another 6' in length and another foot or two in depth.

Personality-wise, I'd, of course, prefer a lizard that isn't always ready to gnaw my fingers off, but I could deal with whatever personality the lizard developed. (Although I can say with reasonable certainty that I will never test that theory by acquiring a Nile monitor! Lol!)

I don't think my tegus are happier together. Not that they fight but they don't really play together either. When one gets up the other one usually does too but I think that's just because the one is getting disturbed. They certainly don't mind each other. Anything else I can do to help you with your decision I'll be glad too.

Great! I didn't really think they would need to have another tegu for companionship, but it doesn't hurt to ask. I certainly wouldn't try to put two of them in a 6'x3' cage. I appreciate how helpful you've been. If I have anymore questions, I'll definitely ask! I think there's a good chance I will decide to get a tegu, probably a black and white (sooo pretty!). I'll probably hold off getting one for a little while yet as I'm planning to paint the living room walls sometime in the next two months (all the cages are in our living room, and that includes a 6' long, 6' high stack), and the less animals to move, the easier (especially since my husband is a little skittish of large lizards!).

Ok, I'm jealous. Mine won't hang out with me. He goes and hides somewhere. Well, actually, if I lay on the floor, then he comes up to me and crawls around. HUm, maybe I don't give him enough opportunity. I have him out to free roam today for the first time. Had to get all nine dogs outside. Right now he's hanging out by the dryer. It's nice and warm. I'll see if he ventures out later.
Take care,
Karen

Great pics Rollin!!!! Keep up that terrific work you are doing with them!!!

Greg

I'm doing my best to keep them healthy and happy. I've spent a lot of time reading back threw the old posts from Matthew, Lucy, Stella, Russ, Bert, Ron, and everyone else so I should be thanking them. It has been a very rewarding experience just to have them sit with me for 5 mins on the couch!

Well I guess I should post mine as well. This is Lex (tegu) and Boris (savannah monitor) They aren't caged together Lex's cage is in my living room, and Boris' is in another room. I bring Boris in the living room with me, and open Lex's door. Lex doesn't mind Boris, but sometimes Boris is grumpy and doesn't like to socialize. I was quite surprised to see Boris allow Lex to climb on top of him.

>>I decided to see if they would lay around with me today. I was surprised they both stayed put for 5-10 mins. I'm so happy with them all around.
>>
>>

Terrific pic there! It is nice when our critters tolerate one another! :0)

Greg

Wow Lex looks really cool, Boris too! How old is Boris? I always expected to see a savannah monitor dwarf a tegu, but Lex looks like he's really big too. I was wondering how they differ, does Boris stay out longer, more active etc... I've always been really interested in big monitors. Instead of getting a big monitor off the bat I realized that they aren't beginner reptile pets so I got a bearded dragon first. I discovered tegus after I had the dragons for about a year and decided they would be the next step. I have yet to make that final step to a big monitor.

I'm not sure how old Boris is, but I'm assuming around 1.5-2 years old. He was 18" when I got him, and shot up to 26" and has only grown about 1" in the last 6 months or so. I'm pretty dissappointed that he hasn't got large like I wanted. I'm going to wait a few months, and if he doesn't grow anymore, I'm going to build him a smaller cage and perhaps get another BABY savannah. I'm really wanting to get a water monitor, but I just don't think I have the space for the cage unless I give up my computer room (which is the biggest room in the house) and I would have to get some cages that can stack ontop of each other and just have my smaller monitors in the living room.

Lex is a WHOLE lot bigger. Lex is almost 41" now, and poor little Boris is stuck at 27" Boris is VERY withdrawn. He rarely even moves about his cage unless he's getting ready to use the bathroom or he's letting me know he wants some food. (before anyone says that he's lethargic because of temps, his basking temps are around 122 degrees, ambient temp on the basking side of the cage is 85 degrees, and the cooler side of the cage is from 75-80 degrees) Boris is amazingly well trained to use the bathroom in his water tub. If I have the tub out (waiting for me to clean it) I'll watch him pace around like a dog. He'll walk over to where it usually is and just looks at me. I'll hurry and go clean out the tub and place it in the cage and he goes and does his job. Even when I let him out in the living room with Lex, if he has to go, he does it in Lex's water tub (they are both the same type of tub) He just must be bored with his cage because when I let him out, he usually will explore for a while. I wouldn't say he's anywhere near tame, but he has no problem with me putting him on my lap and letting me rub his neck Sometimes he will even crawl up on the other end of the couch and sit (er...lay)

Lex is VERY social. He kinda reminds me of a dog. I was worried that he would't become tame, but as he's gotten older, he rarely huffs and puffs at me anymore. When I first introduced Boris and Lex together, Lex went up behind Boris and started flicking his tongue at Boris' "butt" like a dog would. Boris wasn't all too pleased though. Boris has become very tolerant of Lex, which I'm very pleased with. When new people come over and I have Lex out, he will go up to them, look up and flick his tongue like mad, then just strolls off. I've found that Lex does not like heights AT ALL. He won't even climb up on the couch, and if I put him up there, he quickly climbs down. I know they are ground dwellers, but even Boris likes to climb. Lex is definately a hyperactive lizard, well, in the evenings. When I get home and he sees me eating, he knows it's about time for me to let him out and will start stratching at the cage door wanting out. So of course I let him out, and usually the first thing he does is use my living room or kitchen as his bathroom. It's like a dog waiting for someone to get home to let him outside. Although Lex was getting good about using it in his water tub, I think he's outgrown it. I take Lex outside on his leash every chance I get. He wasn't too happy the first time I took him out, but after the first time he loves it! He walks me all over the yard sniffing everything. When Lex is in the house, he usually makes laps around the living room, goes in his cage warms up, then more laps. Lex also knows what the word "mousie" means (Boris is just now catching on) Now if I could only get Lex to learn what "no" means..given time, I have no doubt that he will.

Even within the same species, they have different personalites.

Wow that was long, I hope I didn't bore any of you

You didn't bore me! My Savannah monitor died in March(cancer), and I have a vacant cage. I was considering tegus. My Sav was never particularly active, either (though his necropsy revealed that he had had cancer for a very, very long time, probably since before I got him, so that may have had something to do with it). The more I read about tegus, the more interesting they sound. Thanks for sharing all that.

How cute -- a tegu basking on top of a monitor! Nice to see the two of them get along.

t

Have you ever had an instance with one of your Tegus snapping at your or biting? I have only had my Tegu for 3 weeks now he is still very small 5" SVL and 15" STL and has never acted like he would bite. The reason I ask is that I notice in the picture you have your "kid" right up by your face, a thing I would NEVER do with my 3 year old Iguana who has already scared my chin because I was not paying attention one day.

I know each animal has it's own "personality" and what your Tegu does is not necessarily what Tijollo (mine) will do when he gets older. We also have a 6 year old male Water Dragon that I would NEVER worry about biting even when he has been injured in the past and we had to give him antibiotic shots.

Sorry so long, just curious. Would appreciate any input.
Thank you
Donna

I'm not Rollin, but I can provide some input. First off, which tegu do you have?
My Argentine was kinda angry when I got him at 14". The funny thing is he wouldn't try to bite me, he would just open his mouth trying to scare me. With him being green, he looked like an alligator He only did this to me again when he was a bit bigger when I took him outside for the first time. Lex is almost 41" now, and I've had him up to my face, on my shoulder, at my neck, my fingers rubbing the very tip of his nose, under his chin, and has NEVER offered to bite me or anyone else. Although there hasn't been a lot of other people to hold him

Thank you so much for your input. When you are new to a type of animal any info is great! So very glad you are such a great lizard parent!

Thanks again,
Donna

Yeah actually he has bit me before. When he was a baby he was so afraid of me I'd have to act like a statue or he would run for his hide box. Once I was able to move around by him I reached my hand in to pet his little head and he answered with a quick bite! Since then he has gradually lost his fear of people and has never bitten to defend himself again. Months latter when he was a lot bigger I felt him really licking my toe like it was dinner and sure enough he tried a bite. It didn't hurt at all like the defensive bite did earlier, I'm sure it was because he was hungry enough and tried a taste of my foot. I really don't think he'll bite unless he's starving or being hurt and when he goes to eat something he'll usually lick it a few times first. If yours doesn't bite even when he's a baby I think your in the clear! My other one never did bite and never seemed at all interested in me as food. I'm not at all afraid of them especially after they're good and stuffed.

Thanks for your input. I am glad he didn't find your foot tasty!

Thanks again,
Donna

Be careful and use common sense (as with your iguana). My daughter purchased a lively 14" Argentine in January, and at first it was quite tame when handled, though always on the restless side. In less than six months, it's grown to almost 3 feet long (it eats well!), and once it warms up under the heat lamps it becomes a raging, snapping animal that is almost impossible to handle. The only way we can get it out of the cage now is to turn off the lamps, let it cool down, and put on good stiff gloves and long sleeves before trying to grab it. But I've seen other Argentines that are completely docile under similar conditions--every lizard is different. Just remember--it is a wild animal, and those teeth and claws (and tail!) deserve respect.

The reason I call it glamor pic is because it looks like she's got some blue eye highlighter. I don't know if it's just the camera or what, I'll have to take a closer look when she wakes up. For anyone who doesn't know I've got 2 older video clips up at http://mavweb.mnsu.edu/wehner/Video20030420.MOV
http://mavweb.mnsu.edu/wehner/Video20030421.MOV

.

Yyes, she does look like she applied a little eyeshadow. Feed her some strawberries for a little lipstick. (My male beardie always looks dolled up after eating strawberries.)