Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hi i am so close to getting a tegus but the thing is there is still one think that out of all the research i have done i still don't know.which type of tegus is the tamest, i know that they are wild animals and can sometimes lash out, but out of personal experoence what do you guys think is the best. One reason i am being picky is the i rescued a green iguana that is not to nice so i really to have 2 mean lizards(though from what i have read it seems like tegus's are easier than monitors) well any help would be appreciated.

You know I see that posted here alot as well as hear it alot. Heck I think I even called the StPierre's and asked the same question before I bought mine. I always want the coolest, tamest critters too. However in my humble opinion like most herps, I believe it really comes down to what you put in to taming them. If you can spend a good ammount of time with your animal he will become more tame. Lucky for us Tegu lovers, they are exceptionally suited for taming down unlike most monitors. Even with minimal handling it appears they mature and grow almost naturally tame. I think it's lazy, but we will call it tame anyway Good luck on finding a suitable buddy and be sure to post photos when you have em' I think no matter what you pick you will have a good pet.
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Peace!
KofSeattle
Reptile-Like
Here lizard lizard.........

Being that I keep Argentine B/W's, Reds, and Blues, I believe that they all tame down with time regardless of whether you handle them alot or a little. My Blues do seem to have a more aggressive feeding response and I do have to use forceps when feeding them. The Argentines can all be fed by hand...they approach the food slowly and kinda check it out before they slowly open their mouths to take it. Gotta love them all!!

i havent owned any other type of argentine except for a black and white. but if your limited on space go for a blue tegu. red tegus are awesome (they get big and fat) and get a nice red (as long as an black and white), but they need a descent amount of fruit (more than any other tegu). also i hope you have atleast 500 bucks at a minimum to start with (if you build a cage and all the lights, heaters,...), thats including the tegu cost. post if you have any space limitations. good luck, hope i helped you out a little, justin.

if you have yahoo you can im me at heyslick62

i forgot one of your questions. as far as tamest goes, i believe their all just about the same (i might be wrong)

If you want a tame tegu get an Arg. black & white or a red. I have an Arg. and have met reds. According to people here blues are very nice too. They are good if you don't want such a big animal.

Remember animals are individuals and there will be variation. Tamess will also depend on the time and effort you put into the animal. They more time, effort and paitience the tamer the beast. If you leave it in the cage all the time and just "take care" of it it will not be tame...no matter the species.

Good luck,

Brian

The factor of "tameness" of a reptile can depend on many different things. The first step to getting a quality Tegu is to make sure that they are captive bred and born, as it has been proved that captive born and bred reptiles tend to have a better temperament than wild caught individuals. There is no transition or acclimation period as captives for these animals. They have never been in the wild, therefore they do not miss what they do not know. This shouldn't be a problem as there are many reputable breeders of tegus. Ron St. Pierre is one of the best. Healthy=Happy. Husbandry and handling techniques play a major role in how tame your tegu comes to be. Also, how you react to their physical displays has a factor. If you are expecting to acquire one of these lizards and not be threatened by them or maybe even nipped by them you are mistaken. Tegus are awesome and very intelligent reptiles. Their companionship can be very rewarding, but it does not come without its work.