Heya all,
Having done some extensive searches on the net about the Argentinian Black and White tegu, I have recently placed a deposit down on one. Before I bring him home, I would love it if I could have several issues cleared up for me, as I have been unable to find a really comprehensive caresheet in my searches.
1) The tegu is approaching a year in age, and has been handled frequently, though he is somewhat aggressive when removed from his cage. Is this normal territorial behaviour, or does he just not really like being handled? Hes very calm when taken out.
2) How much should he be eating per week/day at this age? At what age should his feeding change, and to what?
3) How moist should his cage be kept? He'll be on orchid bark - should I include a separate moist hide or something, or will the general moisture held by the bark be enough?
4) Do they like being bathed?
5) What supplements should I be using for this age and how often?
6) Whats involved in hibernation? How can I tell hes about to hibernate? What should I do while hes hibernating? Is this a time that I should be monitoring him closely? I have read several accounts of peoples B&Ws dying during hiberation and it concerns me greatly.
7) What temps should the cage be at? (cool spot/basking etc)
8) How severe is it to be bitten/tail whipped? Should I take great precautions?
9) How difficult is it to "tame" these tegus (or as close to tame as a reptile can be 
) Does frequent handling and/or age help in this process?
10) What signs should I look out for as warnings of illness or that somethings wrong?
11) Are there any sites that fo their own guide/caresheet (ie go through care point by point - feeding, housing etc, as opposed to just saying what they eat in the wild etc).
Some info on me:
I currently own a bearded dragon and so have some (perhaps limited) experience of reptiles, ie in supplementation/lighting requirements etc.
I live in the UK, where perhaps temperatures might be a little cooler than other places in the world 
I would greatly appreciate any advice you can give me, particularly to anything i havent mentioned here, as I want to make sure that Im not hazy on any details when the lizard is brought home. I own one book currently - "Monitors, tegus and related lizards: A Complete Pet Owners Manual"by RD and Patricia P Bartlett - any other good books I should be reading?
