Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Ok, beardiedragon, here's a collage I put together of some of our T.quadrilineatus. You can see, as I claimed in one of my earlier posts, that they don't always have the "4 lines" running down the sides. Unfortunately, these are all females, our sole male passed away earlier this year. The dullish looking one is typically how the tegus get before a shed - their skin loses its luster and smooth quality and gets coloured by the soil, which around here is a strong red. Enjoy.

Do the males get jowls when they mature? I don’t know why but the pics make me think of Amevas.

It must be so great to work with these magnificent creatures all the time and so close to the wild. Do you try to tame them down to make them handleable or try to keep them as close to the "wild side" as possible?

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Bennett

beardiedragon.com
Home of the Florida Orange

The males get some jowls, but not like those of T.merianae and T.rufescens. Unlike what just about everyone seems to like to claim, they are not an indication of an overweight animal. They are there for display and protection of the males when they fight. It's one of the key body parts they try to lock onto in the battle.
I don't really try to tame down my animals, but it is an effect I do have. I almost prefer the highly aggressive ones, not because I'm some macho freak that wants to impress others (I detest that type), but because when the animal doesn't go to tear out your throat, you know right away they aren't feeling well.
However, as I said, I do have a taming effect on a lot of my animals. The locals here think I'm "magical" as one of my research animals is this large (4.7kg) male that will sit on my shoulders without trying to tear my ears off. They've never seen one that tame.
And I have to admit, I do think it's great being here and working this closely with all the animals. I'm definitely going to be upset to leave....

Hello tupinambis, I tried sending you an email through KS yesterday but it may not have made it to you. Since your in Brazil I was wondering if you come across any Tupinambis duseni. If so what have you found their temperament to be and do you work with them at all? Thanks for any information.

I have come across a number of T.duseni, but unfortunately, they have all been of the pickled variety. So I can't really say much about them.

What do find the temperament of the t. quadrilineatus? Thanks

They can be aggressive, but not the same as T.merianae. They will defend themselves, but typically prefer to flee from danger. However, if raised as a pet, I'm sure they'd be quite docile.

"They can be aggressive, but not the same as T.merianae" is a bit confusing, or I am taking it wrong. Correct me if I am misunderstanding but it sounds like you are saying they can be aggressive but not as aggressive as the T. merianae?

T. merianae are one of the less aggressive tegu around.

Rick
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My apologies. T.quadrilineatus can be aggressive, however, they are rarely assertive. They will defend themselves, but they are not typically one to initiate conflict with humans. They prefer to flee instead of fight people. Corner one or turn your back on them, and you may find out how aggressive they can be.

As for your claim that T.merianae are one of the least aggressive tegus around, well, that depends on your frame of reference. Captive raised ones, absolutely. But overall, I'm afraid I'd disagree with you. That's the same as claiming chihuahua's are more aggressive than wolves.

"That's the same as claiming chihuahua's are more aggressive than wolves";

Not to get off topic but I found the comment very comical since I used to breed second generation wolf hybrids and they were very mellow, and though you need to treat them with respect, I have never been bit by a wolf hybrid. Yet I have been nipped at by my aunts chihuahua.

Rick
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theTegu.com Info
Tegu Size Survey
Care Sheets
Tegu Photos (Upload Yours?)

Just had to chime in here about wolf hybrids. Most people do not realize they are very special animals. They are not dogs and they are not wolves. They each are individual animals with different characteristics of both. You have to put in the time to find out their little quircks. I have 2 recue hybrids and I love them both but they deffinately have their own personalities.

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Bennett

beardiedragon.com
Home of the Florida Orange

Nice dogs, beardie! We used to have two actual wolves at the family ranch, had to be put down when a horse spooked by one of them tossed its rider, killing her when she landed head first on a boulder. No doubt, they are something different.

from what I have read, there are a lot of unwanted hybrid wolves because people did not know what they were getting into. It is a shame that the animals have to suffer because of peoples ignorance.

I dont see why the wolf would have to be put down because the horse got spooked? I have been riding for 40 years and had horses spook at much less than a wolf... one even put me in the hospital but I never harbor any ill to the animals!

BTW, for anyone interested, the one with the 2 color eyes is wolf/husky/chow and the other is wolf/malmute. They are rescue animals and needed a home so we took them in and that was all the info I could get about them.
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Bennett

beardiedragon.com
Home of the Florida Orange

C'mon, beardie, you and I and probably most people on this forum would say much the same thing. But let's admit facts, humans as a mass consciousness are paranoid and timid beasts. You've read the news - neighbors find out a guy in their community has snakes and so they do what they can to force him out for public safety, kid gets his arm bit off by a shark but people don't care to hear the truth of the situation that his uncle had caught the thing fishing and was getting the kid to pose for a picture while holding the shark up by the head, another kid gets ravaged by a bear because his parents poured honey on his arm to get the bear to lick it for another photo op. As individuals, people can be intelligent and rational. As a mass, we're a bunch of dumb twits scared of our own shadow. The equation is simple - lady dies, a wolf was involved, clearly the wolf is dangerous and must be destroyed. I don't think it makes sense, you don't think it makes sense, but it's not about sense, it's about fear.

np
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Bennett

beardiedragon.com
Home of the Florida Orange

Your research looks exciting. Who are you working with down there and what exactly are you doing? Conservation or research or both? Are you a zoologist? That looks like it'd be a fun and rewarding job.

Cool pictures. My question is Do you have any Idea where the Blue tegu comes from. There are alot of people ,including my self that dont think they come from Colombia.Thanks Russ

Yes, as a matter of fact I indeed do know where they come from. However, it seems no one wishes to believe me, they all want to believe they are something special. "Blues" that I have been shown, that I've seen in pictures clear enough to determine characteristics, are nothing more than T.merianae with black noses. So, where do "Blues" come from? Well, they come from anywhere T.merianae comes from. Basically, east of the Andes to the Atlantic ocean, from northern Argentina north to the south shore of the Amazon.
However, for the point of clarity so as to avoid people telling me I'm full of bovine fecal matter, I've been done here in South America for a year and a half. Every time I point to what hobbyists refer to as a "blue tegu", and ask a local scientist, particularly one of the ones originally involved in designating and describing a number of the Tupinambis species, I'm informed that they are T.merianae.
Furthermore, I'm currently living in Rio Claro, Sao Paulo state of Brazil - ie. no where near Colombia. There are LOTS of those black nosed T.merianae around here. And as for the claim of them being the most gentle tegus of them all, I don't contest the captive ones can be, but the wild ones have a tendency to charge and attack people.
And lastly for this rant (sorry, russ1066, I truly apologize, I am not exactly directing this tirade at you, just everyone who doesn't want to believe because some breeder ((albeit a respected and highly successful breeder)) claims otherwise) that in pairs that I have bred down here, pairs of positively identified T.merianae where neither parent is a "blue", in the clutches produced we get some "blues". I haven't tested it, but I'm pretty sure if you breed a "blue" with a "blue" you'll likely get mostly, if not all black nosed tegus- ie. "blues". Therefore, my claim, and I keep asking people to provide me with the scientific evidence to contradict me (anyone? anyone?) what I know of as "blues" (and admittedly, maybe I've never seen a true "blue", which would indicate that those I have been shown and were claimed as as "blues" were not true "blues" are not a distinct species, nor are they a distinct subspecies, they are merely a morph. Whew.

That being said, they're sure pretty.

My male Argentine,is 4'3 1/8" he`s missing 2-3" of the tip of his tail) TL-21"SNt to vent and 18lbs. How does my tegus size compare to the wild ones you have seen? And what has been the biggest tegu you have seen? Thanks RussPs I have a blue female also And they live together.thanks Russ

Well, I'd have to say yours is the biggest I've seen, then. I've only been told of T.merianae up around the 10kg/22lb region, I've never actually seen them. Around here, in the wild, they rarely exceed 5kg. You pretty much have to have a constant supply of high quality food to get larger, something the wild ones don't have access to. Plus, I hear tell around here that when they start getting up around that size, they often wind up as someone's dinner or shoes.
The biggest I had was 5kg, but he was done in by another a little over half his weight. Kinda puts a crimp into the theory that "the larger ones are the more dominant ones".
And yes, I was going to say I could see your other one was a "blue". I wouldn't worry about the loss of 2 or 3 inches of tail. A lot of the wild ones are missing a heck of a lot more than that. Tegus are one of the few species I've seen that usually look in better shape in captivity than in the wild.

Russ just emailed me this post .
It's 4 am here and I am not quite awake yet but this caught my eye .

Quote "T.merianae where neither parent is a "blue", in the clutches produced we get some "blues". I haven't tested it, but I'm pretty sure if you breed a "blue" with a "blue" you'll likely get mostly, if not all black nosed tegus- ie. "blues".END QUOTE

Are you saying that you are hatching out some babies that are blue in color as hatchlings ?

Stella St.Pierre
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Stella St.Pierre
www.bluetegu.com - Ron St.Pierre

Nope, they aren't 'blues' at hatching, like all other T.merianae at hatch, they have an all green head.

Thankfully you're responding to this and can clear up some questions. What colour are your "blues" when they hatch? I would personally welcome any evidence to indicate that there are some actual "blues" out there that may indeed NOT be T.merianae.
If possible, can you provide me with clear, good photos of the top of the head and neck, the underside of the head, and the pelvic region? What is the femoral pore count of your "blues"? Are the femoral pore rows continuous on each leg, or are there breaks in the row?

Thank you very much for any information you can provide.

Quote What colour are your "blues" when they hatch? END QUOTE

My baby blues are born a brownish color . They do not have any green whatsoever like my Argentine black and white tegus do .

QUOTE If possible, can you provide me with clear, good photos of the top of the head and neck, the underside of the head, and the pelvic region? END QUOTE

I have a junk camera that is almost 7 years old , untill I buy a new digital camera the clearest photos I can get are like the ones on my web page .

QUOTE What is the femoral pore count of your "blues"? Are the femoral pore rows continuous on each leg, or are there breaks in the row? END QUOTE
I'd have to look , I don't make a habit of flipping my lizards over and counting their scales.

I have some pictures of hatchling blues and hatchling meriane somewhere on my computer . I will look for them when I wake up later today and post them so you can see the difference . They don't look anything at all like my Argentine babies . ( My Argentine strain are decendents from animals I got from shipments from Argentina almost 20 years ago )IF you think the tegus I produce and sell as blue tegus are the same lizard as the Argentine black and white you are mistaken , they are very different . In fact when bred together the babies don't hatch , they are dead in shell but fully formed.

Stella
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Stella St.Pierre
www.bluetegu.com - Ron St.Pierre

Here is a picture of hatchlings of both types along with juveniles after they loose their green coloration , also picutures of adults of both types .

BTW I just read the other thread and I think that you owe both me and Bert Langerwerf an appology . Neither one of may be biologist but neither one of is blind either . Both of us have been working with these animals a long time and because of that we get to see a lot of things that many biologist never get to see.

Stella

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Stella St.Pierre
www.bluetegu.com - Ron St.Pierre

interesting hypothesis about the blues, but you still didn't answer my previous post. What are you doing in Brazil?

oh and to answer your previous question...the blue tegu story i'm used to hearing is that they are a sub-species of sort of the colombian. maybe sub-species isn't the right word, perhaps just a different population? but if they are widespread and not confined to a certain locale, that would certainly discredit that theory.

BTW, I have never seen pictures of blues in the wild. Would you be able to take some pictures of them in their native habitat? I'd also like you to answer this question...I've asked it many times on the forum, but never gottten a satisfactory response.

"Why would evolution have favored the blue and colombian tegus?" It is hard to see how their bright whites would allow them to camouflages themselves. Reds can kind of blend in, but do blues and whites just stick out like sore thumbs in the wild?