Care Sheet for TegusAverage Rating Given To This Care Sheet Is 3.89 (1=lowest, 5=highest) Last Updated: 11/27/2005 |
Main Category: | Lizards |
Sub Category: | Tegus |
Care Sheet Submitted By: | Hankferd |
Years Experience: | 5 to 10 Years |
Species: | Argentine Black&White Tegu |
Other Species or Phases this Care Sheet May Cover: | Common name: Argentine Black and White Tegu
Scientific name: Tupinambis Merianae |
Sexing and Characteristics: | Males tend to grow bigger and from what I heard they have spurs on each side of there rectum and have two bumbs on there rectum. Males also have bigger jowls than a female. You can’t distinguish Males from Females until around 24-28 inches. Otherwise you can get your Tegu probed by an experienced Reptile Handler. |
Mostly Active During: | Day |
Substrate and Water Needs: | SUBSTRATES: Cypress Mulch, Zoo Med Eco Earth grated cocoa nut husk, Zoo Med Jungle Floor/Forest Floor, pretty much anything that holds humidity well. !!!DO NOT!!! use Cedar and Pine bedding, it is TOXIC to your reptile. Make sure your substrate is deep enough to burro themselves. When you purchase substrates make sure you cook it in the oven at 350 degrees for about 20 minutes to kill any parasites.
WATER: Make sure you have a decent sized water bowl, Tegus don’t really soak themselves often but every once in a while they like to. About 3-4 times a month soak your lizard in the bathtub with warm water a few inches deep. You can purchase a supplement for you Tegus water which basically takes the chlorine and other harmful things in his/her water, which is called Repti-Safe (a bottle of blue liquid). |
Lighting and UVB: | Zoo Med Daylight (BLUE) Bulb
Zoo Med Night time (RED) Bulb
5.0 Full Spectrum UVB Light
WATTS DEPEND ON THE SIZE OF YOUR CAGE
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Temperatures and Humidity: | (ALL TEMPERATURES ARE IN FAHRENHEIT)
TEMPERATURE: The Basking spot should be from 105-115 Degrees. The cage temperature should be between 85-90 Degrees during the day, let the night time Temps drop a little lower to 72-80 Degrees.
HUMIDITY: The humidity should be on the average around 70-80%, keep it pretty much as high as possible, but DO NOT soak your cage, that is when molds start to grow, and your lizard can have Respiratory Infections such as Scale Rot. Keep your Substrate moist but not wet to the touch. |
Heating and Equipment: | For an Adult Tegu the cage size should be around 7’x3’x3’.
Have a few plants (real or fake), I prefer fake because Tegus tend to dig and make a mess out of your cage daily. Some people say do not use a heat rock because it can burn your Tegu, the way to fix that problem is to get a heat rock that does not have the temp adjustment so it cannot break and heat up. Purchase one that stays one temp which is usually around 85-90 degrees. Have a hide of some sort so that your Tegu can feel protected. Also even though a Tegu is mostly ground dwelling, younger Tegus like to climb a little bit so have a few branches in your cage. |
Caging Provided: | As of now I have a 60 Gallon Tank.
100W Zoo Med Daytime (BLUE) Bulb.
60W Zoo Med Nighttime (RED) Bulb
5.0 Full Spectrum UVB Light
Zoo Med Jungle Floor
Few fake plants
Box for a hide
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Diet: | Omnivorous |
Description of Diet: | Argentine Tegus are about 85% Carnivorous, they will eat pretty much anything they over power from: Rodents, Birds, and Insects. Tegus occasionally eat fruits and veggies, about twice a week toss anywhere from seedless grapes, strawberries, bananas, melons, apples, carrots, lettuce, etc. Some fruits and veggies can be harmful to your Tegu such as Citrus fruits, and seeds from veggies and fruits. The only seed that my Tegu eats are the seeds on the Strawberries. |
Supplements, Nutrition and Usage: | Calcium Dust
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Maintenance: | Tegus are moderate on the Maintenance scale, just make sure their water is changed daily, and if there is any poop pick it up. Watch the humidity and Temperatures buy purchasing a couple hygrometers and thermometers, one for each side of the tank. Make sure you heat lamp is on one side of the cage so that your Tegu can regulate his/her own body temperature. |
Some Words on this Species: | The Argentine Black and White Tegu is also called the Giant Tegu buy some because they can grow up to 5’(males). They can become extremely docile if you hold them enough. You can actually train you Tegu. If you treat your Tegu right, you will definitely be satisfied. |
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