Care Sheet for TegusAverage Rating Given To This Care Sheet Is 3.67 (1=lowest, 5=highest) Last Updated: 04/19/2006 |
Main Category: | Lizards |
Sub Category: | Tegus |
Care Sheet Submitted By: | Lordtegu |
Years Experience: | 5 to 10 Years |
Species: | Columbian Tegu |
Other Species or Phases this Care Sheet May Cover: | N/A |
Sexing and Characteristics: | Sexing can be very difficult when the tegu is small. Once big enough it can be probed to find the sex. Columbian Tegus range from about 3 1/2ft to 4ft. All though the Columbian Tegus and Argentine Tegus look the same the skin patterns are pretty different, Argentine Tegus get much bigger. |
Mostly Active During: | Day |
Substrate and Water Needs: | Carpet can be used but it will not let the tegu burrow. If carpet is used it should be washed once a weak to lower the chances of any lurking diseases. Sand can make a good substrate because it will let the tegu burrow. Wood chips are also good because they help keep a nice level of humidity and feces is easier to clean. |
Lighting and UVB: | Light should be on for about 10-12 hours. There should be about 3 types of bulbs on the tank, a regular sun glow bulb, a basking bulb, and a night time bulb. |
Temperatures and Humidity: | Day temperatures should be about 85 degrees, 95-105 degress for basking. Night time temperatures should be at about 75 degrees. Tegus need a high humidity level so about 2 or 3 mistings a day should do. |
Heating and Equipment: | There should be about 3 types of bulbs on the tank, a regular sun glow bulb, a basking bulb, and a night time bulb. An under tank heater should do the tegu some good as well. If you love your animal do yourself the favor of not using heat rocks. Heat rocks just burn up their stomachs. |
Caging Provided: | When young they can be kept in a 60 gallon tank but once full grown a custom made habitat should be the place they call home. |
Diet: | Carnivorous |
Description of Diet: | Tegus are vicious eaters. They should always have many things in their diets such as crickets, mealworkms, wax worms, fish, boiled egg, rodents, small birds, and some fruits. |
Supplements, Nutrition and Usage: | It is best if crickets and worms are dusted with vitamins and it is also good if rodents are sprayed with vitamins as well. |
Maintenance: | Substrate should be cleaned once a week. If using a carpet it is best to have a couple so while one is getting washed the other one can be put in place. All feces should be removed to reduce chances of getting infected with salmonella. |
Some Words on this Species: | If cornered it can be a very dangerous animal. It will not hesitate to use its tail, if bothered to a high level it will then use its teeth. If bitten by a full grown tegu it will be more than likely that stiches will be needed. |
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