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 #1726702


Audio
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 Completely new to tegus

I’ve been wanting a monitor for some time now (specifically a black throat) but the size of the enclosure is gonna pose a problem for me. (especially the money) Would it be cheaper to get a tegu? What tegu’s would you suggest (and why, temperament etc.)? How big of an enclosure would a good sized tegu need, I don’t want anything tiny but I can’t get a room for one, ya know?
05/06/08  01:38am

 #1726822


Mike S
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   Message To: Audio   In reference to Message Id: 1726702


 Completely new to tegus

It seems to me like you want an animal, but do not want to take care of it ... and if that is the case i would advise getting a pet rock :/

Tegus are very demanding pets, as are all in their own ways... if you are not willing to take the time/effort/ and money to properly care for one, please do yourself and the herp a favor and either do not purchase one, or do your research save up some money and then buy one.



05/06/08  08:48am

 #1727003


Audio
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   Message To: Mike S   In reference to Message Id: 1726822


 Completely new to tegus

wtf! what are you talking about?!

i take damn good care of all of my pets, i just don’t know crap about tegus! so i’m asking for info
how the **** does NOT buying a pet for the fear i can’t take care of it make it look like i’m buying one and not taking care of it?!
05/06/08  01:59pm

 #1727012


Mike S
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   Message To: Audio   In reference to Message Id: 1727003


 Completely new to tegus

You stated the money is an issue for the proper care of black throats ... the amount of $$ for all herps is expensive, and if you dont have the funds dont purchase the animal
05/06/08  02:13pm

 #1727293


Audio
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   Message To: Mike S   In reference to Message Id: 1727012


 Completely new to tegus

Thank you for telling me what I already know. Could someone ELSE please tell me any information on tegus? Pricing, enclosures, behavior, especially anything from personal experience that you don’t find on care sheets?
05/06/08  06:30pm

 #1727563


BooByVu
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   Message To: Audio   In reference to Message Id: 1727293


 Completely new to tegus

Ok, ill have to be nice one ;)
Ok, all herps require great care and money but some less then others.
Tegus are expensive to keep. An Arg B/W will need a tank of atleast 8X4X3. Or atleast to me but then bigger is always better. I keep my babies in 6X2X2 but Im setting up a 10X10 outside enclosure.
Food will be expensive because they eat alot! even babies! and you dont want to feed the same thing everyday....so you consider that before buying. Dont mind the guys on the forum, they just dont want anyone to get a large lizard and not take care of it....happens alot....
05/06/08  09:23pm

 #1727708


Audio
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   Message To: BooByVu   In reference to Message Id: 1727563


 Completely new to tegus

I know that, and I feel your pain, but he’s not even seeing who he’s dealing with before given crude and not very constructive advice. "Word on the street" is a form of a research and that’s one thing I always like to do. Personal experience is very good to hear but limited perspectively. I’m not new to reptiles, I’m just new to tegu’s. Although I did learn the hard way with some pets I had as a kid, I hate to admit that even though it was 7 or 8 years ago... Even at 12 or 13 I researched my animals and tried to take care of them best I could... I found his comment extremely insulting and assuming. Even if I was dumbfounded on animals entirely he could’ve definitely said that in a far less arrogant and assuming form. I asked for how much they cost and he told me if I don’t have the money don’t get one. I wouldn’t know because I don’t know how much they cost!! Thank you for a polite response though. Sorry, for the lengthy response, ignorance just really bugs me...
05/07/08  12:13am

 #1727881


Mike S
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   Message To: Audio   In reference to Message Id: 1727708


 Completely new to tegus

1. The only way any one on this forum can tell who you are, is by your posts ... and your last few posts have stated that you do not want/have the money to take care of a tegu... whether you do or not thats hows youve displayed yourself.

2. The only reason i was as blunt as i was is because the number of idiots that get animals without knowing anything about them is extremely high.. and again thats how i perceived your posts

Nonetheless, here ya go:

Caging:

Minimum! absolute minimum for an adult is 8x4x3 .. i myself would never condemn such a large lizard to a life in such a small enclosure. And of course the bigger the better.
Also, putting a baby tegu in a large tank is NOT a bad thing... this is what happens in the wild.
Although tegus arent naturally climbers i have quite a bit of cork bark in my cage along with drift wood, and basking ledges.
Make a puzzle out of the enclosure.. thats what i do, it seems to make them move active.
Heating pads, i have two in my cage, one under the water dish and one under his bedding.
My water dish, isnt really a dish ... its a storage box about 6 inches deep, 4 feet long and 2 feet wide for him to swim/defecate in.
As far as lighting goes, i have different bulbs than what most use, being part of a science dept has its advantages.. anyway, heat emitting bulbs are whatcha want such as ceramics.
Also a uv bulb is an absolute necessity, as it reverses MBD by aiding the synthesis of calcium.
Make sure you have provided at least 6 inches of digging space for your tegu, as they love to dig

Food:
See my thread, but a rough estimate on price per week varies from about 30$ a week when they are babies to about 150$++ depending on your food types/quality


Again, i am trying to get a digi camera to take/upload some pictures of my tegus and their enclosures.

Mike
05/07/08  08:50am

 #1727889


Mike S
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   Message To: Mike S   In reference to Message Id: 1727881


 Completely new to tegus

Sorry to double post, but i furgot to mention species...

Although each species has their stereotpye, each individual is different.
black and whites are known for their calm tempermant ... and their size.
tegus can get up to 5 feet, which equates to ALOT of food ... we currently have a 7 year old b/w at the rep store hes actually 5feet 2inches ... most docile thing in the world .. but eats as if he has never eaten before.

We also have a red, shes about 3 years old and 4 feet long, she is very docile, but again she eats massive amounts of food

For a first tegu i would suggest b/w, as long as you have the room ^-^
05/07/08  08:59am

 #1728145


Audio
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   Message To: Mike S   In reference to Message Id: 1727889


 Completely new to tegus

yeah, i think the 5 footer part is gonna be the problem :/
oh well, by the time i can get money for a tegu, i’d also be able to get money for a custom cage, thanks



05/07/08  02:46pm

 #1728358


Rooroo
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   Message To: Audio   In reference to Message Id: 1728145


 Completely new to tegus

I actually own both a black throat and tegus and yes tegus can be expensive but no where near as expensive as a black throat they actually need a bigger area then a tegu does not saying that a tegu doesnt need the room but black throats get about 6 to 7 feet which no longer can fit in a custom cage and tegus can stay in a custom 8 by 4 by 4 pretty much there entire life. so before u guys on this site attack people when they say they cant afford one type of animal do ur research. Please im tired of u all jumping down peoples throats. To be honest tegus are awesome pets the do require a good amount of care and handling and if u are willing to spend the money and the attention even better but no one on here should be attacking anyone just next time try to help when some one asks.



05/07/08  05:10pm

 #1743564


KsTaR
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   Message To: Mike S   In reference to Message Id: 1727889


 Completely new to tegus

hey mike.s......ive been doing all my reasearch and lookin at pics and doing all i can and i jus wanna be able to know what type of tegu i have...im between a clombian b&w or a golden...wat do u think and i have question...my tegu was bing up against the tank all day..wats that about?
05/22/08  08:12pm

 #1743971


Mike S
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   Message To: KsTaR   In reference to Message Id: 1743564


 Completely new to tegus

To Kstar ... i would need to see a current picture of the tegu to determine anything

And by being against the tank all day... what do you mean? As in ... just chillin. haning out, or pacing against the glass?

It could be either he is hungry, or if you added something to the cage or did something with the cage they like to check out their surroundings, get to know their boundaries and what not.

If you post a picture of ur tegu itll help to determine.. although it shouldnt be too hard. Black and whites when they are babys have a green tint to them where the white will eventually show, where as golds (as their name suggests) will have a deep deep gold in between their black spots
05/23/08  08:50am

 #1744028


Guido1090
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   Message To: KsTaR   In reference to Message Id: 1743564


 Completely new to tegus

KsTaR, like i told you in your other thread, i am 99% sure your tegu is a columbian gold.

mike, here is the thread with a picture of the tegu.

http://www.repticzone.com/forums/Tegus/messages/1738853.html
05/23/08  10:55am

 #1744084


APN89
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   Message To: Guido1090   In reference to Message Id: 1744028


 Completely new to tegus

yea i agree that definently is a colombian gold tegu. black and whites design an colors are different, and arent that yellow.
05/23/08  12:27pm

 #1744706


KsTaR
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   Message To: APN89   In reference to Message Id: 1744084


 Completely new to tegus


to mike s. this is a pic of my tegu....
05/24/08  02:02am

 #1744707


KsTaR
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   Message To: Guido1090   In reference to Message Id: 1744028


 Completely new to tegus

hey guido thanks 4 helping me with my tegu
05/24/08  02:04am

 #1744783


Guido1090
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   Message To: KsTaR   In reference to Message Id: 1744707


 Completely new to tegus

your welcome. now we should stop hijacking this thread.
05/24/08  08:00am

 #1744861


Reptictale92
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   Message To: Guido1090   In reference to Message Id: 1744783


 Completely new to tegus

I am sorry, but that looks nothing like a Colombian golden tegu. I have one about that size, and looks nothing like that. It is a Colombian B&W tegu.
05/24/08  10:20am

 #1745317


Guido1090
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   Message To: Reptictale92   In reference to Message Id: 1744861


 Completely new to tegus

dude its a gold. b/w tegus are black and white.... this tegu isnt white at all. unless the pics are extremely off color.
05/24/08  07:52pm

 #1745502


Reptictale92
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   Message To: Guido1090   In reference to Message Id: 1745317


 Completely new to tegus


Baby Colombian B&W tegu



Colombian Golden tegu.


The colors in Colombian tegus, and Argentine tegus are very very very different even though they got the same name.
05/24/08  10:55pm

 #1745537


RobVil
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   Message To: Audio   In reference to Message Id: 1726702


 Completely new to tegus

dude why not geta blue tegu?...........a lil more pricey but average like 3.5 feet look awesome........still need ALOT of food but not AS much though ALMOST as much space as a black and white or red.
05/24/08  11:46pm

 #1745678


Audio
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   Message To: RobVil   In reference to Message Id: 1745537


 Completely new to tegus

i was thinking about a blue tegu but they’re hard to find and when i do find one i’ll need a lot of money. how much would you say it cost a week to feed one of those or any tegu?

i might save up, build a good sized cage for an adult, then get an argentine B&W, they’re only 150
05/25/08  06:54am

 #1745880


RobVil
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   Message To: Audio   In reference to Message Id: 1745678


 Completely new to tegus

prolly like $20 a week minimum well actually tegus can eat a veriety of things......depends on the size of the animal and all that
05/25/08  12:19pm

 #1747863


Mike S
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   Message To: RobVil   In reference to Message Id: 1745880


 Completely new to tegus

Sorry for not being on over the holiday weekend guys, i was away... And as for your tegu it is DEFINITELY a golden ... if you would like i can get some pictures of the current golds and the current b/w babies we have... like i said, b/ws have GREEN where their white should be, where as the golds have the really DEEP goldenrod... disagree is you wish, but im telling you that is a golden.

On to the next post ^_^
05/27/08  08:57am

 #1750160


Reedie
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   Message To: Mike S   In reference to Message Id: 1747863


 Completely new to tegus

Mike, I’ve seen "black and white" tegus that were black and yellow with no white on them, and I’ve also seen "golden" tegus that were black and white, there are exceptions to the whole color thing. Common names suck.

-Reed
05/29/08  03:22pm

 #1750824


Mike S
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   Message To: Reedie   In reference to Message Id: 1750160


 Completely new to tegus

I guess there could be exceptions, but how common could that possibly be? Or there is also the possibility that the species you had wasnt the species you thought it was.



05/30/08  08:37am


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