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The Argentine Black and White Tegu

FAQ

How long does it take an arg tegu to reach adult size?
Would breeding super mealworms make sense for a person who only owns one or two tegus?
Do arg tegus get along together? Can I keep them together? If so, how big would their enclosure have to be to make them comfortable?
If I'm keeping my arg tegu indoors, how much humidity do they need for optimal shedding?
Can tegus get along with other pets like dogs or cats?
I've heard that adult tegus can jump up to three feet vertically (say to grab food from someone's hand). Is that true?
If a food item is far too large for a tegu to eat, will they take bites out of it?
Which are more nutricious to feed my tegu: baby mice or adult mice?
Do you know of any difference in temperment in tegus who are fed live food versus those served pre-killed food?
How thick is the skin on an adult tegu? Is it anything like the hide on a savannah monitor?
Is there anything wrong with feeding tegus fish (just the meat)? What about whole fish? Does one have to worry about the bones?
My tegu has slept in his hidebox/burrow for several days, can I put him in a box in the basement now?
Do tegus ever come outside during warm days while hibernating to sun themselves?

1. How long does it take an arg tegu to reach adult size? (I know that reptiles never stop growing, but they do reach a size where their growth does slow considerably, that's what I mean by adult size.): In three years, when they hibernate every winter. In 18 months when always kept warm. (Hibernation is needed for breeding.)
2. Would breeding super mealworms make sense for a person who only owns one or two tegus?: It would make more sense to breed cockroaches if you're only supplying a small demand.
3. Do arg tegus get along together? Can I keep them together? If so, how big would their enclosure have to be to make them comfortable?: I keep many together. They may fight over the food sometimes, so that here one needs to watch. Females will fight with any other tegu after they have laid eggs. Yes, you can keep them together. I keep (1.2) large adults in a 100 sq feet outdoor enclosure. [Webmaster's note: if you are unfamiliar with the notation, (1.2) denotes one male and two females.]
4. If I'm keeping my arg tegu indoors, how much humidity do they need for optimal shedding?: It is very difficult to provide the necessary humidity in an indoor enclosure because of the heating that is required. Humidity should be provided by stuffing the hidebox with moist leaves, hay, or peat.
5. Can tegus get along with other pets like dogs or cats?: Here they are ok with dogs. I would not trust cats, though.
6. I've heard that adult tegus can jump up to three feet vertically (say to grab food from someone's hand). Is that true?: My terraria outdoors all have a metal fence that is 3 feet above the ground. I keep hundreds. No one ever jumped out. I think 3 feet is a bit exaggerated.
7. If a food item is far too large for a tegu to eat, will they take bites out of it?: This is one of the many reasons I prefer tegus above monitors. I can throw in an entire chicken (free from the chick farms, by the hundreds!) and they all will come and eat little bits from it, untill only the skeleton is left. This makes tegus much cheaper to keep then monitors.
8. Which are more nutricious to feed my tegu: baby mice or adult mice?: Adult mice have more calcium.
9. Do you know of any difference in temperment in tegus who are fed live food versus those served pre-killed food?: Tegus fed with live food will need to react fast to get them and are much faster and wilder and could in their hurry some day grab a finger. Dead food is therefore better for you.
10. How thick is the skin on an adult tegu? Is it anything like the hide on a savannah monitor?: Very thick skin. I see one tegu bite another with their big teeth and still nothing happens to the skin. Compared to that a mouse bite is nothing. However, mice could start chewing and killing a hibernating tegu!
11. Is there anything wrong with feeding tegus fish (just the meat)? What about whole fish? Does one have to worry about the bones?: Tegus eat fish in nature also. But I would worry about SOME types of fish, like catfish with specially sharp bones, not about normal smaller fish. With the bones is better.
12. My tegu has slept in his hidebox/burrow for several days, can I put him in a box in the basement now?: If your tegu has been hibernating for only a few days, it is premature to move them to their winter sleeping arrangements. They can go into hibernation and stay in hibernation for a week, and then come out and bask, and so off and on for the first 3-4 weeks. That seems quite normal. Unfortunately many indoors hibernators have been killed by putting them into hibernation at the first signs; what happened is that the poor animals are put in a box in the basement (as they started hibernating already) and decide to get up and warm up a week later since they have some left over food inside their digestive tract. They cannot warm up and so cannot get rid of it, and it rots and the animal dies 2-3 months after that. Make sure that your animal has access to water and a basking spot for at least the first 4 weeks after they start hibernating.
13. Do tegus ever come outside during warm days while hibernating to sun themselves?: In the fall, only. They can go in hibernation and stay in hibernation for a week, and then come out and bask, and so off and on for the first 3-4 weeks. That seems quite normal, and people got to know this, as many indoors hibernators are killed by putting them into hibernation at the first best signs; these poor animals are then put in a box in the basement (as they hibernate already) and decide to get up and warm up a week later as there is some left over food inside. They cannot warm up and so cannot get rid of it, and it rots and the animal dies 2-3 months after that.

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