Agama International

[Rick]

Name: Agama International
Web: http://www.agamainternational.com
Owners: Bert & Hester Langerwerf
Telephone: (205) 665-2192
Address: 10514 Chilton Rd. 73 Montevallo, AL 35115-9634, U.S.A.
Tegu Species: T.merianae & T.rufescens

Please do not rate or review this business if you have no first hand experience with them. If you have bought tegus from them or inspected the facility at Agama International, please feel free to post your experiences and rate them above.

Rick

[glbskeeter]

I purchased my first Argentine B&W about three weeks ago from Agama International. I was very pleased with the way they conduct business. The tegu arrived healthy and very curious about his new environment. Bert from Agama was extremely helpful with all of my inquiries before and most importantly, after the sale. I would highly recommend Agama for anyone interested in purchasing a tegu.

[Diegar]

I purchased my tegu from Bert on July 28th. It was shipped the day it was born, which is a bit too early to sell an animal, and even came with its egg tooth. It seemed healthy enough for the first month, though not the piggish eater that everyone else claims of their tegus. After 1 month, he became sick and lost most of the use of his front legs. I am not blaming this on Bert, but can't help thinking that it might have something, even a tiny bit, to do with his poor condition after such a short time.

I do think that my situation is probably just a freak incident, but it is the only thing i have to go on.

[zarnach]

I agree, hatchlings are too young. I think the service was fast and friendly, but for the sake of the baby we also had a bad experience. We educated ourselves a lot before ever getting one. We got the best products for heat and light and had a 6 foot aquarium converted for him. At first everything was great, then he started not eating crickets (not the only diet but main). We spent a lot on nutritional products and even paid for vet visits for calcium shots, but because he lost it's appetite, he still developed bone disease. He passed away from fatigue/stess even though he was still looking in good health.

That same month we found out about a girl having a Tegu that she couldn't keep anymore, which was skinny and only had a small 8" flourencent for light. We built a custom cage and have had great results with him for almost 3 years with perfect health. If breeders would sell ones 2-3 months old it would be better for the animals.

[tupinambis]

Whereas I agree with your statements, it is only one side of the equation. For the buyer, an established animal is the key criterion, at least for experienced hobbyists. However, the older an animal is, the more resources it has used up and the more investment has been given by the breeder. For the breeder interested more in money than in quality product, it is in their best interest to sell as soon as possible before much is invested other than the maintenance of the adults. Secondly, in three or four months, several may have died and that will be a further loss to the breeder. Thirdly, there can be other incidental losses, such as killings from aggression, medications for sickly young, etc. These all end up driving the price higher, which cuts into the number of individuals the breeder may sell. So, you have a trade off as a buyer. You can buy early for less and take the chance on health, or wait for older animals and pay an increased rate for the same animal. The trade off is usually not gradually incremental, though. A fresh hatched animal may sell for $100, one that is usually 3 or 4 months old is usually two to four times that price.

[Vince3267]

I bought 2 yearling from Bert and they did arrive a lil bigger than i would have wanted, but were extremely healthy. I do worry about them taming down due to the age they were shipped. I have had some problems with them trying to bit, but lately its been getting better. The Tegu's are awsome! He told me he had a pair that was insepratable and that he didn't want to break them up. i told him perfect I will take those two. Now, these two B/W are toltally in love with each other and it is great to watch them play and flirt all day :lol: ...(i think) :P

[argentinetegu]

I buy wholesale from Bert. He has great stock. However this last batch of babies left a little to be desired. I think it will also depend on what time of year you buy them too.

Bert and Hester are great people and will go out of their way to make things right with you if you just explain what happened.

Sometimes these things are beyond their control however. I dont think any reptile dealer in the world will give you more than 7 days to claim a problem or death.

Just my two cents.

[nicolerussell]

I have two tegus, 2 aussie waterdragons, 2 beardies, one jeweled lacerta all from agama. Never a sick day...never a problem with any of them and they still live happily in my her room. I think everyone who knows me, knows Bert is someone I highly respect...I think he's a wonderful man and an honest breeder.
Beyond my personal feelings, for him I would have to say I have never had a problem with his stock or shipping. The animals arrived when he said they would in the condition he said they were in before I bought them.
As far as the tegu not eating as stated above I wonder what month the animal was shipped in. Sometimes they just are not ready to eat due to pre, post or mid hibernation mode--or stress.
Each animal who is shipped will react differently sometimes.
My first wd was a bit flighty but nothing more then any other hatchling aussiedragon. He calmed down after he attained some size and security.
The second one was in need of paxil or something. He was a nut and still is. They may be reptiles but they each have their own personality.
I really think it's an individual thing.
Many people who keep a small collection (not saying that is the case above) put thier animals under a microscope. That close attention sometimes ends up killing them in the end.
Anyone who owns ball pythons can attest to that. They have the ability to go off feed for over a year with no problems. But you tell someone with little experience that when the owner is in the 3rd month, and they don't really believe you .
They end up trying to force feed...pinky press--tube the poor snake...or they bring it to a vet who 70% of the time know less then they do and get the animal injected with things that in the end DO make the animal sick--and worse stressed to the point of no return---sometimes resulting in death.
In cases like this sometimes less is more.
Just my quarter's worth of advice.
But as far as Bert goes I always look to him first and try and find another reputable breeder only when he is not breeding what I need.
I find his animals to be hardy and strong, nice lineage. And he has great customer service too.

[varnyard]

I have bought somewhere close to 300 tegus from Bert in the past. Bert is awesome to deal with. I might also add he is a very close and dear friend. He has helped me be the tegu breeder I am today. My hat goes off to that man, my tegu mentor for sure!!

Bert, is the one that made keeping tegus what it is today, a lot of people added to it, but bert is the forefather of many of our tegus as well as other lizards.

Bert was also the one that brought in the super worms and bred them that we find in almost every pet shop in the US today.

Bert Rocks!!! :)

[toxicogenic]

I totally agree Varnyard. Bert will take the time to teach you what you need to know. He helped me out even before I got my tegu. I have never seen anyone respond to e-mails so quickly either! I think that many people out there don't know about him since he is an "old time" breeder. Nothing of color morphs and all that is more common in the pet trade today. He is a very humble man too. I had the pleasure/honor of meeting him at the Daytona show this year and we had a lot of fun. He has a funny accent too..lol. My tegu (Achilles) is doing great and is as healthy as can be and with the best temperament....no temper at all...lol! He probed him for me at the show too. I actually took video of it on my digital camera but I wouldn't know how to show you guys on here. If anyone wants to see it I will post a link or something if you show me how. And yes he was the one to bring superworms here...I don't think many people know that either. Nicolerussell, my friend held one of Bert's adult australian water dragon at the show...they are beautiful animals. http://www.www.thetegu.com/modules/Gallery/albums/album181/PICTURES_142.thumb.jpg

[nicolerussell]

Here's an article about Bert which also mentons me for a milisecond LOL
This was my 10 seconds of Agama fame :)
But the article tells alot about Bert and his life.
http://www.usatoday.com/tech/science/2006-03-20-lizard-learn_x.htm?csp=34

[toxicogenic]

Oh I read that article...hehe...didn't know it was you. It's a small world, huh?

[blair0228]

So basically Bert is the man, and he rules! You will not find a more humble man than him, and he responds to your emails usually VERY shortly. He has helped me before I got my first tegu, after I got him, and through a difficult time when due to unforseen situations somehow my Tegu died, he told me this was rare, but didn't criticize me at all, instead offered me a replacement!
So in conclusion Bert is a stud, and a personal hero to me.

[nicolerussell]

here's another:
(I like this one because it mentions what happened to Nico and the cable guy)
Montevallo man makes his living with lizards

By Nick Thomas
Special to the Advertiser

The green lacerta is a very strong lizard that can be kept outdoors as far north as southern Ohio and Kentucky. This is one of the lizards that Lengerwerf specializes in breeding.
-- Contributed photos

If lizards came with labels, lizards all over the world would bear "made-in-Alabama" markers -- even those that are not native to the state. The reason is a man named Bert Langerwerf.

You may never have heard of Langerwerf, who lives in Montevallo. But those who know their lizards probably have.

Langerwerf, through his company, Agama International, sells thousands of lizards worldwide each year -- lizards he has raised at his seven-acre property in Montevallo.

"I've bred more than 150 species so far," said Langerwerf, "many of them for the first time in captivity."

The 61-year-old is not originally from Alabama, but came here because he said it is the ideal climate in which to raise most species of lizards.

Langerwerf, who is from the Netherlands, worked as a physics teacher after graduating from the University of Amsterdam. He traveled with his wife, Hester, studying and breeding reptiles throughout Europe, the Canary Islands and New Zealand before eventually settling in Montevallo in 1988.

But Langerwerf's achievements go beyond just breeding.

Bert and Hester Langerwerf, standing in one of their outdoor terreria, display two of the lizard breeds they raise. Bert holds an Argentine Tegu, and Hester holds a small Australian Water Dragon.

Ken Marion, chairman of the University of Alabama at Birmingham biology department, said Langerwerf is responsible for some of the field's most important scientific discoveries.

While he was in his early 30s, Langerwerf determined that the sex of many lizards is determined by the temperature of the incubating eggs.

"For all turtles, most lizards and some snakes, sex is not determined by genetics or inheritance," said Marion. "This phenomenon is now called temperature-dependent sex determination."

For example, for some species, only males will be born in cooler temperatures and only females will be born in warmer ones; a middle-range of temperatures produces both. In other species, it may be just the opposite.

"This means the placement of the nest is critical," said Langerwerf. "Otherwise, a species might only produce offspring of one sex."

Twelve-year-old Jesse, a budding herpetoculturist in Millbrook, studies a green anole. "I only keep them for a little while," says Jesse. "Then I release them back to their habitat."

Langerwerf also made a major discovery about lighting requirements for lizards that has helped change the way zoos nurture and maintain them.

"In the 1970s I also realized that lizards kept indoors were not receiving the full spectrum of light like lizards in the wild," he said. "This was because window glass filters out UV light."

Ken Naugher, the conservation and enrichment manager at the Montgomery Zoo, said this was an important discovery for all lizards in captivity, including the 25 or so currently kept at the zoo's reptile house.

"Lighting is very important for a reptile's health," said Naugher. "They need the full-spectrum of light in order to make vitamin D3, which is necessary for calcium production."

Without calcium, Naugher says the eggs will develop soft and thin shells. The animals can also develop weak bones, become diseased, and die.

"Once I began supplementing their diets with the vitamin, I immediately observed an improvement in their health and breeding," said Langerwerf.

This is one of Langerwerf's Argentine Tegus.

Langerwerf, who has also authored books and published several hundred articles in scientific magazines and journals about lizards, is a sought-after lecturer who spends part of every year traveling around the U.S. and overseas to speak to lizard enthusiasts, both hobbyists and academics.

"When Bert is out of town, I do everything that needs to be done," said Hester, his wife. "It's a big job, especially feeding all the animals."

Hester maintains the family "rat colony," which the Langerwerfs raise as food for some of the larger animals. And she visits local grocery stores to recycle leftover bread and vegetables, which are used to supplement the animals' diets.

Most of the lizards Langerwerf breeds, such as Australian Water Dragons and the giant Argentine Tegus, are not native to the U.S. But both are popular species with herpetologists -- those who raise and breed lizards -- around the world. The babies generally hatch around July, and sell for $40-$50 each.

Langerwerf also raises many smaller lacerta, a colorful lizard native to Europe and Asia.

Although Langerwerf doesn't sell any of the dozen or so lizards that are native to Alabama, he says we have some interesting species that are frequent visitors to local back yards. And he is fond of reminding people how beneficial our native lizards are because they eat insects.

Before acquiring a lizard, especially the exotics that Langerwerf breeds, he advises inexperienced owners to educate themselves about the animal's requirements and consult a knowledgeable veterinarian, as every vet is not an expert on exotics.

"Reptiles have different requirements to dogs and cats," said Montgomery veterinarian Tom Makowski, who sees several hundred reptiles a year at the Pet Care Center on Wallace Drive.

"We see many that are improperly kept," he said. "Problems range from vitamin deficiency, malnourishment, and being kept at improper temperatures. Many require live food and correct lighting, which they don't always get."

Nicole Russell, who recently relocated to Wantage, N.J., has an Argentine Tegu, one of seven reptiles she has purchased from Langerwerf during the past 10 years.

Recently, the creature startled the cable man, who dropped his work and fled from her house.

"He was drilling holes and getting us set up when he suddenly saw my 4-foot lizard roaming the house," she said. "He literally ran from the house in fear."

She said he was not around long enough to discover that he was mistaken about her pet.

"He loves children," she said. "And is really the most docile, sweet animal in the world."

[nicolerussell]

The thing with Bert is you can link him to hundreds of articles documenting that he is herpeoculturalist first and a breeder second. The reasons I have highlighted him as the best is because of his dedication to learning and teaching others.

[aplusreptiles]

I bought my baby argentine bw from a vendor at a reptile show, who bought from agama int'l. So it wasn't direct, but was one of Bert's babies.
I was very pleased with my tegu's appearance. He was very clean, fat, and alert! He eats like crazy and is very friendly. He's very young, I was told under 1 month old... That seems pretty young to me, but I'm new to tegus. So, that was my experience.

[John]

I purchased a male red from Bert and was so happy the next day I called back and purchased a female. Bert is stright up and honest and truely will go out of his way for a customer if he can. Great guy to deal with!

[m432]

My Argentine Balck & White Tegu wasn't purchased from Bert, but he was very helpful when I began researching them last year. When I finally did purchase one from a local pet store, I emailed a few basic questions and he responded quickly, even though my little friend didn't come from him - he said that wouldn't prevent him from helping if he could. I interpreted that as a sign of a person who truly loves what they do, and I think that is pretty noble and integral to the progression of all species. Very cool.
Also, I ordered his DVD, "The Life History of the Argentine Black & White Tegu" and found it to be pretty cool, despite the quality of the film - a transfer from VHS.