Results 1 to 10 of 10

Thread: My Gold Tegu

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Mar 2011
    Location
    Florida
    Posts
    5

    Default My Gold Tegu

    Hi everybody. Im just curious about Gold Tegu care. ive had him since 2-28-11 and from what i see there really lade back. mine loves attention and is nothing aggressive.
    all the reviews say there aggresive and mine is nice to me and my animals. im acculy holding him right now.lol.
    is there any foods i should avoid. Oh hes about 11in so hes a baby still lol.

  2. #2

    Default

    I have a couple of golds that are the same way give or take. Probably the most reasonable assumption that I have heard is that because more golds are being bred in captivity they are being selected for calmness. Mine is spazzing right now, but has never bit and even now when I pick him up he calms down. To me it sounds like you are a lucky and got a good gold.
    The babies that I am watching get fed a diet of dusted crickets twice a week, turkey twice and week and meal worms twice a week, and then just whatever I feel like on Sunday. Make sure you at least warm the turkey up first, but you don't need to cook it. I just nuke mine for a couple of seconds sprinkle on some calcium and Bon appetite. Crickets are simple to do, but smell if you get to many. I buy a dozen at time on the day of the feeding, Goop ( my gold) eats them all and I don't have to worry smelly boxes or bags. If you do the mealworms just be sure to cut off the heads. I am not sure why, but have read in several places to do it. Hopefully someone can enlighten us both on why.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Oct 2007
    Location
    San Antonio,TX
    Posts
    9,505

    Default

    Hi tiger the tegu. Welcome to our Tegu forum family and congrats on your new Tegu. It's nice to hear that your columbian is so tame . You are very lucky. The care for the Argentines and the Columbians is pretty much the same for except the Columbians don't like to eat fruits and/or veggies. Some do. Hope this caresheet helps.

    http://www.thetegu.com/showthread.ph...Tegu-Caresheet
    Rich is not how much you have, or where you are going, or what you are.Rich is who you have beside you.

    Our videos :

    http://www.youtube.com/user/txrepgirl

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Mar 2011
    Location
    Florida
    Posts
    5

    Default

    I did some research and found out why to cut the heads off the mealworms is becuase sometimes thay dont die and get swallowed and then the meal worms eat through the lizards stomach...... My Gold just sheded and is now super colorfull.=]

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Sep 2007
    Posts
    1,210

    Default

    Hi and welcome. I hope you can post a picture of your tegu in its new skin.

    I would not worry about cutting off the heads of mealworms. I think if you keep searching you'll find a dozen sources debunking that bunk. Tegus have strong, acidic stomachs that have evolved to hold and digest broken bones of their prey, carrion, and all manner of huge bugs that crawl around in tropical forests. I have personally fed no fewer than eighty gazillion kajillion and five mealworms to lizards over the years and have yet to see one crawl its way out. And that's not just tegus; even a delicate little gecko or anole can handle a mealworm

    Besides, you get yourself some nice protein up in the head end. Mmmmmmmm, mealworm brain.....

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Jun 2010
    Location
    Citrus Heights, CA
    Posts
    815

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by HernandosMom View Post
    Mmmmmmmm, mealworm brain.....
    You must be using the term "brain" rather loosely...
    "Why do blessings always come in disguises? If I were a blessing, I'd run around naked."

    0.1.0 Bearded Dragon; Spaz (aka "Monkey")
    1.0.0 Bearded Dragon; Leonidas (aka "Jaba" aka "Fatty)
    0.0.1 Ball Pythons; Lil' Bit

    0.1.0 Argentine B/W Tegu; Bozski - *rehome*
    1.0.0 Argentine A/A Tegu; Oscar - *rehome*
    1.0.0 Ball Python; Moose - *rehome*

    0.1.0 Bearded Dragon; Knuckles (aka "Kitteh"), RIP
    0.0.1 Baby B/W Tegu; unnamed, RIP

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Sep 2007
    Posts
    1,210

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by nordica View Post
    You must be using the term "brain" rather loosely...
    I have a mealworm here who is insulted by that comment.

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Oct 2007
    Location
    San Antonio,TX
    Posts
    9,505

    Default

    I thought that myth was about the superworms and not the meal worms. I have been using those worms for years and never had any problems with it. But it can happen that if the Tegu eats some worms and doesn't bask enough and he poops the next day or two that the skin of the worms doesn't get all the way digested. But this can happen with any meal. Sometimes my Tegus go to sleep ( hide ) after they are done eating.
    Rich is not how much you have, or where you are going, or what you are.Rich is who you have beside you.

    Our videos :

    http://www.youtube.com/user/txrepgirl

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Feb 2010
    Location
    Ontario, Canada
    Posts
    369

    Default

    I used to feed meal worms to my beardies and ended up having to stop as they often came out whole or actually causing an impaction.... I was told that I needed to wait for them to molt (and white) so I just stopped feeding them. I have tried my Dezie with superworms but he has never been big on bugs, he likes to hold out for the whole prey!
    Vanessa
    Ontario, Canada
    1.0.0 Argentine Black and White Tegu (Dezie)
    0.1.0 Argenitne Red Tegu (rehome)
    1.0.1 Fat-Tailed Gecko (Holly and Chugington)
    1.0.0 Brittish Bulldog (Bently)
    1.0.0 Cockerpug (Ryder) Perfect name as he "rides" everything!
    0.2.0 Children (Cadence 5, Jordan 2)
    Large Saltwater tank that contains Dory, Nemo, Marlin, Foxface, 4 Gobeys, firefish, a couple shrimps, and a grumpy Brittle Star that eats fish while they sleep!

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Oct 2006
    Location
    Central FL
    Posts
    4,349

    Default

    I don't like to feed mealworms because of impaction issues. The only thing I worry about biting are giant green caterpillars and then I only cut the jaws with a toenail clipper. I only cut them for my frogs because the frogs seem so soft.

    I have found some differences in Rick's caresheet as far as Colombians are concerned. That care sheet was written when I joined back in 2006. I think a few things have been learned since then.

    Lighting: Colombians need UVB same as Argentines. Minimum 10.0 or mercury vapor. Linear bulbs should be placed inside the screen at a distance of 6-8" from the basking site.

    Heating: Colombians do not seem to be as tolerant of temperature ranges. Mine do not care for basking temps above 110 and will go hide. I keep my basking temp at about 105, warm side temps at 90, and cool temps at 80. Nighttime is mid to high 70's. Winter temps cannot drop like the Argentines since Colombians cannot tolerate cold temps.

    Humidity: 60-70% up to 90% is preferred. Young ones like to soak in a tub.

    Food: Young lizards need more protein just as any growing animal does. My adults will eat fruit. I feed them ground turkey, ground beef, chicken livers or gizzards, chicken necks cut into sections, F/T mice, fish, papaya, mango, banana, berries, melon, cherries, grapes. I fed crickets to the little ones after they were gutloaded and dusted. Any food that does not contain bones is dusted with calcium and D3, and multivitamin is used once weekly.

    This is just how I care for mine, your mileage may vary.
    Laura R (FL)
    1.0.0 Colombian Tegu
    1.4.0 Argentine B&W Tegu
    1.2.0 Red Tegu
    1.2.0 B/WxRed Tegu
    1.0.0 Green Ameiva (yet another teiid)
    7 other lizards
    1 little gator
    3 FL box turtle
    1 Sulcata tortoise
    16 snakes
    5 fuzzy pets
    4 little frogs
    a bunch of creepy bugs
    and a partridge in a pear tree

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •