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Thread: Rescue Red Tegu- Need Some Help!

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Dec 2010
    Posts
    5

    Default Rescue Red Tegu- Need Some Help!

    Hey everyone, I'm new to this forum and I'm here looking for some help with this little project that Ive taken on!
    First of all here's a video suming up my problems and some of my questions: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E1L4_-YoYN8

    A little back story...
    So yesterday I 'adopted' Cleo. Cleo was handed over to a small zoo that I'm affiliated with almost a year ago- she was extremely unhealthy and malnourished. Over the time up to now shes been taken care of and is in much better condition. The only problem was that the zoo was not a reptiloe zoo by any means and didnt have the know how or space to give her all the care she needs. Now, I've wanted an argentine for a couple years now and have been keeping herps for about 8 years so I offered to take her home and give her the life she deserves!

    As far as her health and my actualy questions for her...
    These are better seen in the video but cleo has a forked tail, but not a forked tongue, I've never seen this before... I was wondering if anyone has seen either of these and why it might have happened?
    Her one eye rarely opens and if it does it only opens a slit, I'm fairly lost on what to do with this... I was thinking maybe putting a warm cloth on it or tried to gently open it with a q-tip to get a better look?
    And lastly and probably most importantly, Cleo seems very lethargic for a tegu. Shes always sleeping and rarely moves around the temporary enclosure i have her in... I was wondering what kind of diet I should be using to get her back to full health?

    Thanks for any help with my questions! I really appreciate it, any help to give this tegu the life she deserves is awesome! And I'm also extrememly welcome to any general care tips as this is my first tegu endeavour!

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Feb 2006
    Location
    Las Vegas, NV
    Posts
    746

    Default

    Welcome to the site and to tegus.

    There's only one way to find out or get a better idea of what's going on with her eye and that's to take her to a Vet. It could have been caused by the light her previous owners used,.. since coil bulbs have been known to cause eye issues and blindness.

    But my first thought with everything that's going on,.. is trauma possibly from being housed with another tegu, or pet. Her tongue, eye and her tail are issues that she has been dealing with for a long time. In the beginning of the video I noticed that she kind of tilts and holds her head to the side but after seeing her eye that's understandable.

    As for care and feeding you should take some time and look through our Helpful Information section. There's a lot of need to know info in there a great place to start would be with this food list.

    http://www.thetegu.com/showthread.ph...Tegu-Caresheet

    Also a rundown of your set up and how you're keeping her would be nice as well to help get her on the right track. Enclosure size, lights, substrate, temps, what you're feeding so far and things like that.
    0.1.0 BP (Spiral) aka Rita Wayward
    2.1. Dogs (White Boys "Powder", Paw Paws "Achilles" & Panini)

    " 14 July 2010,..Always Remembered"

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Oct 2006
    Location
    Central FL
    Posts
    4,349

    Default

    I agree with Bubblz that a vet trip is in order. I don't have time to post now, but we can help if you tell us more about your set-up. The eye looks infected and will need some drops/ointment.
    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

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Jun 2010
    Posts
    183

    Default

    Yeah I agree with needing to see a vet for that eye. As for the tounge/tail, that happens when they're kept with another animal. Tongues get bitten off and tails that don't break off all the way fork like that.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Oct 2005
    Location
    Tampa, Florida
    Posts
    51

    Default

    Congrats on your new tegu - I watched your video and you have a beautiful curious tegu with a nice fat/healthy tail. However, I think you have a male and not a female (check out the jowls).

    I too believe a reptile/exotic vet is very important right now. I took home a red last year that was in very poor shape - he is now thriving and parasite free -- check out my post about this:
    http://www.thetegu.com/showthread.ph...ldn-t-go-away!

    Good luck & please keep us updated!

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Oct 2007
    Location
    San Antonio,TX
    Posts
    9,505

    Default

    Hi SesameSeed. Welcome to our Tegu forum family and congrats on your new Tegu . The other members took the words out of my mouth . It's good to see that you let him roam around in the yard. There is nothing better then natural sun light. But it is very important the you have a basking/UVA/ UVB light for him. The reason why I'm saying him because it looks like he is a male and not a female. The jowles are very big. I have a video for you to check out so you can see where to check for the beeds. This is another way to see if he is a male or female. I believe, too, that your Tegu got the tounge bitten of. I kind of love the look of his tail . It's very unique. The reason why he/she lost some toes is because of some shedding problems.

    Food: ground chicken/beef/pork ( well the turkey was on recall now ), chicken gizzards/hearts, liver, turkey/chicken breast, fresh fish filets ( salmon, tuna, cod, cat fish, tilapia, shrimps ... ). He
    Hard boiled eggs, sweet fruits, veggies. The foods should be at room temps. You can put them in a zip lock bag and put it in some hot tap water ( not boiling ) to warm them up. Same with the frozen/thawed rodents.

    How to sex a Tegu:

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z0xDQs66-RU

    Tegu tail kink info:

    http://www.anapsid.org/tailkinks.html

    http://www.anapsid.org/shedding.html

    Where to bulk order rodents. I have ordered from them for many years now and I'm very happy with them.

    http://www.rodentpro.com/

    http://www.rodentpro.com/qpage_articles_01.asp

    A video I made from the package and products I recieved from Rodentpro.

    http://www.youtube.com/user/txrepgir...13/FKhcqfsUNRA
    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

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