It was about over a year, when I saw My first Tegu, at a local pet store. It was a awesome looking lizard. Beutiful colors, with magnificent markings. I liked it's snake like tongue. Very prehistorical looking. It reminded me of a minature Velociraptor! I was intrigued by it's aggression, and carnivorous activity. It was a Argrntine B/W. It was very hostile. Banging it's snout agaisnst the glass. Violently whipping it's tale at it's cage! The employee's feared it, as it was known to send employee's to the doctor for stiches.COOL! I thought about buying it. But did not have the funds. Not to mention the additional cost it would take to cage the animal! At a much later date, I came across another Argentine BW, at another pet store. Guessing by it's size, it was about 6 months. A healthy looking lizard. It to also had a nasty temperament. The lizard was being sold on consignment, for a reasonable price! When I asked to check him out. The employee had a scared look on his face. Ahhhh yeah, sure. Was his response. The Tegu was acting up real bad. I didn't want either of us getting bit, so I told him not to worry about it. The employee, refered to the Tegu as (eye candy) Of course already researching the Tegu. I knew this was typical behaviour for a young Tegu. I knew the Argentine BW, was the most docile of all the species, and capable of being quite tame, if handled on a regulaur basis. At this time I did not buy the Tegu. Months later I returned to the pet store to check up on him. Of course, to no surprise, the Tegu was still there. Who would want such an aggressive, hostile lizard for a pet? ME! I couldn't resist! I bought him that day. I had looked forward to taming him, and watching him grow. Unfourtuntely, I only owned him for 2 days! I found him DEAD, on his back, underneith the hide away bed, that is stashed in our couch! At first I thought he was crushed in the couch. My roomate arrived home only minutes before I did. He states he did not sit on the couch. Even if he did. I examined the death scene. The position, and location of the body,among other things. This theory just doesn't make sense! I called the pet store to find out about the warrenty. 7 days. The manager was quite shocked about the death. As was I. They had him at the pet store for over a 3 months. He was completely healthy. He was going to refund my money. He asked what I fed him? I said, 1 pinkie and some mealworms. He begun to sing a different tune, when I mentioned mealworms. He said. He was not fed mealworms at the store, and that they are bad. He offered store credit. At first. I thought the manager was throwing me a line of crap, about the mealworms. Later I found out, their was some TRUTH behind it. The only Tegu they had available was a Gold. It had to be special ordered. At the time, I Knew nothing about the Gold. I had them order it. A week later I went to pick him up. I was pretty disapointed when I saw him. He was very small, and quite spastic. My orginal Argentine, was about double the size. Not exactly what I wanted, I did not buy him. As I sat around my apartment, I thought about the little Tegu. I felt sorry for him. The pet store was keeping him in the saddest cage I've ever seen! The cage was about 16 inches by 16 inches. No heat lamp. No substrate. No hide spots. Of course no humidity! The little guy grew on me. I was the best shot, this lizard would have,on ever making it to adulthood. I took him home that day. Halloween! I named him Atticus. He was no more than a 1 month old, if that when I took him home. I've owned him now for 2 1/2 months.
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