Can anyone help id my new tegu

[txrepgirl]

Hi Tegu-T.Welcome to the Tegu forum family and congrats on your nice female Argentine Tegu.She is cute .She can get up to 4' .Good luck with her.I like her name :wink: .

[Tegu-T]

Thanks for all the help and as I say I am new to Tegus but no angelrose its not my first reptile I have a florida kingsnake hes 13, I've had a blue tongue skink for about a year and i've had numerous other animals and thanks txrepgirl I like her name 2 .
However I will ask a couple quetions such as how omnivorous are tegus?
cause blue tongue skinks r 60% veggies and 40% meat I'm guessing tegus are alot more carnivorous. Also what do you guys use for heating. Lights, heating pad. currently I have a 160V mercury vapour lamp going which keeps were cage quite warm and humid. Other than those I have no other big questions, she's pretty much tame already she was someones pet I have no idea why they got rid of her shes so nice and friendly I never will. Shes MINE. lol but ya I might ask u guys later on in the spring how to build a sturdy reliable enclosure becaue I want to make her a nice 6' by 3' or 2' for the summer. Right now shes in a 75 gallon aquarium which I'm sure she'll out grow quickly, within the year. Am I right?

[Angelrose]

Goodmorning Tegu-T,

Tegus do eat fruit. You can offer them some tropical fruits such as papaya, mango and kiwi. Some blueberries (washed well), cantelope, honeydew, little banana, seedless grapes ...
They can eat rodents about twice a week, quail, chicks, chicken, turkey, ground turkey, lamb, venison (all served raw at room temp). Once in a while hard boiled or scrambled egg. Also, fresh fish from the supermarket, crawfish, oh and mine luv scallops.

The 160 mercury vapour lamps ae very good with UVA & UVB. and depending on the weather where you are you may want to get a ceramic heat lamp or the red heat bulb for night time.
the basking (hot) end should be 90 - 110f surface temp.
the cool end about 65 - 70f with a moist hide box.
humidity should suffice at about 70%

I do not recomend using a heating pad at all. I have seen serious burns as a result of heating pads. Tegus love to bask in the sunlight. They are also very good diggers and love to burrow.

I guess one of the reasons why someone would unfortunately give them up is because their schedule becomes to busy and tegus do require attention and naturally care. All that being said, I am very happy to hear that you will take very, very good care of her. She/Tegus are worth it ...

[Tegu-T]

I have been looking at those ceramic heaters on the internet. So they rasie the temperature with adding no extra light? Can you give me the rundown on what they do where you would attach it ect. Everything about it basically I have never herd of them.

[Tegu-T]

and the weather is pretty cold I'm in Toronto, Canada so its winter right now should I add a ceramic heater do u think?

[Angelrose]

I have been looking at those ceramic heaters on the internet. So they rasie the temperature with adding no extra light? Can you give me the rundown on what they do where you would attach it ect. Everything about it basically I have never herd of them.

The ceramic heat emitter would be attached to the ceramic clamp lamp. There is no light emitted. So, it does not disturb the natural photo periods. (day,night). it's a long wave infrared, radiant heat source and creates a natural 'sun-like' heat. Also, increases the ambient air-temperature. Infrared heat penetrates the scales and the skin tissue as it widens the blood vessels and increases blood circulation.

imo, it is better than the infrared red heat bulb. Since there is no light I use this at night. I noticed with my tegus they rest better and are not disturbed.

[Angelrose]

and the weather is pretty cold I'm in Toronto, Canada so its winter right now should I add a ceramic heater do u think?

I think the 160 mercury you have now for the 75 gallon should be sufficient on the basking end but you want to check the surface temps on the basking end to make sure.

Of course, you can use it along with the 160 mercury if the temps are not warm enough.

It's also cold where I am now. So, I do use the cereamic heat lamp at night.

[Tegu-T]

Thanks angelrose u have been incredibly helpful How much do these ceramic heat lamps w/ the ceramic heater cost? Just wondering as I have to go off to school my mom is going to be taking care of her until I get back in the Spring and random weekends. So I want to make sure her temps are alright and the enclosure is good. My mom knows what to feed her and everything so she should be good.

[Angelrose]

OH! that's good to hear. TY.

Well, here the ceramic heat emitter costs about $28. The clamp lamp itself about $15.00. They also last longer than the bulb.

You may be able to get it for less on line and or a reptile expo. I'm not sure.

Sounds like you have a very caring Mom that loves reptiles also

[tupinambis]

word of warning, Tupinambis teguixin do not ALWAYS have one loreal, and Tupinambis merianae do not ALWAYS have two, there are variations, just that this is the typical situation in these species.