Argentine Black and White Tegu Care: Information, Enclosure Requirements, Diet & Health

The Argentine black and white tegu (also known as Giant tegu) is a terrestrial reptile and a distant relative of the monitor lizard.

Originally from South America, tegus are one of the larger species of lizard that can be kept in captivity and have become quite popular as pets in the US, UK and other parts of the world.

Black and white tegus are quite intelligent, relatively easy to tame and fun to keep around, and at times even affectionate, which makes for some overall great and unique pets to care for.

Black and White Tegu Care Sheet

General Info

Scientific Name:	Salvator merianae (formerly Tupinambis merianae)
Common Names:	Argentine tegu Giant tegu Black and white tegu
Regions Found:	Southeastern Brazil, eastern Paraguay, Uruguay, eastern Argentina
Class:	Terrestrial living in savannah and grassland habitats Juveniles have arboreal tendencies
Longevity:	15-22 years
Sexual Maturity:	18-36 months
Adult Size:	4-4.5 feet
Temperament:	Generally very docile as adults

Husbandry

Housing Size:	8x4x4
Diet:	Omnivore
Foods:	Various insects, meats, eggs, fruits and vegetables.
Temperature:	Air temperature of 28-30°C (82-86°F) with a basking spot of 38-46°C (100-115°F)
Humidity:	50% – 80%

Breeding

Breeding Difficulty:	Hard
Clutch Size:	1 clutch with 10-70 eggs (average of 30)
Gestation Period:	2-3 weeks
Incubation Temperature:	30-32°C
Incubation Humidity:	80-100%
Incubation Period:	60 days

General Info

Argentine black and white tegu

The Argentine tegu or Black & White tegu, also known as the Giant tegu due to its size, is the most popular choice for domestic tegus.

Compared to other species such as the Colombian tegu, the Argentine tegu is more docile and easier to tame, even showing “dog-like” qualities at times. Because of this, it makes for a good pet and is especially suited for beginners.

Another typology of tegu often found in the trade is the so-called “Blue tegu” which is actually a morph of the Argentine black and white tegu. This specimen will look like a smaller version of the Argentine tegu, with slight blue undertones which are only visible in fully adult individuals.

Lifespan

A tegu lizard in the wild can live for up to 12 years, but in captivity life expectancy can go up to 15-20 years. Some people have reported tegus living up to 22 years. Because of this, caring for a tegu is considered a big life commitment – much like getting a dog. Make sure you do extensive research before you decide to adopt one of this animals.

Size

Tegu lizards can grow really big rather quickly. Argentine black and white tegus are the largest species of tegu and can grow up to 4.5 feet and weigh over 20 pounds as adults. Because of this, this animal is sometimes referred to as “Giant tegu”.

Keep in mind that it is not possible to estimate tegu size by age as each specimen grows at different rates based on diet and environmental factors. As a rule of thumb, males grow larger than females, and pets that are fed daily and do not undergo brumation will get larger in size compared to those who are fed more sporadically.

Tegu growth chart

Species	Max size for adult male
Black and white tegu	4’-4.5’
Red tegu	4’-4.5’
Blue tegu	3.5’-4’
Colombian tegu	2.5’-3’

Natural Habitat

All tegu species are native to South America, where they can be found in a variety of natural habitats such as the Amazon rainforest, savannas, and semiarid, desert-like environments. As the name suggests, the Argentine tegu is found in Argentina, as well as Brazil, Paraguay, and Uruguay.

Because of their high adaptability to new environments they pose the risk of becoming invasive species outside of their native areas. This is especially a concern in the United States where non-native tegus have been released in the wild in Florida, Georgia and South Carolina, where the uncontrolled growth of tegu population is a threat to native species.

Behavior

Tegus are quite intelligent animals and with proper training they can become great pets. Taming a tegu requires time and patience but Argentine tegus especially are known to become attached to their owners and may even show forms of “affection” by climbing on their caretaker’s lap and interacting with them. Their behavior is somewhat similar to that of cats – they will spend most of their time exploring their environment, hunting or eating, playing around and destroying things. They love to dig and burrow, but they have also been spotted climbing at times and they can swim. Because of their intelligence they are quite good escape artists as well, so make sure your enclosure is sturdy and secured to avoid them finding their way out and surprising the neighbors.

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Enclosure requirements

Size

When setting up an enclosure for your tegu you will need a lot of room for it to roam freely. While juvenile tegus can be kept in 10- or 20- gallon aquariums, fully grown lizards will need anything between 8 and 16 square feet of space, depending on their size. Remember that Argentine black and white tegus tend to grow quite big, and males grow larger than females. 

Temperature

Tegus are cold blooded and need sources of external heat to warm themselves up. Because of this, it is crucial to set up their enclosure in a way that offers both warm and cool spots, allowing them to thermoregulate their body temperature. Make sure to have a warm environment with day time temperature ranging from 100-110F and another cooler area inside the cage with temperatures between 80 and 85F. Not having a well lit, heated spot in the cage may lead to the tegu going into brumation during winter, in this period of time the tegu will mostly retreat to their cage and refuse to eat regularly. This is a totally normal form of hibernation that occurs in nature that will not hurt your tegu, and is actually needed for females to be able to breed. Tegu owners who are not interested in breeding generally prefer to avoid letting their pets go into brumation because they will cease nearly all interaction during this period, and may halt their growth due to the limited food intake.

Lighting 

All species of tegu require 12-14 hours of UVB light exposure per day. Ideally, let the tegu roam outside to get access to sun rays as often as possible, while keeping a UVB light inside their cage using an automated heat lamp with a 12 hours on-off schedule. A heat lamp will provide both precious UVB and a source of heat during the day. If you intend to start brumating your tegu, shorten the timer on your heat lamp to 8 or 6 hours to simulate shorter day times, and eventually turn them off completely.

Substrate

Tegus are burrowing animals which need a substrate depth of around 12-24″. Burrowing is necessary for tegus to keep their bodies active and claws filed without the need of nail trimming by their owners. As the majority of tegus come from wet areas with plenty of rain, it is important to choose a bedding substrate that holds humidity. The best substrate for tegu is cypress mulch, which can be mixed with topsoil and sand. Other DIY mixes often include coconut shells or reptisoil.

Humidity

Tegus require a high level of humidity, around 75-90%. This can be achieved by choosing adequate humidity retaining soil, by spraying the top soil and tegu itself with water regularly, and leaving a bowl of water in the enclosure every day, which the tegu will use for both drinking and “freshening up”. Make sure any water bowl you introduce to your tegu enclosure is tip-proof and big enough for your pet to soak in it. Replace the water daily.

Decor

Your enclosure needs to provide your tegu with both hiding spots and sources of entertainment. Tegus, particularly young ones, often fall prey to birds and larger reptiles and you will need to provide them with a hide box or “cave” where they can feel safe from predators and sleep comfortably. A dog kennel or large plastic bucket can be used for adult tegus. If you can get your hands on a very large hollow log, that will also do the job. Keep in mind that tegus are highly intelligent creatures and as such, they tend to get bored easily: they need to interact with their environment, play with it, and at times they tend to destroy everything in sight. Make sure to keep your tegu entertained by adding plants, barks, boxes and “toys” around. Many owners will occasionally hide their pet’s food or offer live prey to give the tegus an opportunity to scavenge and hunt as they would in the wild.

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Tegu Diet

Tegus are scavengers who eat just about anything. In the wild, their diet relies heavily on insects, plants, fruits, eggs and small animals such as rodents. In captivity, it’s important to feed your tegu a mix of meat and veggies, with the occasional whole prey, but they will most likely munch on anything you throw at them. Argentine tegus are considered omnivore, in nature they have been observed eating fruits, vegetables and meat in almost equal amounts. In captivity, it is best to provide them with a balanced diet that minimizes fats and sugar in order to avoid obesity and other potential health complications.

Food requirements

Juvenile black and white tegus should be fed a diet high in protein in order to promote growth. This can be achieved by feeding mostly insects such as cockroaches, crickets, grasshoppers, earthworms, mealworms, silkworms and snails. As they grow larger, you may be able to start feeding them pinkies and reptilinks. Eventually, you can feed them raw chicken and turkey, raw or boiled eggs (with the shell), fish and shrimp; as well as vegetables and fruits such as carrots, bell peppers, squash, pumpkins, dandelions, strawberries, blueberries, apples, grapes, cherries, cactus pads and fruits. Argentine black and white tegu will need plenty of fruits and vegetables in their diet as adults, but it’s best to go easy on fruits which are naturally high in sugar. As a rule of thumb, aim at the following diet percentages:

	Dietary requirements
Juvenile black and white tegu (0-2 years)	90% protein, 10% fruits and vegetables
Adult black and white tegu (>2 years)	60% protein, 30% vegetables, 10% fruits

Feeding schedule

How often you need to feed your tegu depends largely on its age. The younger your pet, the more often it needs to be fed. Fully grown adults only need to be fed a couple of times a week, although you may still decide to feed them daily (make sure you don’t over do it or you risk ending up with an obese lizard).

	Feeding schedule
Hatchlings (0-6 months)	Feed every day
Juveniles (7-12 months)	Feed almost every day
Subadults (1-3 years)	Feed every other day
Adults (>3 years)	Feed twice a week

Foods to avoid

• Wild caught insects
• Processed meats
• Canned food that is high in sodium or sugar
• Avocados
• Azalea flowers
• Azalea leaves
• Broccoli
• Buttercup flowers
• Eggplant
• Hemp
• Lettuce
• Marijuana leaves or flowers
• Onion
• Rosemary
• Sage
• Spinach

Feed in moderation:

• Raw eggs – can lower vitamin B7 absorption
• Banana – can lower calcium absorption
• Raw fish containing thiaminase (such as anchovies, bass, bream, carp, goldfish, tuna) – can lower vitamin B1 absorption

Supplements

Calcium supplements are especially recommended for reptiles. Choose a calcium supplement that is free of phosphorus and vitamin D3 and dust your tegus’s food with it once to twice per week. Occasionally feeding whole prey (e.g. frozen mice, whole fish with bones) can also help provide calcium as opposed to ground meats.

Finally, you may also gut load live insect preys with calcium and then feed them to your tegu. Once a week, you can sprinkle or mix some multivitamin with your tegu’s food as well. These recommendations are the same for all tegus regardless of age and species.

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Health

Brumation

Brumation is the reptile equivalent to hybernation. The process of brumation in nature lasts about 6-8 months during winter, when days are shorter and temperature cooler. During this period, the lizard appears to be “dormant”, spending most of its time inside the enclosure, conserving energy, and only rarely venturing outside for food. For female tegus, the process of brumation is crucial in order to prepare for breeding: a captive tegu that hasn’t undergone through brumation in the first couple of years of her life most likely won’t be able to lay eggs. That said, it is not necessary nor “unhealthy” for a tegu to skip brumation. When pet owners decide to brumate their tegus, they often do so in order to save time and money since the lizards won’t need as much light, heat or food until the next summer. If your tegu is currently in brumation, it is recommended to still leave some food out of their cages every week or so, and remove it shortly after if the tegu refuses to eat.

Common disorders

• Nutritional secondary hyperparathyroidism (metabolic bone disease)
• Obesity
• Dehydration
• Respiratory infections
• Obstruction from substrate ingestion

Common disorders in tegu can be prevented with adequate diet and by supplementing enough calcium. Make sure not to overfeed your tegu and limit the amounts of fruits (which are naturally high in sugar) in order to prevent obesity. Keeping your tegu in a large enough enclosure and allowing for enough room to wander and burrow will also help keeping it fit and healthy. When it comes to water, it’s important to provide fresh, clean water to your tegu every day.

The enclosure also needs to be maintained regularly by cleaning every piece of decor / furniture with detergent every couple of months and replacing the substrate once or twice a year. When feeding your tegu, it’s best to use tongs or to place the food in a bowl outside of the enclosure in order to avoid your tegu accidentally ingesting soil with their food.

On rare occasions, a tegu may drop their tail – as with other types of lizard, this is generally not a cause of concern as they can regenerate it fully. Tegus may drop their tail following an injury or if they feel threatened – when a lizard is grabbed by the tail by a potential predator, they may drop it as a survival mechanism that allows them to escape.

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