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Are Tegus Legal in Canada?

Good news for reptile enthusiasts in Canada: Tegu lizards are generally allowed pets.

Unlike Monitor lizards which are banned in much of the country, Tegus are completely legal to own.

This is because even though tegus are grow quite large as adults, they do not exceed the maximum size of 2 metres and unlike monitors, they are not venomous.

All most common species of Tegus in the pet trade meet these criteria:

  • Argentine Black & White Tegus
  • Red Tegus
  • Colombian Tegus
  • Water Tegus (aka Caiman Lizards)
Tegus in Canada
Tegus are 100% legal in Canada – but hard to find.

Keep in mind that even though it is legal to buy, own, breed and transport tegu lizards in both British Columbia and Ontario, they are still a restricted exotic species and you are not allowed to release them in the wild under any circumstances.

There’s also another obstacle to obtaining a Tegu lizard if you live in Canada: an unfortunate lack of breeders in the country.

Finding a Tegu in Canada is quite difficult and most breeders from the US will not ship live animals to Canada. And even if they do, expect to pay a lot more for shipping, CITES fees and paperwork.


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