Fruits and vegetables are an important part of a tegu lizard’s diet, as the main source of vitamins and micronutrients they need in order to stay healthy. Tegus are omnivore and need both protein from animal sources and a wide variety of fruits and vegetables in order to thrive. Nutrition experts recommend feeding your adult Argentine tegu or Red tegu no more than 30% of its diet in the form… Read More »Best veggies for tegu
Kale is a healthy food choice for your tegu. Unlike other dark green leafy vegetables such as spinach which are high in phosphorus and oxalates, kale has a calcium ratio of 2.4:1, which means it’s higher in calcium and it can actually be absorbed by your pet lizard. And unlike other types of lettuce which are mostly made of water, kale is very nutrient dense, providing also vitamin A, C,… Read More »Can tegus eat kale?
Tegu climbing behavior changes drastically with age. All tegus are generally born arboreal (i.e. they climb and live on trees to escape predators) but move to the ground as they grow larger in size. Adult tegus are terrestrial, not arboreal, and burrowing animals that prefer to spend time on land and do not generally like climbing. That said, they are able to, if they want. This is true for the… Read More »Do tegus climb?
In animal behavior, imprinting is a form of learning that allows hatchlings and newborns to recognize themselves as members of a given species by observing their parents during the critical first days of life. Imprinting mostly occurs in bird species and a few mammals, but there’s no such a thing as imprinting for reptiles and lizards. Some species of reptile, particularly lizards and turtles, may grow to bond with their… Read More »Reptile imprinting: is it possible?
Thinking of adopting a baby tegu? These lizards grow rather quickly and dramatically, with an adult male Argentine tegu reaching the size of a small dog (around 5 feet). In the first two years of their life, however, juvenile tegus are tiny and vulnerable, and they require additional care in order to stay healthy and thrive. If you have just adopted a tegu hatchling you are going to need to… Read More »Baby tegu care: Information, Enclosure & Diet Requirements
Like most lizards, tegus can in fact drop their tails. The good news is, they can also regenerate it. Tail dropping usually occurs as a result of injury, diseases such as tail rot, or stress. In the wild, lizards will drop their tail when they feel threatened, this is a natural response to being in the presence of a potential predator: if a bird grabs a lizard by their tail,… Read More »Tail dropping in tegu
There are different species of tegu lizards, some of which enjoy water more than others. The three species of tegu commonly kept as pets (salvator merianae, salvator rufescens and tupinambis teguixin) are terrestrial and prefer living on the ground. They are however highly adaptive to different kinds of environments, from rainforest to semi-deserts, and some individuals may enjoy bathing, whereas others do not. Another species known as the Caiman lizard… Read More »Do tegus like water?
Tegus have razor sharp claws and it can make handling them a painful experience, despite their tame disposition. Unlike cats, tegus are very unlikely to scratch you on purpose (tail whipping now, that’s a different story!), but if you are keeping one around the house you’ll still want to regularly trim their nails so you don’t look like you’ve been mauled by a big feline every time it climbs over… Read More »Tegu claws and nail clipping
One of the most crucial things you can do to properly care for a lizard is to set up an enclosure or terrarium which provides all the things it needs. A less than ideal habitat may result in serious health problems, stress and general unhappiness of your new pet. What exact supplies and equipment you will need largely depends on the species you are caring for, but most lizards actually… Read More »Pet lizard supplies & Checklist
Tegus are some of the largest lizards out there, yet they are relatively harmless to humans. Tegu attacks are rare but getting bitten by a tegu can be a very painful experience that requires medical attention. Regardless, tegus that are raised in captivity develop a tame disposition and rarely show signs of aggression. Despite being harmless to humans, wild tegu lizards pose a threat to other species especially in the… Read More »Are tegu lizards dangerous?
