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• Virtually all fish in an aquarium are not native to the United States
• Most pet birds are species not native to the US
• Most reptiles kept as pets are not native to the US
• Hamsters, gerbils, guinea pigs and ferrets are not native to the US

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Argentine Tegu Care Sheet

     Curious and cute, it’s no wonder that so many reptile lovers are falling in love with the Argentine Tegu.  Although a green-headed hatchling can be an adorable pet, it can quickly turn into a handful if the owner has not done some proper planning.

     Housing a young tegu will differ somewhat from an adult.  While a hatchling can be kept in a 20 or 40 gallon aquarium, by the time it reaches adult size, it will require a cage that is a minimum of 6x3x3 feet.  A large tegu that is closer to 4 feet long and weighing over 8 pounds may even need a 8ft space.  Suitable for digging and burrowing, cypress mulch (alone or mixed with potting soil) is a preferred substrate because it is natural, it holds humidity, and it is fairly inexpensive.  Ambient temperatures of 80-85 are required for this subtropical species, with a basking area of 90-100 degrees and the ability to thermoregulate inside the cage.  Ultraviolet light is also necessary for proper calcium metabolism.  Keeping the humidity up around 70% with assist with shedding and can be achieved by a daily misting of the substrate.

     What does one feed such a pet lizard?  This is an area that needs special attention.  Some try to get by with feeding canned dog or cat food, but a tegu is neither of these.  Even canned tegu and monitor food should be fed sparingly.  A natural, whole food approach is best.  Adding variety in the diet can be accomplished by altering the type of food fed each day.  Whole foods include frozen and thawed (or freshly killed) rodents, chicks, crayfish, fish, fertilized eggs, and fresh fruits such as peaches, grapes, cherries, and berries.  Other meats, vegetables, and fruits can be offered to discover which an individual prefers.  Since lean ground turkey and organ meats do not contain the vitamins and minerals found in whole foods, they should be mixed with an appropriate reptile vitamin/calcium supplement if used in the tegu’s diet.  Apparently, eating is the favorite pastime of most tegus and they can quickly become food aggressive.  For this reason, tegus should never be fed by hand, and it is certainly questionable whether or not the tegu should even associate the owner’s hand with food at all.  It is a common practice to either feed the tegu outside of its enclosure or to place the food in the cage at night when the tegu will not see the human feeder.  Another advantage to feeding outside of the enclosure is to avoid impaction from accidentally ingesting the substrate.  Remember, these reptiles have powerfully muscular jaws, solid teeth, and a bite packs quite a punch! 

     After a new tegu is settled in his home, the bonding process can begin between lizard and owner.  While a tegu is not a true domesticated animal, they do recognize the scents of the humans around them.  Trust is an important tool to have in your pocket, one that is not to be abused.  To have the tegu associate the owner’s scent with his territory, place a shirt in his cage that has been worn that day.  Be sure no food scent is around when he is to be picked up.  Give him time to be held and crawl over his people before letting him roam freely through the house.  In time, the tegu will learn that humans can be trusted, and that he has a safe place to roam in the house.  Do not violate this trust by handling the tegu roughly or allowing him to roam in rooms that have unsafe conditions.

      Eventually the time will come when an Argentine Tegu slows down for the winter.  Towards the end of summer and beginning of autumn, he will eat less and spend more time hidden in his burrows.  It is time for the owner to respond by cutting back on the food and watching closely for signs of hibernation.  Leftover food in the digestive tract can be a death sentence for the sleeping reptile as the food rots inside his body.  Bathing a lizard in warm water encourages him to pass waste and empty his system.  Then he can be safely returned to his season of slumber. 

     Breeding tegus is an endeavor that should not be entered into lightly.  According to some, all that is required is a male and female of the same species, but more thought should be placed into the process.  Usually the goal of breeding is to continue or improve a species of animal.  When selecting tegus for breeding, only the healthiest specimens that will add to the existing lines should be considered.  Is it a robust animal with a hearty appetite, or the runtiest hatchling of a clutch that was cheaply discarded?  Although it has been debated, the female should have gone through a hibernation period the previous winter in order to enter her fertile period.  Mating occurs around April, shortly after awakening from hibernation, and eggs are laid about two weeks later.  Known to be very territorial, female tegus defend their nests until the eggs hatch.  A clutch consists of ten to seventy eggs, but the average holds about thirty.  If the temperatures are consistently kept between 86 and 90 degrees, then an incubation period of 60 periods can be expected.  It is important to remember that each animal is an individual and textbook answers are always guidelines and not hard and fast rules. 

     Laura Roberts teaches science at Circle Christian School as well as her own budding scientists.  For more reptile information, please visit www.zoomomscience.com.

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