# Woke Up The Tegu!



## SERRAPYGO (Feb 4, 2003)

So, I went to Petsmart and purchased a 150 watt repti full spectrum bulb, came home, screwed it in, turned it on....and within 15 minutes of feeling the heat, he came sluggishly crawling out after six months of hibernation in his hole.

The very first thing he did was drink for about ten minutes!...still very sluggish. The first thing I noticed is how skinny he was. I'm now glad I fattened him up prior to hibernating. I offered him food...hard boiled eggs, but he wasn't in the least bit interested. He spent the day under the UV bulb. I'm expecting he'll come out of hibernation mode altogether in April and will then be a maniac.

This is the first time since I've had him that I let him go dormant for the winter. I don't think I'll do it again. I missed him!


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## His Majesty (Apr 5, 2005)

hes so cute









hopefully he will start eating soon and fatten up.


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## Grosse Gurke (Jan 3, 2003)

Damn man...that dude has lost some serious weight!

Nice heart shaped water bowl nick....you big softy


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## Winkyee (Feb 17, 2003)

Cool lil' bugger, 
I should try hibernation to see if I can drop tonnage










Grosse Gurke said:


> Damn man...that dude has lost some serious weight!
> 
> Nice heart shaped water bowl nick....you big softy


No doubt part of a complete set :nod:


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## xeloR (Jan 2, 2009)

wow that’s awesome, thanks for sharing!


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## SERRAPYGO (Feb 4, 2003)

His Majesty said:


> hes so cute
> 
> 
> 
> ...


He is cute, ain't he!







I'm not worried about his eating habits. He lives to eat!



> Damn man...that dude has lost some serious weight!
> 
> Nice heart shaped water bowl nick....you big softy


Big time weight! Since I got him 2 years ago, his growth has mostly been in body mass rather than length. And, the water bowl is not heart shaped...ya dope!

Day 2 out of hibernation: Once again, he slept and basked all day under the bulb, wich I moved lower into the tank. The lamp is now inside the tank and no longer ontop. I think I have it secured well...sure hope I don't come home to a charredhouse tommorow!









Thanks all!


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## Trigga (Jul 1, 2006)

Awesome herp you got there man... I wanna get a reptile when I come back from my vacation later this summer and tegus look cool as hell.. Are they easy to keep? Can you handle them?


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## RedneckR0nin (Nov 5, 2008)

Cool and was waiting for this thread. Glad he woke up fine and is doing well. Keep posting more photos once he becomes more active.


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## Mettle (Dec 29, 2003)

Is that a mercury vapour bulb? If so, be sure that it's not too close to your tegu, as those bulbs have recommended minimum distances.

Hopefully he starts eating for you soon so you can fatten him up again. He definitely looks mighty thin.


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## Alexx (Jan 20, 2006)

Trigga said:


> and tegus look cool as hell.. Are they easy to keep? Can you handle them?


 was gonna ask the same thing... would appreciate a little info on these guys if anyone has any


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## SERRAPYGO (Feb 4, 2003)

Trigga said:


> Awesome herp you got there man... I wanna get a reptile when I come back from my vacation later this summer and tegus look cool as hell.. Are they easy to keep? Can you handle them?


Not a begginers lizard, but easier to keep than most. Just make sure you're buying an Argentine and not a Brazilian. Brazilians are gorgeous and don't hibernate but, they are a bitch to tame down. They (Brazilians) are often sold cheap at Pet World and other sh*t stores.
Argentine tegus are very handleable!



> Mettle Posted Today, 02:12 AM
> Is that a mercury vapour bulb? If so, be sure that it's not too close to your tegu, as those bulbs have recommended minimum distances.
> 
> Hopefully he starts eating for you soon so you can fatten him up again. He definitely looks mighty thin.


Beats me! He hasn't been directly under the bulb. For some reason he lays on the outskirts of it. Maybe it's too hot. Hmm..

camera is locked and loaded!









Thanks everyone!


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## Mettle (Dec 29, 2003)

What's your basking spot at? What's directly under the bulb? Are you heating any other way?

Also, I think you mean Columbian and not Brazilian. I've never seen a Brazilian tegu. (But hey, I'm no expert so I could be wrong.) I know columbians can be evil though... Someone I know was just duped into buying two of them and she's fairly disappointed. She thought they were a colour phase of Argentines, which is what she was told, but they're just Columbians.


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## SERRAPYGO (Feb 4, 2003)

Mettle said:


> What's your basking spot at? What's directly under the bulb? Are you heating any other way?
> 
> Also, I think you mean Columbian and not Brazilian. I've never seen a Brazilian tegu. (But hey, I'm no expert so I could be wrong.) I know columbians can be evil though... Someone I know was just duped into buying two of them and she's fairly disappointed. She thought they were a colour phase of Argentines, which is what she was told, but they're just Columbians.


Oops! yeah, I meant Columbian...brain fart!

It's a 125g tank and the basking spot is right in the center, so he can go either way to cool off...and he does, often. I'm still trying to get a feel for how much heat he likes and doesn't like. In the summer months he's all nutty and crazy and doesn't seem affected either way.


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## Mettle (Dec 29, 2003)

But what's the actual temp of your basking and ambient areas?


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## Trigga (Jul 1, 2006)

How do you know which is which? I'll probably go to a reptile expo this summer when I'm looking into it but those guys will probably sell me whatever and say it's what I want it to be


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## Mettle (Dec 29, 2003)

Trigga said:


> How do you know which is which? I'll probably go to a reptile expo this summer when I'm looking into it but those guys will probably sell me whatever and say it's what I want it to be


You have to deal with a reputable vendor/breeder and do your own research. There are actually physical differences in between Colombians and Argentines.

http://www.thetegu.com/showthread.php?7290...an-vs-Argentine

If you don't know enough to tell the tegus apart, then in my opinion you need to do a lot more research first, as you probably aren't ready for one. Keep in mind that this is a species with a recommended adult enclosure of 4 feet by 8 feet by 4 feet. That's a HUGE enclosure. They also have special dietary requirements and heating/lighting needs. You need to spend a lot of time with them and work with them to make sure that they "tame down" as babies so they're not aggressive as adults. A full grown tegu can easily take your fingers off.


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## Trigga (Jul 1, 2006)

Yeah I'm obv gonna do my reasearch before getting anything


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## Ja'eh (Jan 8, 2007)

That is one beautiful lizard you have there, I my self am trying to decide whether to get into ball pythons or lizards perhaps monitors, which monitors are most handleable? Again you have a beauty.


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## Bawb2u (May 27, 2004)

Ja said:


> That is one beautiful lizard you have there, I my self am trying to decide whether to get into ball pythons or lizards perhaps monitors, which monitors are most handleable? Again you have a beauty.


While they're not the prettiest, I'm a huge fan of the Dumerils monitor, Varanus dumerilli also known as the brown roughneck monitor. They are a decent size but not huge, are very calm and can easily be handled. I used to breed them and they are great "pet" reptiles.


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## notaverage (Sep 10, 2005)

Does NOT hibernating decrease the life expectancy?

Cool to see him up and about now.

Post some vids....I miss my reptiles now.

Some day I'll get back into it.


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## Mettle (Dec 29, 2003)

Ja said:


> That is one beautiful lizard you have there, I my self am trying to decide whether to get into ball pythons or lizards perhaps monitors, which monitors are most handleable? Again you have a beauty.


There's a HUGE difference between ball pythons and monitors, haha. What's attracting you to one or the other?


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## SERRAPYGO (Feb 4, 2003)

notaverage said:


> Does NOT hibernating decrease the life expectancy?
> 
> Cool to see him up and about now.
> 
> ...


Not allowing them to hibernate effects their ability to procreate. Not a big deal for me since I don't plan to breed, anyway. He's not exactly "up and about" yet. I prematurely induced his awakening. He's still very sluggish. I expect this April he'll come out of hibernation and go full bore! I plan to powerfeed this summer because I think he is behind in growth. Gotta becareful, though because they are susceptible to obesity.

Thanks, mettle for taking up the slack!


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