Columbian Tegu?

Okay. SOOO I don't know if you can tell or not, but me and my family are huge on animals LOL We have a small zoo, but I must say I love it.

There are several animals I want... a chinchilla, finches, big snakes, blood red cornsnakes, more cats, more frogs, fish... and recently, a Columbian Tegu.

I saw one on Craig's List. Our parents have banned us from getting anything furry; we don't have the resources like we do for the reptiles. SO, when I saw this Tegu, I fell in love. Black is my favorite color (surprising, eh?) and this lizard is black and white.

It's not the Argentine Tegu, which is a few feet bigger. This one is around 2 feet and it's a cutie! I want it so bad. But in doing research, I found people divided on them: some say they are too aggressive, some say after handling them every day and devoting yourself to them, they are so nice. My dad has seen some, and he thinks they're very cute, and he seems to be encouraging me to get it. I have no problem with them being semi-tame at first; I love animals, and I speak to them, and a lot of people say I have a knack for "talking" to them, as it were.

Does anyone have experience with these Tegus, or know some info on them? It's a GREAT deal, and it'd be a nice addition to our family

Thanks!

Is it wild caught? That right there will answer how difficult handling it will be.

Nope, not wild caught. They've raised her since she was a baby. I am getting her this weekend, and I'm UBER excited!!!!

The lady is real experienced with her, and is going to teach me somethings when we meet up.

It's going to be so cute, because my brother named his Savannah Monitor "Samson." So, as you would guess, I'm going to name my Colombian Tegu "Delilah." I am so happy! I had to BEG my mom. But yay!!!

Do you have a good herp vet already? If not http://www.herpvetconnection.com/ and http://www.arav.org/ may be able to help you find one near you.

... good luck with it.

lol Lore, I have a feeling you're thinking the same thing anyone who has heard of them is thinking.

Yes, they're "known" to be aggressive. The lady I'm adopting her from has worked with her a lot, and says she just needs a little more work before she will be completely "tame." As far as reptiles go, anyway I'm not scared, really. I'll be cautious, of course, but I love working with all animals and seeing them improve in the right way. If the animal gets mad at me or bites, etc., then it's my fault and I'm doing something wrong, not theirs.


As for the herp vet, my dad is one. So we're all good

Nope I was just biting my tongue.

If it were ME? I wouldnt have jumped the gun on this one, knowing that there is 'Repticon' the Reptile Expo coming up the weekend after next that you said you are going to, where there will be such a variety of Reptiles, Snakes & Amphibians to look at, choose from, straight from the breeder. Young ones, Juvanille & Adult, Specimins.

If it were 'Me' that would have been my decision over a Craigslist listing.

But instead of getting preachy, which my post origionally was... I changed it.

to: ... good luck with it.



Scared of getting bit? LOL, nah... That just goes with the territory of working with these kinds of animals, I've had my fair share of those & anyone that jumps into that kind of hobby has an idea that its a possibility Kind of like with Cats, you are GOING to get scratched. lol, its just a part of owning them.