Bastian and the Tegu

These photos were taken the first night we had my DH's new tegus home during free roam time.

*****DISCLAIMER*****
It is NOT a good idea to let your cats try to play with your reptiles!!! In these photos Bastian was showing an unsafe level of interest in the lizards, and I posted a thread about this in the Behavior forum. It just so happened that DH was taking photos of the lizards at the time and Bastian happened to be in them too because he is naughty! This is something we are going to try to work on, but since this night Bastian is kept in a seperate room while the lizards are out to play.



Bastian sniffing Snoop's very powerful tail. I let him sniff, but then he started to follow it like a teaser toy so I had to scold him. He laid down on the floor to watch the tegu walk around, but when Goose came by he just couldn't resist reaching out to touch those scaly toes. Here you can see Goose shoving Bastian's paw away:


At which point I scolded him again (he is looking up at me in the photo) and moved him away. I eventually had to put him in the other room though because his curiosity was too much for him to bear! I hope he will eventually learn that lizards are not toys, and he won't have to be locked away when the lizards are out.

One more, just because I love this photo of my DH having a cuddle with Snoop:


The new tegu cage will be delivered in a few hours! I am so excited to get it set up. It was supposed to be here last Friday, but it wasn't ready because the glass for the doors didn't come in on time.

GORGEOUS tegus. The cat is lovely too!

Wow! You really get an idea of how big they are in these photos. I had no idea based on the original pics you posted of them. They are beautiful... and good sports to put up with Bastian's curiosity.

They are cool! However, I found myself completely distracted by Bastian's utter gorgeousness!!

Did you get your new cage? I'd love to see it when you get it set up.

Bastian is amazing and the tegu's are too.... I love them. They look like they've settled in great, and Snoop looks adorable in your hubby's arms.

Thanks for all your comments!

Originally Posted by Snake_Lady

Did you get your new cage? I'd love to see it when you get it set up.

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We just have the basics set up right now; still need to get some cage furniture in there for them to climb on. They are really enjoying their new hide and digging in the mulch, though. Here's a few pics:

Reptiles are potential carriers of salmonella. I suppose it is possible for parasites to be transmitted back and forth. Other than that, I'm not aware of any diseases than could be transmitted from one species to the other.

Originally Posted by NinaCaliente

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Oh wow, after seeing the pics of the teg's and Bastian, then going to the cage, the cage looks huge. It looks great and the tegu's look to have ample room.

Originally Posted by NinaCaliente

Reptiles are potential carriers of salmonella. I suppose it is possible for parasites to be transmitted back and forth. Other than that, I'm not aware of any diseases than could be transmitted from one species to the other.

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Salmonella is the only one I know of as well. I "believe" that fleas and other parasites are host specific. I know that snake mites do not affect humans, other animals/reptiles, but that's the only parasite that I know for sure.

Have you ever caught salmonella from your reptiles? I haven't....in 8yrs or so of keeping/breeding snakes and lizards, bites from beardies, iguana's and snakes, I've never had an issue. Have you? I'm just curious

Originally Posted by Snake_Lady

Have you ever caught salmonella from your reptiles? I haven't....in 8yrs or so of keeping/breeding snakes and lizards, bites from beardies, iguana's and snakes, I've never had an issue. Have you? I'm just curious

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Nope, it's never been an issue for me either, and I don't actually know anyone who has caught salmonella from a reptile.

Wow.... BEAUTIFUL tegus. I want an Argentinian Tegu sooooo bad!