# Argentina red tegu.



## Jacobchinarian (Nov 19, 2010)

So I was thinking about gettin one of these. I love their size and docilness. I just need to know if they can be completely vegetarian. I am a vegetarian myself and it would kill me to need to feed it many mice every day. I have heard that they are primarily herbivorous but to what extent does that go? I would love one if these massive lizards and this is a pretty important question.  I would be fine with feeding insects though. I am getting a dubia roach colony started.


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## skippy (Nov 19, 2010)

No they absolutely can not be primarily vegetarian. They can survive quite well on beef heart and liver, turkey and chicken parts and large roaches(and a lot of them) though. My argentine b&ws can eat up to 15 mice a week plus organ meats in the summer, the volume of protein that they require is amazing.


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## Jacobchinarian (Nov 19, 2010)

Thanks so much. How many dubia roaches would it need a day? Like 3-6?


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## RoachGirlRen (Nov 19, 2010)

An adult would need _way_ more than 3-6 dubia roaches a day. We have a young Tegu, probably only a foot in body length (more with tail) and he can polish off a whole F/T chick in one sitting, no problem.

Personally, I think if a pet's dietary needs do not mesh well with your own, it is best to get an animal that aligns with your ethics rather than trying to alter the animal's diet. There are a few herbivorous (or mostly herbivorous with a bit of bugs on the side) lizards you may find interesting; there are some GORGEOUS uromastyx species out there, for example.


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## Jacobchinarian (Nov 19, 2010)

I would be fine feeding the occasional mouse but not as a staple. Could dubia roaches and fruit and vegetables work? Maby a mouse every couple of weeks or so. I think another problem with the mice is the cost. That would certainly add up fast at 15 mice a week.


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## Jacobchinarian (Nov 19, 2010)

Basicly what im asking is what would be a good staple diet.


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## stevetastic (Nov 19, 2010)

A good staple diet would be a varied diet with various fruits and lots of meat and bugs.  Feeding it one thing with a very occasional treat is no way to care for a tegu.


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## Jacobchinarian (Nov 20, 2010)

Thanks guys maybe I'll get an iguana or just stick with tarantulas.


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## the toe cutter (Nov 20, 2010)

Sounds like a good idea! Perhaps even a nice Tortoise maybe? Or some lovely beetles, or millipedes?


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## skippy (Nov 20, 2010)

If you want a vegetarian lizard +1 on the uromastix, they're pretty awesome. And if you can get your hands on an Egyptian, they get fairly massive as well.

There are also various iguanas(rhino, green, rock etc) and chuckwallas.


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## SK8TERBOI (Nov 20, 2010)

I also agree that a Uromastyx I had have never owned one personally but from other i know having them they are a relatively low maintenance Lizard it's that or get a water dragon or Iguana


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## Jacobchinarian (Nov 20, 2010)

Vegetarians not what I am necessarily looking for. I'm looking for a big lizard that can be mostly if not completely insectivorous. I could do maybe weekly feeding of mice, just I probably couldn't feed it mice every day.


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## skippy (Nov 20, 2010)

A full grown tegu would be able to eat 100 adult dubias in one sitting, a monitor would eat even more. The only lizard of size that I can think of that would eat mice and roaches is a blue tongue.

Maybe look into a rhino iguana, they're pretty awesome and will eat just about anything you feed it.


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## skippy (Nov 20, 2010)

Also, you could just order frozen mice online in bulk.


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## Ookamii (Nov 21, 2010)

a Green Iguana gets pretty big and thay eat fruits, veggies, meal/super worms, wax worms, ect....


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## Jacobchinarian (Nov 21, 2010)

Iguanas take more space than I can fit I suppose since I found a place online were I can buy mice in bulk then I might be able to get a large carnivorouse or omnivorous lizard. The more I think about it the less squimesh I get about feeding frozen mice.


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## the toe cutter (Nov 21, 2010)

If you don't have the space for an Iguana why get any large lizard? Argentine Red Tegus aren't that small getting up to about 4ft. And if you are squeamish about feeding rodents to their predators due to a conflict of interests, then stick with an inectivorous smaller reptile. If you cannot "deal" with the natural dietary requirements for an animal, don't get it. I'm not attempting to be rude here, just stating a simple fact of life. There are numerous other insectivorous reptiles that you may find less conflicting to your personal preferrences.


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## Toirtis (Nov 21, 2010)

the toe cutter said:


> Argentine Red Tegus aren't that small getting up to about 4ft.


Actually, up to 5' +....and you would be looking at an enclosure that would need to be _at least_ 8' x 5' x 3', so do not be thinking that a red tegu takes up small space or small food.

An adult red can look like this (not one of mine, but a large adult from a show I went to):


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## the toe cutter (Nov 21, 2010)

Exactly my point! Thanks for the pic toirtis for reference, hopefully that helps.


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## RoachGirlRen (Nov 21, 2010)

Yeah, if you lack space for an iguana, you lack space for a tegu. Tegu like to burrow and need a large footprint on their enclosure - arguably a larger footprint than the more arboreal iguana. I would really suggest a mid-sized lizard or smaller tortoise if you want vegetarian (or mostly veg) pet that will fit in their space.

BTW, this is my uromastyx...Reasonable adult size, good temperament, vegetarian, and gorgeous.





(It was sickly when I first got it & took this photo; has since put on weight. I just wanted to illustrate the color.)


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## VickyChaiTea (Nov 21, 2010)

I highly reccomend a uromastix OR a bearded dragon! The only protien the beardie really needs is crickets/roaches with the ocasional young mouse. Althuogh they do eat a LOT and food cost with them can be kinda sucky. 

You could also do Red Foot Tortoises, they do eat the ocasional cricket or earthworm. 

Blue tounged skinks are also an option, but they are not primarily insectivores. They need a lot fo veggies. 

Also, what is it with people and having overweight tegus??? Seriously. So many people overfeed theirs, it's amazing.


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## skippy (Nov 21, 2010)

VickyChaiTea said:


> Also, what is it with people and having overweight tegus??? Seriously. So many people overfeed theirs, it's amazing.


have you kept tegus before? they build up a considerable bulk in preparation for a 4-6 month hibernation every year, even the ones that skip hibernation slow down on their feeding quite a bit in the winter- my pair eats 1/5 as much this time of year.


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## Jacobchinarian (Nov 21, 2010)

Never mind I think I read somewhere iguanas need 15 by 15 by 9 feet of space. Must of read it wrong if tegus take more space than that.


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## the toe cutter (Nov 21, 2010)

RoachGirlWren that is a super nice Uro! Is that Uromastyx ornata? I'm trying to work on getting some Ornates, hopefully by next year.


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## skippy (Nov 21, 2010)

iguanas take more space than tegus. a tegu will do ok in a 6x3 but a 8x4 is better, iguanas are more active and need more vertical space in particular but you would be fine with a 8x4x6 for a large adult.


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## RoachGirlRen (Nov 21, 2010)

Jaco, there are no uniform standards for enclosure size for herps in private collections; everyone has a different opinion on them. One person will tell you that a leopard gecko can be kept in a tiny drawer in a rack system, another will tell you that any less than a 20g long is inappropriate. However, no matter how you slice it, both tegus and iguanas are big lizards that should ideally be kept in big enclosures. A full grown tegu isn't half tail like an iguana, either; it is a bulky, muscular, massive animal. I think the problem is that so many people keep theirs severely obese that they aren't the active, muscular, fleet-footed, burrow digging machines that they should be. I definitely suggest watching footage of wild tegus and then considering if you really feel you can provide an adequately sized environment in the space you have available.


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