Western
New York Herpetological Society
www.wnyherp.org
©
2001- 2002 by Western New York Herpetological Society
This
document is for guidance only and should not be used as the sole source of
information. New information is being developed daily. It is recommended that a
concerted effort be made to maintain up-to-date knowledge of the animals of
interest.
Common
Name:
Columbian Black and White Tegu
Latin name:
Tupinambis teguixin
Native
to:
Can be found throughout the Amazon Basin, especially
Columbia
Size:
Adults reach between 3 and 3.5 feet in length and
usually weighs about 8 pounds.
General
appearance:
The common tegu has black and white stripes or spots
with smooth scales and are similar in build to monitor species. Care should be
taken to not confuse the Columbian black and white tegu with the Argentine
black and white tegu (T. merianae). The Argentine tegu is larger and (reaching
up to 4.5 feet in length) and often have a more distinctive striped pattern.
Tegus should not be confused as monitors, which are strictly and old world
species. Tegus fill the same ecological niche as monitors and are an example of
convergent evolution.
Housing
requirements:
Enclosure:
Adult tegus require a large enclosure. Generally the
enclosure should be at least six feet in length and three feet in width. These
lizards are primarily terrestrial and do not necessarily require a large
vertical space to climb. A good general rule of thumb for an enclosure should
be twice the length of the animal in length and the length of the animal in
width. Tegus enjoy soaking and the occasional swim, so a large water dish that
they can soak themselves should be provided. A hide box should also be provided
at all times.
Temperature:
The Columbian tegu is a tropical species and should
be kept warm with a fairly stable temperature gradient. Ambient temperature
should be approximately 85° F with a basking spot of 100° to 110° F. Nighttime
temperatures should be about 75° F.
Heat/Light:
Both UVA and UVB light is recommended for these
lizards and can be provided with proper fluorescent bulbs. Heat can be provided
with infrared heat bulbs, basking bulbs, or ceramic emitters. Newer Active UV
bulbs now available can be used as well. These selfballasted bulbs provide UVA
and UVB light as well as heat.
Substrate:
Tegus like to burrow and will appreciate a substrate
that they can burrow through. Care should be used when selecting a substrate
because some substrates may cause impaction, especially in juveniles. Substrates
like newspaper and indoor-outdoor carpeting are easy to clean but do not allow
for burrowing. Substrate like peat moss and/or vermiculite holds humidity very
well and provides for burrowing but can be very messy. Under no circumstances
should cedar be used, since it has been proved to be toxic. Pine shavings are
also not recommended.
Environment:
Because tegus come from the tropics, the enclosure
should be kept in a humid environment. Ambient humidity should be at least 40%
and greater is usually preferred. It may be necessary to block a portion of a
screen top to achieve this level of humidity.
Diet:
Tegus are natural scavengers as well as predators.
As such they require a large and varied diet. Tegus can be fed rodents, small
insects (such as crickets, mealworms, and others), canned high quality dog or
cat food or even commercially prepared tegu diet. Ground turkey can also be
used as well. Unlike monitors, tegus do require fruits as part of their diet.
As much as half the diet for adult tegus can consist of fruits. Juvenile tegus
generally will require more protein than adults. A good reptile multi-vitamin
is also suggested to help keep the lizard healthy. As with all captive animals
live or wild prey is not recommended due to the risk of injury and parasites to
the animal. When feeding tegus it is not recommended to use your hands because
they will often associate your hands with food and can become hazardous to
handle. When feeding use tongs or a tray to avoid this problem.
Maintenance:
The enclosure should be spot cleaned daily and
disinfected weekly. If using indoor/outdoor carpeting it is recommended to have
at least two sets for ease of cleaning. This will allow you to simply swap the
clean carpeting for the soiled so you may clean it. A 5% bleach solution is an
excellent disinfectant. Be sure to thoroughly rinse the enclosure and carpeting
before placing the tegu back. The water dish should be emptied and cleaned
daily as soaking tegus will often defecate in the water dish.
Other
references or recommended reading:
Sorin,
Eric and Leslie, Hal. “Tegu Species Care Sheet.” Updated 27 March 2000.
Retrieved 18 January 2002
<http://www.stanford.edu/~esorin/KarnivorHerpCare/tegus.html>
Temelli,
Pinar. “Monitors & Tegus And Lizards.” Retrieved 18 January 2002
<http://www.thesnake.org/monitors.html>
Flank
Jr., Lenny. “Captive Care of the Tegu Lizard.” Retrieved 19 January 2002
<http://geocities.com/RainForest/2421/tegu.html