Hello. I’ve had some prior experience years ago with a blue tegu. I’m considering buying one sometime soonish. I enjoyed the “big but not too big” size, temperament, and of course the subtle blue coloration.
I’ve been trying to look up breeders, etc, to get an idea of what I’m getting myself into. It looks like prices are a fair bit higher than what I remember!
Why are there so many hybrids these days? Why are they cheaper than pure blues? Is there a noticeable difference in size/look/temperament if I get one of the cheaper BW crosses?
I remember that blues are thought to be a subspecies of the BW so I’m assuming it’d have the least differences as a cross. I’ve never handled the other tegus so I’m not sure what the standard temperaments are of BWs, Reds, etc in comparison to blues.
I understand that there was only a small batch originally brought into the US and that some may be trying to get “fresh blood” by outcrossing. I wasn’t expecting it to blow up like this, though! Were pure blues already starting to show signs of inbreeding beyond the burnt nose? Might be simpler to just get a BW!
TL;DR: I was set on a standard blue but now there looks to be more crosses than regular ones. What’s the best option? Is getting a hybrid “settling” or the better option because of health?
I’ve been trying to look up breeders, etc, to get an idea of what I’m getting myself into. It looks like prices are a fair bit higher than what I remember!
Why are there so many hybrids these days? Why are they cheaper than pure blues? Is there a noticeable difference in size/look/temperament if I get one of the cheaper BW crosses?
I remember that blues are thought to be a subspecies of the BW so I’m assuming it’d have the least differences as a cross. I’ve never handled the other tegus so I’m not sure what the standard temperaments are of BWs, Reds, etc in comparison to blues.
I understand that there was only a small batch originally brought into the US and that some may be trying to get “fresh blood” by outcrossing. I wasn’t expecting it to blow up like this, though! Were pure blues already starting to show signs of inbreeding beyond the burnt nose? Might be simpler to just get a BW!
TL;DR: I was set on a standard blue but now there looks to be more crosses than regular ones. What’s the best option? Is getting a hybrid “settling” or the better option because of health?