meet nikkytine

[kellen.watkins]

I got my red gu from underground this morning she's a pretty girl a few concerns though one of her front toes don't work it could be broken, has a scar on the base of her tail, and all the skin from her previous shed is still on her back feet and it looks like she might lose a couple toes and is absolutely tiny for being 4 months old and absolutely skinny, I'm going to give underground a call and express my concern, if your gonna ship out damaged animals at least ask for the persons consent. I probably won't do any business with underground reptiles again. But anyways gave her a bath in warm water and shed ease I'm gonna have her humididty between 90-100 for the next few days (til all the old shed is gone) and give her a cod liver oil turkey diet. She was really calm though even after she got some heat in her.

 

[james.w]

I think I read somewhere that they feed cat food to the tegus. That would explain the lack of size if it is true.

 

[kellen.watkins]

That's horrible, how much does it cost in ground turkey to feed a baby for a month 3 dollars 5 maybe. Oh well ill have her growing and healthy in no time

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I'm not even gonna call underground I doubt it will do any good. More than likely they will deny it and its not gonna change the behavior

 

[james.w]

Ground turkey is cheap, but has to be kept frozen and thawed at feeding time. Cat food is easier, those who are in it to make money take the easier route.

I agree with not calling unless you want to send her back. Calling and complaining won't change anything.

Congrats on the new addition by the way.

 

[kellen.watkins]

Thank you well she's in good care now, I did send an email not asking for anything, explaining my concerns, and stating that I have been disappointed twice from them and I would no longer do business with them nor recommend them to anyone

 

[spark678]

I would have called and complained. I would be pissed. He needs to make it right for you. How can he not nottice that scar on his back. I am sure he is going to keep doing it to people as long as he gets away with it. Congrats on your new gu btw.

 

[Aardbark]

Even if imperfect, she still looks good. Its always nice to hear when a mistreated animal finds a loveing home. Espesualy cute Tegus!

 

[Bubblz Calhoun]

It's not just her back end that has retained shed but her head as well it also looks a little off to me like somethings not right. She doesn't look under weight in the pics to me though,.. a little dehydrated yes but not under weight. Body wise she looks fine to me,.. it's the head that's throwing me off.

I don't know if you fed her before of after these pics were taken but her tail is not too skinny for her size at least for now. Her back is pretty smooth and you can see the muscle indentations on her back in the second and third pic. If she was under weight it would be more tent like with her spine being the top of the tent.

For me it's just the dryness and the shape of her head that's throwing me off. Hopefully that will change once shes done shedding and gets more fluids in her.

But I've always had this thing for heads on animals. It's the first thing I look at, I don't care what it is,.. I pass if it doesn't look right.

 

[kellen.watkins]

I emailed them and told the and they called and offered to make it right, I told them I would keep her and not to worry about it. I am surprised they called back though

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And bubblz her head threw me off at first after inspecting closely I can see fresh new scales under dry skin. It looks kinda bad unless you look close

 

[spark678]

Tell them you want to another red gu and your keeping this one ; ). As long as your happy im glad it worked out. Sounds like nothing but a couple of sheds will take care of it and some nice loving.

 

[1000StyleZ]

I've also have a four month old "paraguayan red & white tegu" from underground reptiles, she is undersize not more so under weight and she too is very friendly despite the fact I have just purchased her in the past week... Why is it these sisters we have is so mellow natured? I don't even know but the way I see it, its our duty to get them to they true potential and they well natured mentality makes reaching that goal that much more marrier ... I'll say don't let these casualties discourage you... In a since it should be your motivation.

 

[kellen.watkins]

The guy who talked to me (rian) said they weren't 4 months old, I told him someone else has one and you told them they were. And pointed out the vids of those reds hatching were put up at the end of july and he was trying to say they were only a month old, I talked to him on the phone and basically argued with him. I've been into tegus for almost 15 years homeboy needs to try and blow smoke up someone elses ass. I told him with proper care and diet this tegu wouldn't have shed issues, then we argued about over feeding baby tegus, he says you can over feed where they can't move, I told him bs cause I would of made that happen with my other 2 lol I feed twice a day until 4 or 5 months old. And I don't want another tegu I have her and I'm gonna make sure she is taken care of the way She deserves and then some. I hope she doesn't lose a toe but I'm prepared for it.

 

[1000StyleZ]

So are you telling me I was lied to and my baby girl (kiko) is really a month old?... And why do you think she's so mellow?... I swear she's lime a puppy its not the temp neither because I have a infer red temp gun and her hot side goes no higher then 115 and her cool side is exactly 81 humidity is around 50 to 70.

 

[babyyitslove]

Regardless. ..... she's absolutely beautiful =0)

 

[kellen.watkins]

So are you telling me I was lied to and my baby girl (kiko) is really a month old?... And why do you think she's so mellow?... I swear she's lime a puppy its not the temp neither because I have a infer red temp gun and her hot side goes no higher then 115 and her cool side is exactly 81 humidity is around 50 to 70.

No what I'm saying is who knows how old ours are, I would say somewhere between a month and 4 months lol

 

[1000StyleZ]

LOL okay .... It makes since I just took her out for the 1st time Sinse I got her ... Wasn't much a hassle jus a skittish, she even left me a lil gift on my bed

 

[Rhetoric]

Congrats. Thats horrible about the cat food... It's really not that hard to stock up on ground turkey. Every time I see buy one get one I load up lol. Sometimes Safeway does big packs of it for their $5 friday things.

 

[kellen.watkins]

Lol I do the same, I go grocery shopping for my tegus but not for me

 

[kellen.watkins]

Sweet now there are black bugs crawling everywhere in her enclosure

 

[babyyitslove]

Didn't someone post something previously about getting an underground tegu with a side of bugs?
The explanation they gave them was that the substrate they use gets critters but are harmless to the animals.

Try a good soak in the tub and see if they fall off. If not, then there is another issue.