One more question

[Phantom_Angel]

I have just one more question to ask of this forum. I think like most people who bought a tegu, I was drawn first by the attractivness of these animals, but totally hooked by the descriptions of the tameness of the Argentines. But what I wanted was a reptile to hang out with me and watch tv or sit on my desk while I work. So now that I have my Columbian, Tonka, I guess the most important question I should have asked is does any tegu, even the Argentines, really do this? I mean obviously they won't sit still all the time. But will they, on a regular basis, sit down and hang out once they are accustomed to their surroundings? Or are they movers and shakers most of the time when they are outside their enclosures? I ask this because now that I have Tonka and feel kind of bad about buying him on impulse (even though I had been considering it for 4 years and have the room for him) and the whole mess with the petstore, I want to know if and before I get an Argentine, if I take the time to tame it like I should, will it be a pet that will hang out and lounge around with me?

 

[DaRealJoker]

Columbians sorta never chill out. You might think he'll sit on your desk, but he'll bite you everytime you go near him. Argentines are from what I hear the type you're thinking of. I have a Columbian and I just hope to keep it alive for eight years if I can. I have come to a gloomy understanding with it. Leave me be and I'll leave you be. He don't chill well. Everyday is like day one. You may get a few days of "COOL" but it all resets so easy. I'd keep the Columbian for show, and work on getting an Argentine B&W That's what I plan on doing myself. I really beleive Bobby (Varnyard) and think the A B&W is the only way to go. If you look around everyone who has one is holding them, and walking around and what not. Columbians aren't that social. In fact not social at all.

 

[DaveDragon]

All our Tegu's like to walk around. They might chill for a few seconds to a few minutes, but they like to explore, probably looking for food.

 

[Gx3]

If you want a reptile that will just sit in your lap and only move around in your lap and not go anywhere check out a blood python. I have a Borneo short tail and he is the most relaxed/laziest snake ever. My red is still young but he will chill in my lap if i hang out by the window and theres some sun on my lap, he'll sit there and bask for an hour or so and hardly move. However, he is very curious and loves to run around my tegu-proofed apartment lol.

 

[Phantom_Angel]

I have to say Tonka is pretty awesome in that there have been a couple of days in a row that when I came home he was already asleep and I didn't bother him. And during that time I didn't feel that any of the work I did with him was undone. I don't even really feel that he will bite me anymore as long as I don't just reach in his cage and grab him. I mean this is a tegu that ran back to me for protection when he heard the dogs barking. But at this point I would not put him out on my desk with 3 dogs around and I don't know if I feel he will ever get to that point. It's funny because the reason I asked this question, is that I found a pretty mellow ball python today. And I thought that though I don't prefer snakes to lizards, if I want something to hang out with me, a python or boa or some sort of snake might be the way to go. I just had my heart set on a tegu, but I am limiting myself to one more reptile so I can't have both.

 

[DaveDragon]

We have many snakes and lizards. Most of the snakes like to chill but they don't have the "personality" the Tegu's do. Actually I'd put the Cuban Rock Iguana in the same class as the Tegu's, he's very inquisitive and will look at me when I talk to him. I have had a few of our snakes "run" back to me for protection when they got scared.

 

[DaRealJoker]

Beardies and Iggies are quite mellow. One friend of mine has a Beardie that is very calm and sleeps on him, and onther of my friends has an Iggy that is the same way. In fact he takes his Iggy out for walks to the mall and the beach in the summer time. Only thing I would suggest when walking your pets is to obtain a welders glove, as Iggies have big claws and have to hold on to something right?

 

[lizardboy101]

My male Chacoan likes to sit and chill out when Im laying on my bed watching TV. There's some days he does this and others that he just wants to walk around. My female B&W on the other hand wont sit still for the life of her. She likes to be constantly moving and running around