Tegu Pricing and Over Seas Shipping

[Sophie Wilson]

This may seem like a dumb question, but why are Colombians so much cheaper than Argentines and Reds? I see The reds and argentines go for 300 euro plus, and I see that the Colombians go for as little as 80 euro! I'm currently in Germany and heavily looking into purchasing and properly caring for a Tegu! I know that Colombians have a stigma about their attitudes, but that cannot be the full reason for the dramatic down pricing, can it? I know as well that supply and demand can be a thing, but that is a huge price drop! Along with that, there are not many places in Germany that breed or have Tegus in general (atleast not locally to me), and I have a friend who knows a good breeder in the states who is willing to ship. However, over seas shipping seems kind of scary? I know some websites and breeders do trust it with express shipping, but would that take too long and harm the animal? I've never had such a hard to acquire animal, so I am really making sure to touch all my bases here! Thanks again for all the help! Sorry if I seem naive or clueless, I kind of am, but I really am not trying to go into this with little knowledge of the investment I am about to make.

 

[grapebasil]

Hey! I am not sure as to the actual reason, but Columbians are less popular as pets due to their being notoriously more skittish. Because they are cheaper, they often end up with first time tegu owners who aren’t equipped to deal with their more high strung personalities. Most Columbians are not captive bred but instead hatch on a farm and are imported to stores in the states at least. I have heard rumors that Columbians are actively bred in the UK the same way Argentines are here, but that may just be a rumor.

In short, I would hazard a guess that Argentinians are more expensive because they are in higher demand and because they are captive bred. In my opinion this ought to be the other way around; the high price of the tegu in some sense ought to signify to the purchaser that this is an involved and expensive creature to own. If you are a first time pet owner, and you cannot afford an Argentine, then you cannot afford a tegu. Columbians make great pets - we have one - but they are, from what I have read, much more labor intensive. I have a background in working with very skittish and abused animals and so the more aggressive and stand offish nature of the Columbians is less frustrating to me that I imagine it would be to someone who wants a pet that tames down quickly and becomes a cuddle bug.

Price should serve as a buffer to keep people who are not willing to invest in the animal
from purchasing it. Sadly this is not always the case.

Tegus are super rewarding critters to own - even the Columbians. But in order to have a good experience it’s essential to view the price as an investment. You want a healthy animal that has been well bred and kept, and those are, for better or worse, more expensive.

Hope that helps!

 

[grapebasil]

As for overseas shipping, I would not risk it unless you know of people who have purchased from this breeder before and received their shipments in good health. Recommendations are everything. I would encourage you to find a breeder somewhere in Europe, but I am also a Nervous Nelly about shipping live creatures. The important thing to ask and look for is safe packing practices and a live arrival guarantee. When we ordered our gu, we conversed for a long time with the seller to find a day where temperatures would be in the right range, and we ended up picking her up at the post office rather than having her sent to our house because it was just that much safer. I would talk with the breeder and ask how they pack, how they ensure temperature regulation, and if they will guarantee live arrival even overseas. If it sounds fishy, it probably is. We ordered from Underground Reptiles, and they have a video explaining how they package and ship their animals that would be worth watching just to get an idea of what your breeder should be doing. Also check the recommendations forum before you choose a breeder; some are known scammers.