What Tegu Is Best For Me

[AgOOse28]

Ok so I really want a tegu but my parents are very hesitant! So I was wondering if u could list some of the best tegus in your eyes and could u give reasons why to and that would be great!!!

 

[Josh]

I would start with a yearling. In other words, a baby that isn't as fragile and vulnerable as a hatchling.
As for what type, that's more up to you than anyone else. Some say some species are more aggressive, some easier to tame, but I haven't had experience with all enough to say definitively.

 

[Rebecca Stout]

I suppose there are only two types really. The Columbian and the Argentine. What i have learned is that the Argentine does have three sub "types". Black and Whites and Reds are mostly just a color morph difference. Very mild body differences. Same exact temperaments/behaviors. The blue however, is debated about a little in as far as if its more of a type/species of Argentine tegu then just a line or color morph. I'm not sure how different their behavior is from the other two if anything at all. I'll let someone who has experience with Columbians as well as Argentines to fill you in on that as that difference is a rather big deal.

 

[Mr. Jiffy]

I will just say this: My Columbian B&W took 2 months of daily handling as a hatchling just to not tail whip me when I pick him up, and my Argentine Red (also a hatchling) is crawling up my arm out of the enclosure to be handled after 4 days.Argentines definitely get bigger so depending on your available space you can decide. Columbians are typically imported from South America which is why they cost less, and is also the reason argentines have a better reputation? Red tegus tend to eat more fruit as well compared to Columbians which typically don't. But Now that I have tamed my Columbian I cant tell a difference between the two.

 

[Jacobhreptiles]

i would aim for a female argentine if you could. no matter what they need a lot of attention and you can't slack off with em, oth species need a lot of time taming.