FAQ: General Care of Tegus

How much attention do they need?
The more you handle your Tegu, the tamer they will be. It is important to feed them and clean their cage daily.

When I hold my Tegu he squirms and scratches me. Am I doing something wrong?
Do not hold him! Let him hold you. The tighter you squeeze the more he will fight. Support him, do not try to restrain him, just let him hold onto you. Make sure he has a firm footing, letting him grab onto the front of your shirt or hold onto your shoulder will make him more comfortable. Remember that Tegus are terrestrial. They can climb but they feel more secure when they are on or close to the ground. Make sure that if you pick your Tegu up, he feels secure so he does not try to jump off. It helps if you cradle him like a baby.

I bought a Red Tegu but he is not red. Did I get ripped off?
Probably not if you purchased from a reputable breeder. When they are first born, they are quite green. Tegus can have dramatic changes in color over their first two years or so. Tegu genetics is still a bit of a mystery. By breeding multiple generations of animals with a particular color trait, that color is more likely to be passed on.

My Tegu escaped from his cage now he is lost. Can I use food to catch him?
A Tegus first instinct is to hide. He will probably not come out looking for food readily especially when people are around. If you have hard wood or tile floors you can sift flour onto the floor than when they are out they will leave tracks that you can follow. Try looking in low dark places, they generally won't climb up things as much as crawl under and into things. If you have potted plants, check to see if they have dug a hole in them. They generally don't go far. Look inside furniture. They get under a couch and end up exploring the springs and padding. They will fit into amazingly small tight spaces. The tighter the space, the more secure they feel.

Is my Tegu a boy or girl?
The only way to sex a juvenile Tegu is to probe just like a snake. When they mature, males will develop pronounced jowls. More importantly, males will have a small BB size bump on each side of the base of his tail by the vent.

 More Lizard Care Articles
 Browse Lizard Care Questions & Answers