Argentine Black and White Tegu, Lovable household pet or modern day T-Rex?

Argentine Black and White Tegus lovable household pet or modern day T-Rex?
By: Maggie Johnson for Weekly Reptile

Do tegus make good pets? Will my pet tegu bite me? Are tegus aggressive towards other pets? These are the questions that are constantly asked about Argentine Tegus. In this article, we will answer not only these questions but many more. We will present the facts on tegu aggression and help you make an informed decision on whether the Argentine tegu is a right fit for you.

Continue reading for:

• A description of male and female Argentine black and white Tegu
• Information on Tegu aggression
• Links to Testimonies of tegu owners
• Three fun facts
• Link to a care sheet Description

Argentine Black and White Tegu Hatchling

Argentine Black and White Adult Male Tegu

As hatchlings, the Argentine Black and White tegu is bright
green from the snout to the shoulders with black markings covering most of the rest of the body.  The green becomes black a few months after their first shed. 

One of the best ways to determine the age of a tegu is to check their size and the appearance of the bands on their tail. 

The younger the tegu the more solid and bright the yellow and black bands are on their tail. As the tegu ages, the bands become merely speckles.   

Contrary to most animals the adult male Argentine Tegu is much larger than the female adult tegu.

Fully matured male tegus can reach on average 3-4.5 ft (92cm-137.16cm) in length. 

The female tegus are quite smaller reaching up to 3ft(92cm) in length, weighing approximately 2.5-7.0kg.

Argentine Black and White Adult Female Tegu

Tegu Aggression

Like most lizards, the Argentine Black and White Tegus require frequent handling in order to tame down.  With patience and dedication, your Tegu may even become, "puppy dog tame", a term most Tegu owners use to describe the temperament of their lizards.

But on the other hand, just like most lizards, there is always a chance that your lizard's temperament may not be of the loveable, cuddly nature.  Not that they would be a super aggressive, 4ft long monster running around your house, just that they may be more stubborn and solitary compared to other tamed Tegus.

Now keep in mind that there is always a risk when handling and owning a lizard of this size, weight, and with a bite force of 1000 N. With a whip of the tail this lizard could bruise your leg, imagine if it were to bite you. But with its great power, the Argentine tegu shows limited aggression it is highly unlikely to bite you if you treat it with respect and love. 

 I think Frank Mazzotti, Ph.D., a professor at the University of Florida says it best in this video on whether tegus are aggressive or defensive.https://youtu.be/YHWOU2NoOTE?t=17

For more information on how to handle and tame your tegu read this article by Mariah Healey for 

Reptifiles. : https://www.reptifiles.com/colombian-argentine-tegu-care/handling-tips/

Tegu Owner Testimonies

1. Cuddly Tegu spoiled by his mom 
2. Argentine Tegu, the best pet lizard? By: Clints reptiles
3. Argentine Black and White Tegu By: Emzotic

3 Fun Facts

Care Sheet

http://reptilerapture.net/argentine-black-and-white-tegu-caresheet.html