TEGU owners?

Anyone here?
Bryan

I don't keep them personally but I do take care of a lot of tegu's. Anything you were interested in knowing in particular?

Do they have too or need to hibernate? (red tegu's)
Bryan

I'm interested in them too but have not handled them yet. I've heard that one downside is the odor. Is that a problem Mike?

The only odor I've noticed is their poop! Luckily that cleans up easily

They don't NEED to hibernate but if you are intending on breeding them it's necessary to get them into breeding mode... same as cooling down snakes to breed.

Well I had ackies inside and when they pooped and if it wasnt close to basking spot it would smell for a while.
Bryan

There were 3 adult Argentine tegus at the Route 10 show. They all STANK to high heaven, though were quite docile and tame. Multiple people carried them for hours around the show room.

I would think the smell could be solved by cleaner cages and weekly baths. It is probably also dependent on the quality of diet.

I have heard that Columbian tegus are terribly aggressive and often difficult to tame. My friend Dale said "if you get a columbian tegu, do whatever you can to get rid of it, even if you have to give it away for free. Just DON'T keep it till it grows up or it will slash you to ribbons!" Haha.

If you are referring to the 3 Argentine black and whites that were there, they came from Off the Ark, and that would explain the smell. Vinnie (the owner and host of this past Route 10 expo) has 5-7 0f them housed in one undersized enclosure.I have photos of the conditions he keeps the animals in his "care" in. Unfortunately they aren't scratch and sniff, the entire establishment has a foul odor originating from the enclosures.