from 2′ to 4.5’ in length. Generally speaking, the Blue Tegus tend to stay the smallest while the Giant Chacoan Whiteheads and the Paraguayan Red & Whites get the largest. Also, females tend to be significantly smaller than males, although not always.

 

Longevity

Tegus will generally live 15 to 20 years in captivity.

 

Housing

Babies can be started off in a 20 to 30 gallon tank or something of similar size. However, the smaller the tank you start in, the faster your tegu will outgrow it. These animals do not stay the size of their enclosure – they will outgrow it. A single adult can be housed in a 3’x2’x2’ enclosure and pairs can be housed in a 4’x4’x4’ cage. putting them in a larger enclosure is always a great idea but we do not recommend anything smaller. Bedding should consist of either orchid bark, cypress mulch, or a mixture of the two. Be sure the substrate you use is not treated with any harsh chemicals and is considered reptile safe. Substrate should be thick enough so your tegu can bury itself and feel covered. 24” deep will generally do the trick. A large enough hide for your tegu to retreat and hide under should always be provided. Any other decor is strictly up to the individual owner, but again should be safe for the tegu.

 

Lighting, Humidity, & Hydration

The most important thing to remember about lighting & heating is to first invest in a good digital or infrared thermometer. Many people make the mistake of assuming one bulb fits all. This is not the case since in-house or general climate varies across the world. We recommend overhead lighting as a means to attain proper temps. Your tegu’s basking area should range from 95 to 105 degrees with the ambient temperature in the mid to low 80’s during the day. Lighting should be on for about 8 to 12 hours a day and turned off in the evening. This should allow your night-time temperatures to drop into mid to low 70’s. If your temperatures go below 70 degrees we recommend a low wattage night-time source of heat to help keep the temperatures in a safe range. Another essential element to your tegu’s lighting is a good source of UVB light. This light source can be in combination to your heat source or separate. UVB helps your tegu to process and absorb calcium and other essential vitamins and minerals. Without it, serious health issues can and will arise. Humidity is ideally kept around 75%. This can be achieved through misting, proper substrate, and also soaking the substrate weekly. Tegus can experience serious shedding issues if the humidity is not kept at a proper range. When tegus are shedding, we recommend to increase your misting or soaking of it. Another common mistake is sacrificing proper ventilation for higher humidity. Simply covering up and cutting off circulation in the enclosure can leave to other issues like bacterial and fungal infections. A large water dish with fresh, clean water should always be available to your tegu from 2′ to 4.5’ in length. Generally speaking, the Blue Tegus tend to stay the smallest while the