Argentine/Colombian Tegu Care Page

Reptiles aren’t like dogs and cats that can simply roam around your house all day. They are very sensitive to their environment, and need their own enclosure set up according to their specific needs. This guide covers everything you will need to care for your pet tegu properly.

Argentine tegus (genus Salvator) need at least a 8’W x 4’L x 4’H enclosure. Colombian tegus (genus Tupinambis) need at least a 6’W x 3’L x 3’H enclosure. These are the bare minimums for each species, calculated according to the reptiles’ average lengths and activity patterns.

However, if you can provide an enclosure with more floor space and height, do it! Housing your tegu in a larger enclosure will encourage it to be more active and demonstrate more natural behaviors, which in turn encourages better mental and physical health.

Regardless of your tegu's age, we strongly recommend starting off with the full-sized enclosure. If absolutely necessary, a hatchling could be housed in a bare minimum of 4’x2’x2’ for the first 2-3 months, but will need to be upgraded quickly as they grow. Juvenile tegus are perfectly safe and content living in an adult-sized enclosure.

Substrate is the material used to cover the floor of the enclosure. This aspect of the enclosure is important for tegus because it contributes to overall humidity levels, promotes natural behavior, helps keep nails filed down, and may even support your pet’s joint health!
Tegus love to dig and burrow, which means that they should have 12-24” of loose substrate. However, deeper is definitely better whenever possible.

The best substrate for tegus is a DIY mix of roughly 40% untreated topsoil + 40% Zoo Med ReptiSoil or sustainably sourced peat moss + 20% play sand. Topsoil must not contain any fertilizers, manure, or perlite/vermiculite - read the ingredients! Mix well, soak until moist, then pack it firmly at the bottom of the enclosure.

You can also use a pre-packaged substrate, though this can be quite costly for such a large, deep enclosure. Depending on the brand, you may still need to add some topsoil (if too dusty) or sand (if too muddy) to reach desired consistency. Here are some recommended commercial substrates appropriate for tegus:

The BioDude Terra Firma

ReptiChip

Whatever substrate you make or buy, scattering leaf litter on the surface will help hold moisture. Mixing in some sugarcane mulch and/or coconut fiber can also keep things nice and humid.

Bioactive
We strongly suggest considering a bioactive enclosure for your tegu. While traditional housing depends on the keeper for maintenance, bioactive setups are more or less self-sustaining, miniature ecosystems. Our DIY mix or BioDude Terra Firma can easily support bioactivity and live plants with the addition of a “cleanup crew” (CUC) of isopods and springtails that clean up uneaten food, plant matter, and fecal remains, making bioactive substrates incredibly low maintenance. The substrate doesn't require replacement, all you need to do is wipe off heavily soiled surfaces and remove large pieces of waste. Spot-cleaning an 8-foot enclosure with such a large, active lizard can be very laborious, so bioactivity is a great way to go for tegus!

Reptiles are much more intelligent than we humans tend to give them credit for, and that means they need things to entertain them. Otherwise they exist in a state of perpetual boredom, which makes them dull, inactive, and overall less interesting as pets. When reptiles have objects to interact with in their enclosure, they become less stressed and more engaged with their environment. This practice is called environmental enrichment.

As a particularly intelligent and active pet reptile, enrichment is especially important for keeping tegus as pets. This is something you cannot skip! Here are some other objects that serve a vital function in a tegu’s terrarium:

UVB is important for enabling vitamin D3 synthesis, strengthening the immune system, and encouraging proper organ function. It also stimulates the production of serotonin, a feel-good hormone. When tegus don’t get UVB, they can become D3 deficient, which leads to Metabolic Bone Disease (MBD). UVB can’t just be replaced with a vitamin D3 supplement for tegus!

UVA is important for allowing full-color vision, because tegus can see UVA wavelengths (humans can’t!). It is suspected to play a role in mental health and appetite, as the radiation is sensed by reptile pineal glands to regulate circadian rhythm.

The 6500K daylight lamp provides extra illumination at a color temperature that is similar to sunlight. As diurnal reptiles, tegus are highly stimulated by having a well-lit environment during the day. Bright daytime lighting is likely to encourage more activity, better appetite, and better mental health.

Infrared radiation (i.e. heat) is important for reptiles' thermoregulation. As ectotherms, they rely on the heat of the sun to warm their bodies and stimulate their metabolism, digest their food, and stay alert and active. The shorter the wavelength, the deeper it can penetrate their muscle tissue. In captivity, we can provide this with specific heat bulbs that emit the most beneficial infrared wavelengths (IR-A and IR-B).

All light and heat should be kept on a regular schedule using outlet timers or done manually. This allows for a predictable day/night cycle which the lizard can follow, allowing for natural hormonal rhythms and good mental health. We recommend the following schedule for tegus, based on their natural environment:

Tegus need plenty of strong UVB in order to stay healthy and must be provided with a 10-14% UVB output T5 lamp. The best output for your setup is calculated by the distance between the lamp and the tegu’s head while standing on the basking surface (see our chart below). We recommend Arcadia or Zoo Med brand linear fluorescent tubes, as these brands produce the best and most reliable UV lamps on the market.

The bulb should be roughly half the length of the enclosure in order to create an appropriate UV gradient, and placed on the same side as the heat lamps. So if you have a 8′ long enclosure, you will need a 46” T5 HO lamp.

Best UV bulbs for tegus:

Zoo Med Reptisun T5HO 10.0

Arcadia Desert 12%

Arcadia Dragon 14%

Distance and Mesh
The strength of the UVB lamp’s output varies according to distance from the bulb - stronger when closer, and weaker when further away. If you are using a Solarmeter 6.5 to measure your UVB lamp’s output, the UVI (UV Index) reading should be between 3.0-4.0 on the basking platform, and down to 0 on the cool side.

If you don't have a Solarmeter, here is an estimate of how far away your basking platform should be, based on which bulb you are using and whether the lamp is mounted above or below mesh:

These measurements are based on Vivarium Electronics T5 HO / Arcadia ProT5 fixtures. If using a Zoo Med hood fixture, please reference this chart.


Fixture
To optimize your UVB bulb’s performance, you will need a high-quality reflective T5 HO fixture. Some lamps come in kits that already include a fixture, such as the Arcadia ProT5 kit. Otherwise, Zoo Med and Vivarium Electronics make various fixtures for T5 bulbs.

Arcadia ProT5 Kit

(12% or 14%)

Vivarium Electronics T5 HO Fixture

Zoo Med T5 HO Terrarium Hood

T5 bulbs last 12 months before requiring replacement, as their UVB output decays over time. Off-brand UVB bulbs are likely to have shorter lifespans and unreliable output. Avoid “compact” and coil UVB bulbs, as these cannot properly distribute a UV gradient across the enclosure.

It takes a lot to light a large enclosure, and a cluster of heat bulbs plus a UVB bulb or two isn’t going to be enough to provide the bright light that a diurnal reptile needs for simulating natural sunlight. The brightest reptile light fixture currently on the market is the Arcadia Jungle Dawn LED Bar, which emits 6500K color temperature, filling out the light spectrum and supporting plant growth. They’re expensive, but the sheer output of bright, beautifully white light makes them worth the investment. We highly recommend installing one or even two ~6500K lamps in your tegu’s enclosure.

Arcadia Jungle Dawn LED Bar

Sunblaster 24" 6400K LED

Like other reptiles, tegus are cold-blooded. Tegus require variety of temperatures within a certain range in order to properly regulate their body temperature:

1. Basking surface: 125-135°F
2. Warm side ambient: 90-100°F
3. Cool side ambient: 75-85°F
4. Nighttime: 65-80°F (Night temps can drop as low as 55°F, but shouldn’t be higher than 80°F)

All heat lamps should be turned off at night and kept on a regular day/night cycle that matches the same schedule as the UVB and daylight lamps, allowing for a natural temperature drop and a healthy circadian rhythm.

To track the temperatures in your tegu's enclosure, you will need a good thermometer. Temp gun-style infrared thermometers are useful for measuring surface temperatures anywhere in the enclosure. However, digital probe thermometers are useful for being able to track local air temperatures at a glance. It's best to have at least 2 thermometers to measure temps on each end of the heat gradient. Here are some devices we recommend for measuring temperatures:

Zoo Med Digital Thermo & Humidity Gauge

Etekcity Lasergrip 774

The average humidity in your tegu’s enclosure should stay between 70-80%. Occasional, short-lived spikes above or dips below this range are unlikely to be harmful, as these happen seasonally in nature as well. You can reach and stabilize a tegu's required humidity with the following methods:

1. Daily: Mist the enclosure 1-2x a day, depending on local humidity levels.
2. Weekly: Mix water into the substrate until it is uniformly moist (not muddy).
3. Permanently: Provide a humid hide on the cool side, moistened regularly.

For such a large enclosure, we recommend a pressure sprayer like the Exo Terra 2L Hand Mister. In addition to the above methods, a proper loose substrate, adequately sized water tub, good cross-ventilation, and overhead heating will all help to stabilize the enclosure's humidity levels.

You can measure humidity with a hygrometer like the Zoo Med Digital Combo Gauge linked in the Measuring Temperature section. Hygrometers should be placed within 12” above the substrate near the middle of the enclosure to give you an accurate idea of average humidity levels (or one on either side if using a thermo/hygro combo meter).

Brumation is the reptile equivalent of mammalian hibernation; a time of year when they sleep nonstop. In the wild, this is a way to survive the winter. Brumation lasts for as long as 6-7 months and can affect tegus as young as 1 year of age.

Colombian tegus are from a warmer climate, and do not typically brumate. Argentine tegus do brumate, but brumation is not required for pet (non-breeding) tegus. Captive tegus that do brumate typically require a shorter brumation period than they would experience in the wild.

A tegu that is ready to brumate will become less active, eat less, and seem to “sleep in,” preferring to stay in his/her hide. It is at this point you will have the option to brumate your tegu. If you decide to go this route, a more detailed brumation guide can be found here.

Here is a basic feeding schedule for a pet tegu:

Argentine tegus require 60% protein, 30% vegetables, 10% fruit.
Colombian tegus require 90% protein, 10% vegetables.

Portions should be about the same size as the tegu’s skull. This is especially important with whole prey items since tegus don’t really chew their food. Obesity can easily occur if tegus are fed too often or receive too many rodents, fatty meats, or fruits. Sticking to a schedule and encouraging exercise is a good way to keep your tegu at a healthy weight.

Variety is the key to good nutrition, so make sure to offer as many different types of foods as possible. Here is a list of appropriate foods to choose from in each nutritional category:

Protein:

All live feeder insects should be gutloaded with fresh veggies for at least 24 hours before feeding. Feeders should be captive bred, don’t feed bugs from your backyard — these can make your pet sick! Some sites we recommend to buy safe, captive bred feeders are DubiaRoaches.com, PremiumCrickets, Luna Roaches, and Beastmode Silks.

Frozen whole prey items must be prepared correctly before feeding. Thaw it out in the fridge the night before feeding day, then about 15-30 minutes before feeding, stick the prey in a BPA-free plastic bag like a Ziploc and submerge in warm, almost hot, water to thaw completely. Reptilinks is a great source to order whole prey food for your tegu.

*Raw eggs should be limited as they contain avidin, an enzyme that can cause vitamin B7 deficiency over time, impacting scale and skin health. Cooking eggs neutralizes this enzyme.

**Some fish contain thiaminase, an enzyme that can cause thiamin deficiency over time, leading to neurological damage and even death. Cooking these types of fish neutralizes this enzyme. This includes bass, catfish, goldfish, herring, mackerel smelt, tuna, and whitefish. Full list here

Produce/Plants:

Fruits should comprise no more than 10% of a pet tegu's diet as the high sugar content can lead to obesity in captivity. Large fruits and vegetables should be cut into bite-sized chunks.

Do not feed tegus avocado, onion, eggplant, broccoli, citrus fruits, lettuce of any kind, buttercup flowers, azalea flowers/leaves, daffodil flowers, lily of the valley, marijuana/hemp leaves, rosemary, sage, tulips, rhubarb, seeds, or pits. These foods can make your tegu sick or even die!

Prepared Diets:

Prepared (commercial) reptile diets, dog foods, and cat foods aren’t a replacement for fresh produce/whole prey, but they can make a good addition to a varied diet for tegus.

Here are some brands known to be reliable:

* Make sure to use high quality canned dog/cat food rather than kibble (although kibble is alright occasionally if water is added). Avoid formulas containing artificial colors/flavors, fish, and high grain contents. Cat food is best used with Colombian tegus and young Argentine tegus due to its high protein content, but dog food is better for adult Argentine tegus, as it contains more vegetables and is less likely to cause obesity.

Prepared diets and dog/cat foods are safe options to add variety to your tegu's diet, but should not be the only source of nutrition. Whole prey and fresh produce are still required for a tegu's best health.

Whole prey items don’t need to be dredged in calcium or multivitamin powders, as the bones and organs provide enough nutritional content.

However, any insects or non-whole food (eggs without the shell, ground meat, butcher cuts of meat/fish, etc.) should be supplemented to compensate for the missing nutrition. All insects must be dusted with supplements before feeding. For meat, just add a dash of calcium powder.

A large water tub should be provided, preferably big enough for your tegu to be able to soak its entire body comfortably. The water depth should be about shoulder height to prevent drowning risk.

Water should always be kept clean (fully replaced every 2-3 days) and the tub should be disinfected with an animal-safe disinfectant like F10SC, Rescue, or chlorhexidine once a week to inhibit pathogen growth.

Do not use distilled or softened water! Tap, spring, and even filtered water (assuming that it’s safe for humans to drink) contains minerals vital to your tegu's health. You can dechlorinate tap water with a conditioner like ReptiSafe.

The key to success is repeated positive interactions that teach the tegu that humans are not a threat. This can be accomplished with patience, consistency, and frequent (but short) handling sessions. When the time comes to handle your tegu for the first time, start by placing one hand under the base of tail, then slide your hand up to the chest to secure the front legs. For added security, tuck the tail under the nearest arm and hold the tegu close to your body.

Tegus have a variety of body language cues. When you learn to understand these cues, you can understand your pet’s mood and needs better, and react accordingly.

Frequent, fast tongue flicking — Means that the tegu smells something potentially tasty. Your hand likely smells like something they want to taste — wash your hands immediately. The bite that follows, however, is usually a slow, gentle "test bite" rather than an aggressive bite.

Arched back, head down, heavy breathing — Aggressive posture that means “don’t mess with me!” If you approach a tegu that looks like this, back away slowly. Coming closer will likely result in either a hasty retreat (if you’re lucky) or tail whipping and/or biting.

“Snake tail” — Tail twitches erratically or waves like a snake. Means that the tegu is about to charge, so your best bet is to get away ASAP.

The most common illnesses and health problems in tegus are metabolic bone disease, intestinal parasites, and respiratory infections. They can also suffer from health issues such as mites and obesity. If your tegu is displaying potential symptoms of illness, it’s important to take them to an experienced reptile veterinarian right away for diagnosis and treatment. Do not try to treat them at home, as you could make the problem worse!