Red Tegu Care Guide

Species Info: Tegus are a group of large lizards inhabiting the forests and rainforests of South America. They spend a large portion of their time digging for the eggs of other animals, and are adept swimmers and climbers as well. Tegus have become well known for their high intelligence, and if socialized well, can have dog-like dispositions as adults. 

Level of Care/Handling: Advanced. Tegus need very large enclosures as adults, have expensive dietary needs, and also have specific temperature and humidity requirements. These lizards do not generally enjoy being handled, much preferring to explore outside of their enclosure on their own. However, consistent handling as a baby/juvenile is crucial to producing a tame adult. Your tegu should be given at least a week to acclimate to its new surroundings before beginning handling.

Length/Lifespan: Reds are one of the smaller species of tegu, but still reach average adult lengths of 3 ft. for females and 3 1/2 ft. for males. Tegus generally live between 15-20 years with proper care.

Temperature/Lighting/Space Requirements: Tegu enclosures require a basking spot of 100-110 degrees, hot side of 90-95 degrees, and cool side of 75-80 degrees. UV lighting is also necessary for the species. Because they grow rather quickly when young, babies and juveniles should be housed in a 40 gallon enclosure minimum (20-30 for hatchlings). Adults need a minimum enclosure size of 6 ft. by 2 ft., and bigger is always better for intelligent and active animals like tegus. 

Humidity/Water Requirements: Enclosure humidity should be on the higher end, between 75-90 percent. A large water bowl is recommended to allow your tegu to drink and soak in, and it should be changed frequently. 

Tank Flooring: Tegus spend much of their time in the wild digging burrows for themselves as well as searching for the eggs of other animals, so it is important to give them deep substrate to encourage their natural behavior. Babies/small juveniles can make due with 5-6 in. while adults will appreciate a foot or more in at least a portion of their enclosure. This is especially important during the winter months when activity slows, and your tegu spends more time in its self-made burrows. Suitable substrates include cypress mulch, Eco Earth (though this will have to be changed semi-frequently), or a 50/50 mix of sand and topsoil/Eco Earth. Substrate should always be kept moist but not sopping wet, as to not irritate a burrowing tegu’s skin and lungs.

Tank Decoration: Tegus, especially adults, are quite powerful lizards, so decorations need to be sturdy enough to survive their day-to-day activities. The only necessities are a moist hide to allow for proper shedding and the aforementioned water bowl. 

Diet: Babies/juveniles do well on a diet of 70-80% protein and 20-30% fruits and veggies (mostly fruit). Adults need less protein at about 50-60%. Suitable protein includes feeder insects like gut loaded crickets and dubia roaches, snails, whole prey like mice, rats, and quail, and lean ground turkey. Shrimp and fishes like silversides, capelin, and mackerel should be a large percentage of your tegu’s protein, as Omega 3 oils are essential for good sheds (rubbing them with Vitamin E oil also helps) Most fruits are okay, but avoid citrus and avocado entirely. Tegus don’t generally like leafy greens/veggies, but calcium-rich greens like collard and dandelion are very good for them.

Feeding Frequency: Babies/juveniles should be fed daily or every other day, about as much as they can eat in 20-30 minutes. Adults can eat about enough to fill a dog bowl for 5-10 minutes once or twice a week. Feeding frequency also changes throughout the year, as tegus tend to heavily brumate from late fall-winter (2-3 months). During this time, you can actually turn their lights and only need to keep the humidity at suitable levels until they wake up.

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