The Red Tegu
(Tupinambis rufescens)

Basking Temperatures : 110F-120F
Cage Temerature - 80F - 85F with cooler nights
Food : insects , fruit , mice
Lighting : full spectrum (UVB)
Substrate : Cypress mulch , Orchid Bark , Eucalyptus mulch
Hide box : should be maintained slightly moist but never wet to the touch
Miminmum adult cage size (dependant on the size of the animal): 3'x6'x18" - 4'x8'x18"

    Domestically captive bred and raised Argentine Red Tegus are quite docile and known for their gentle dispositions. These are the largest of all the tegus. Adults can grow to 4' and weigh 20 lbs. or more. Males develop large jowls and tend to be the largest and the most brightly colored.

  Tegus do well on a diet which includes fruit. Kiwi, passion fruit, mango, star fruit, strawberries, grapes, peaches and plums are just some of the fruits relished by tegus.  Red Tegus which are not fed fruits tend to develop problems shedding their skin . Shed skin should not be allowed to remain on the tegu as it can lead to a loss of digits and painful skin infections . This can be easily solved by maintaining proper humidity in their hide boxes and adding fruits high in Vitamin C to their diet .

   These tegus start off life with a green tint. That turns to a dull reddish brown, when they are 1-2 months old. Color increases as the tegu matures. Males generally develop their adult coloration at 18-24 months of age. Typical adult female coloration is reddish brown with white spots. The average clutch size of an Argentine Red Tegu is 20-30 eggs laid once per year.

    Babies can be kept in a cage as small as a 30 gallon long tank with a locking lid but we recommend that the smallest cage you purchase for a red tegu to be at least 4' in length as the will quickly outgrow any smaller cage.

 See our care sheet for more info.

Updated 6-1-04