Tegu or Monitor?

[coltonspidey]

Hey guys can someone please tell me which animal is better and species of each animal? And please in great detail explain the differences and overall care and just pretty much everything that I need to know so I know which one will be better to have. Such as requirements, price, temperament and so on. Anyways thanks guys.

 

[Millerlite]

How much room can you provide ? What's your location? This can help us help you

Kyle

 

[coltonspidey]

How much room can you provide ? What's your location? This can help us help you

Kyle

Room/Space really isn't a problem. I live in Texas but I would like to keep it somewhat small.

 

[Gillian M]

What of the climate?

 

[coltonspidey]

What of the climate?

Daytime is usually low 90s and at night drops to low 70s and it rains every now and then but not that often

 

[naturalman91]

go for a tegu if you want to keep it small monitors require a good amount of space. what kind of monitor would you be thinking?

 

[coltonspidey]

go for a tegu if you want to keep it small monitors require a good amount of space. what kind of monitor would you be thinking?

I was thinking about a Savannah but I've heard that monitors are mean

 

[naturalman91]

I was thinking about a Savannah but I've heard that monitors are mean

if you don't work them they can be but lets face it lizards and snakes your bound to get bite at least once it's just going to happen.

savannah monitors get pretty darn big to so you'd need a lot of room. you also have to be careful of infection if you get bit

 

[naturalman91]

i should also note tegu's can be aggressive to it's all about how much you work with the animal

 

[coltonspidey]

i should also note tegu's can be aggressive to it's all about how much you work with the animal

So in general what's the better animal to own?

 

[Sara G.]

I've met a couple Savannah's and never had an issue with them. However they were very socialized animals so that probably has something to do with it.

 

[naturalman91]

So in general what's the better animal to own?

there is no better if you ask me it's all about what your up for. if you want a lizard but don't want a huge enclosure i'd actually look into bearded dragon's tegu's need a good amount of room to. not as much as a monitor but still good sized. a bearded dragon only needs like 2x4 if they even use the full thing of that

 

[coltonspidey]

there is no better if you ask me it's all about what your up for. if you want a lizard but don't want a huge enclosure i'd actually look into bearded dragon's tegu's need a good amount of room to. not as much as a monitor but still good sized. a bearded dragon only needs like 2x4 if they even use the full thing of that

What's the avg. size for a tegu and a monitor

 

[MPRC]

What's the avg. size for a tegu and a monitor

If you haven't taken the time to google the average sizes and minimum requirements of these animals that most people would consider lizards for advanced keepers you may want to reconsider until you have done some basic research.

Both tegus and savs get large and can give nasty bites or scratches. They require very hands on care to tame down and even then they can become hormonal wrecks during mating season.

 

[naturalman91]

If you haven't taken the time to google the average sizes and minimum requirements of these animals that most people would consider lizards for advanced keepers you may want to reconsider until you have done some basic research.

Both tegus and savs get large and can give nasty bites or scratches. They require very hands on care to tame down and even then they can become hormonal wrecks during mating season.

there is no other way i could think to explain that well said and i agree 100%

to the OP you have a world of knowledge at your finger tips use it and do research if you can't do that then you probably should reconsider getting the animal, before i ever get a animal first comes hours and hours and hours of research and honestly even then to this day im still constantly researching just to make sure my animals have the best care

 

[naturalman91]

and reptiles have a saying if your talking about habitat size the saying is bigger is better. with monitors people tend to dedicate a full room pretty much or half a room at minimum

think about it most of us here with tortoise's talk about having giant indoor enclosures 4x8 or 3x6 or etc and those arent really big enough for a monitor. im sure as a baby but nothing stay's a baby and monitors grow quick

 

[Tom]

Any 4+ foot lizard is going to need a very large enclosure. There are two species of tegu that I would consider as potentially good "pets", the red and the black and white. Both are captive bred regularly and available for purchase. Don't go anywhere near a columbian tegu, in my opinion.

There are many monitor species. Each has its own good and bad points. Some are giants and some are dwarves. You've got to narrow things down a bit before you can get good advice.

I have personally raised dozens of both tegu species and several species of monitors. Loved them all. Hard to pick a favorite. I've had good and bad individuals of all of them. One of the best I ever had was a large water monitor that I raised from a baby. He and I would swim together in my pool when the chlorine was low. On the other hand, the meanest lizard I ever had was a nasty tempered water monitor that I also raised from a baby. I also love the black throats. Very large and very cool. My tegus could live outside here as adults with the proper enclosure, and that was fun too.

I find savannas to be a bit hissy and stand-offish in most cases. All of the super tame nice ones that I have seen were obese, housed incorrectly and fed incorrectly.

You might also look into ackies, mangroves, dumerills, and a few other monitor species.

And you need to get a copy of Sprackland's "Giant Lizards". I've read it a thousand times. Maybe more...

There are lots of YouTube videos showing all of these species and their personalities. Be aware that there is also lots of mis-information, but its worth a look. Spend a few hours reading and searching for info on each species that interests you and then come back and ask us about an individual species or two.

Also, I think a blue tongue skink or a bearded dragon will usually make a better "pet" than either the monitors or tegus.

 

[coltonspidey]

If you haven't taken the time to google the average sizes and minimum requirements of these animals that most people would consider lizards for advanced keepers you may want to reconsider until you have done some basic research.

Both tegus and savs get large and can give nasty bites or scratches. They require very hands on care to tame down and even then they can become hormonal wrecks during mating season.

I've researched, I'm just asking people for a first hand opinions

 

[coltonspidey]

Any 4+ foot lizard is going to need a very large enclosure. There are two species of tegu that I would consider as potentially good "pets", the red and the black and white. Both are captive bred regularly and available for purchase. Don't go anywhere near a columbian tegu, in my opinion.

There are many monitor species. Each has its own good and bad points. Some are giants and some are dwarves. You've got to narrow things down a bit before you can get good advice.

I have personally raised dozens of both tegu species and several species of monitors. Loved them all. Hard to pick a favorite. I've had good and bad individuals of all of them. One of the best I ever had was a large water monitor that I raised from a baby. He and I would swim together in my pool when the chlorine was low. On the other hand, the meanest lizard I ever had was a nasty tempered water monitor that I also raised from a baby. I also love the black throats. Very large and very cool. My tegus could live outside here as adults with the proper enclosure, and that was fun too.

I find savannas to be a bit hissy and stand-offish in most cases. All of the super tame nice ones that I have seen were obese, housed incorrectly and fed incorrectly.

You might also look into ackies, mangroves, dumerills, and a few other monitor species.

And you need to get a copy of Sprackland's "Giant Lizards". I've read it a thousand times. Maybe more...

There are lots of YouTube videos showing all of these species and their personalities. Be aware that there is also lots of mis-information, but its worth a look. Spend a few hours reading and searching for info on each species that interests you and then come back and ask us about an individual species or two.

Also, I think a blue tongue skink or a bearded dragon will usually make a better "pet" than either the monitors or tegus.

I just want a large lizard and I think I'm ready for one. I own 2 Russian torts and 1 Sulcata and 1 Leopard tort. I just want to get a larger lizard because I want something different than a tort

 

[naturalman91]

I just want a large lizard and I think I'm ready for one. I own 2 Russian torts and 1 Sulcata and 1 Leopard tort. I just want to get a larger lizard because I want something different than a tort

what about iguana's? im not a fan of them because ive had bad experiences with them but it was totally my fault i've met some really calm and loving iggy's