Description:
Scientific name: Salvator merianae
Life span: 15-20 years
Salvator merianae is an emerald green color as a hatchling with black markings from the tip of its nose to midway down its neck. Several months after shedding, the emerald green turns black. When a tegu is young, its tail is banded in yellow and black; as it gets older, the yellow bands closest to the body become weak speckling. Older animals have fewer solid bands. If assaulted, a tegu may release a portion of its tail as a decoy. Even a half-hearted swipe can produce a bruise when used as a weapon to swipe at an adversary.
The skull has a huge facial process of the maxilla, one premaxilla, two nasals, one frontal bone, and two parietal bones that are separated by the sagittal suture. The skull is very highly developed. According to biomechanical analyses, the parietal posterior processes may be crucial for absorbing torsional pressures brought on by posterior biting on one side.
Native Region/Habitat
The Argentine Black and White Tegu, also known as Salvator merianae (formerly Tupinambis merianae), is a sizable reptile with South American roots. The southern United States and the coast of Brazil both have sizable populations of Argentina Black and White Tegus.
Behavior:
Animal aggression is a crucial aspect of animal behavior because it helps animals survive when resources are scarce. The Argentine tegu’s great size often makes it difficult for them to physically accomplish their aggressive behavior, such as biting. Tegus with stronger bites are more aggressive towards possible dangers, regardless of gender. Higher bite forces trade off fight or flight abilities by showing fewer escape responses and being slower, but they also offer the advantage of lowering the threshold for engaging in aggressive encounters, which lowers the danger of energy.
Tegus may exhibit this fight or flight trade-off due to an increase in head mass (correlated to increased biting activity) that makes it difficult to move fast. This trade-off is more frequently seen in mammals than in reptiles. Argentina tegus are often less aggressive (less likely to exhibit arching behavior) and less likely to try to flee in their native habitat, regardless of size or bite force.
Like other tegus, blue tegus can breed up to twice a year. They only produce a clutch of 18 to 25 eggs, occasionally more depending on the size and care of the animal, the health of the gravid female, and other factors. In order to maintain ideal temperatures and humidity levels, female Argentine black and white tegus construct nests made of dried grass, tiny branches, and leaves during the breeding season. Depending on the temperature of the incubator and other mitigating circumstances, egg incubation lasts an average of sixty-four days, but can last anywhere between forty and seventy-five days.
Care As a pet/In captivity:
Tank:
Due to their size, Argentine Tegus require a tank that will allow them to roam around freely. The ideal enclosures for these huge lizards frequently have a glass pane that allows you to see inside and are made of melamine.
Smaller terrariums can be used for the lizard while it is a hatchling. However, due to their rapid growth, you must be prepared to rehouse them in a roomy, adult-sized enclosure within the first year. Hatchlings can live in terrariums that are 20 or 80 gallons in size, respectively. However because they are active, these lizards will quickly lose health if there is not enough room.
Heating (Temperature & Humidity):
These lizards require a heated basking area in addition to a lot of room and a specific type of light to remain content and healthy.
They should always have access to the area, which should be between 100 and 110 degrees Fahrenheit. This is because they will be there for extended periods of time. Red heat lamps can be used to create this type of spot. Keep the temperature in the remainder of their enclosure between 75 and 80 degrees Fahrenheit.
Feeding:
Like any pet, a balanced diet will keep them healthy and content for a very long time. The term “opportunistic omnivores” refers to tegus. That implies that they will consume whatever is available to them and nearby. Included in there are items like meat, produce, insects, and plant materials.
All of these foods, with a larger emphasis on protein, should be included in your Tegu’s diet. Give adult tegus a lot of lean meat sources to consume, such as fish, eggs, or frozen rodents. You can feed calcium-dusted insects to young Tegus.
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