I know someone who has a black and white Tegu. He's really mean, and it's almost impossible to even change his water without him trying to tear your hand off. Is there any way to tame him? I don't know how old he is, but he's about 1 foot long. Also, what else should they eat besides crickets? thanks.

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I am not up on my tegu care, but could it help to handle him/clean his cage after he has been asleep for an hour or so. They tend to be more mild mannered when they are drowsy.

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First off, never feed in the cage feed him in a box or pillow case. It also depends if he had him when he was smaller cause they grow on you by handling etc. Also trying having nail clipping days! lol I always wrap mine in a towel, and just cut the very tips off. I use cat nail clippers.
Thats all I can tell you...lol good luck

I recently read an article in Reptiles Magazine (June) on just this very issue.
It seems that there are two separate species are sold as "the black and white tegu". The Columbian black and white tegu, which is cheaper, since it's harder to tame and tends to bite a lot more than other tegus, and the Argentine black and white tegu, which is more tractable, and more expensive.
The key to telling which is which is the "loreal scale' This is the large scale or scales between the eye and the nostril. If it has only one scale, its the Columbian and if there are two its the Argentine.
I suspect your friend has a Columbian.

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Merlin,
What's Life Without A Little Magic!

Colombians are renown for that, but to be fair, Yesterday at the LLLreptile storefront, they had two Argentinian Black & Whites, and both of them would charge the cage once opened, and do there best to bite. So While it is easy to say a colombian is harder to tame down, there are definitely exceptions.

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Due to the reputation, colombians are sometimes labeled as argentine.
And the loreal scale is the only way to tell.

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Merlin,
What's Life Without A Little Magic!

I am curious why you would feed a tegu in a pillow case. I think the tegu would rip it apart.

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These were definitely Argentinian tegus, When they get bigger there are a few other ways to tell them apart as well, but, I did indeed check for the loreal scales.
I learned about that one after I bought my B&W that got away.

Feeding in a pillow case may work when there smaller, but when they get bigger, I'd suggest a hefty rubbermaid with venelation holes drilled.

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"Nobody can do Everything, but Everybody can do Something."