Do tegus lay eggs regardless of whether they have mated or not? Or do they only lay eggs if they have mated?
I asked agama international and he says that he's not sure and would think that if they develop eggs they will reabsorb them all the time.

If the former is true, do they lay eggs if they do not brumate? I ask since their breeding cycles depend on the brumation period and schedule.

I don't want mine (I will get one or two in august) to lay eggs as I don't want any egg binding issues. If brumation affects it, I may as well keep them awake year round, as I don't really see how I can brumate them anyway. It gets insanely cold here for a few months, but cold at all not until like end of november. In october and early november its still summer hot. In fact, real cold weather doesn't start until like mid december. It gets warm again like end of march.

By the way, if they don't brumate, I know they supposedly live only half as long. Right? Is the normal 15 years figure for one that brumates or doesnt? If the former, does that mean that a tegu that is kept warm in the winter will only live for about 7 years???

I dont think burmation affects weather or not she will lay, with some lizards it does some it dosnt...with that being said from what Ive been reading they usually dont lay without mathing...It seems that burmating these guys is pretty important though, so youre gonna want to consider getting a male rather then a female for now

I probably can't choose the sex because there are only 3 shops that have tegus in all of Hong Kong. One is owned by an absolute jack$$$ and imports illegal animals and refuses to hand over their licenses (as if they had any) and I will not go there just to shout at them again. One is getting a shipment from agama international, but he says he doesn't know how to probe. I asked Bert if he will be willing to ship me one, and he said can't internationally, so I will have to buy from that shop, but that he won't sex them before shipping to that shop because it is a wholesale order. The third shop will get them but not sure when, and the guy is a breeder so he may or may not know how to sex them and don't know if he'll be willing. He probably will if he knows how as he's a really nice guy. I got my iguana from him. Have yet to ask him as he's always on a trip abroad doing business and his bro which takes care of the herps while he's gone doesn't know much about them.

This is frustrating because I prefer a male anyway as I like things big.

So, you say they usually don't lay without mating. Do they still develop the eggs inside? Are there any websites that actually have a definitive answer?

No websites that I have found have a definate answer, sadly. Hvae you considered ordering from an online store? You can have him shipped to your door and prolly sexed as well.

I have considered ordering from an online store, that is why I e-mailed agama international. However, it seems that most will not ship overseas, and even those that do, I need to get about 4 - 5 different licenses (import, posession license, health and safety clearance etc etc) and it makes it not only very expensive, which is ok, but also almost impossible for a normal person to apply. One pet shop said that they can do it for me for extra money, but that they will not guarantee if the animal arrives with missing parts or no tail or badly burned etc that I would still have to accept it. Basically the only way lay people get pets into Hong Kong that are CITES listed is either from shops that buy in bulk, thus reducing the procedures and cost, or through the illegal pet trade here, which is rampant but of which I want no part of. I do see so many beautiful animals and have actually attempted to import before (egyptian uromastyx), without success.

Doesn't matter. I'll get one here so I have 100% all the legal documents and I will love it regardless of whether it is male and female. If I can end up sexing it before buying, great. If not, I will still love it like mad.

sounds like a good plan...good luck with your new babies arrival! I hope he comes to you nice and healthy

Well I guess its a little different over here. Most people I talk to from USA order them through the mail or buy one specific one that gets delivered, right? Here, you go there and there is a whole bunch and you choose from them. Then the good places do the paperwork for you and transfer their ownership to your name after you pay.

Yeah, youre correct, we can order ANYTHING through the mail here in the US