Red tago

Content

• Quick facts about red tags
• Do Red Tags Make Good Pets?
• appearance
• How to take care of red tags
• Habitat, tank conditions and setup.
• Tank
• Lighting
• Heat (temperature and humidity)
• Substrate
• Feeding Your Red Tago
• Keep your Red Tagus healthy.
• Lifetime

Quick facts about red tags

Species Name:Topnimbus rufescens.

Common name:Red tago.

Level of care:Intermediate

Lifetime:15-20 years.

Adult Size:3-5 feet

Food:vegetarian

Minimum tank size:Twice their body length.

temperature:Daytime: 85-100 degrees F / Nighttime: 70 degrees F

Humidity:60-80%

Do Red Tago Make Good Pets?

Red tago are native to parts of South America, including Argentina, Paraguay and Bolivia. These tropical giants love hot, humid weather—no matter where you live in the world, they need heat.

Red tago can make great pets to the right owners. Because these lizards grow to such large sizes, it's important to fully understand how much room they need.

But don't necessarily let their large size deter you—these lizards are very gentle creatures that require moderate care.

appearance

As you can guess from the name, red tags come in a variety of red colors. But there are many differences between . Chickens are dull in color, but begin to produce pigment around maturity.

As male tago age, they turn a deep, deep red that is almost completely solid. They grow to about 5 feet with strong, heavy bodies.

Women generally have more patterns on their scales than their male counterparts, which is a great way to understand the. Females tend to be slightly shorter than males, averaging 4 feet as adults.

How to take care of red tago

Building a proper enclosure with all the right elements is vital to your tago's health and well-being. Let's discuss all the requirements.

Habitat, tank conditions and setup.

Creating the right type of habitat for your red tigo is essential to their well-being.

Tank

As a juvenile, the red tago are not very large. However, they get bigger. sharp _ Fully grown adults need an enclosure. It is at least twice the length of its body. . Since males can grow up to 5 feet, you have to be prepared to accommodate their adult size.

Most people choose to have an entire room or an exterior wall for their tagu friends. They work very well in shed walls, allowing them to have the right amount of heat and humidity. Also, they need to be completely protected from minor drafts.

Lighting

For optimal health, red tags need UVB lighting to absorb nutrients from the rays in their skin. They need at least 12 to 14 hours of UVB light per day, followed by regular dark nights.

Heat (temperature and humidity)

Red tago need a range of temperatures available to regulate their body temperature.

They need a constant temperature between 75 and 85 degrees F with a basking spot of up to 100 degrees F.

They need humidity between 70% and 90%.

Substrate

Red tago need a type of substrate that retains moisture well. Good choices include a mix of soil and sand, cypress mulch, or coconut coir.

Tank recommendations

Type of tank.Large interior wall (pre-made or DIY)

LightingUVB light.

heatingTank heating pad, ceramic heating element, red bulb lighting.

Excellent substrate.A combination of coconut coir, cypress mulch, sand and coils.

Feeding Your Red Tago

Red tags are ferocious and opportunistic eaters. Since they are omnivores, they benefit from a variety of meats, fruits and vegetables. Be careful—this lizard will eat anything it can fit in its mouth if it moves.

Like many other reptiles, these creatures need calcium in their diet to promote proper bone health and growth. You must purchase calcium supplements and give them the proper dosage according to the product label.

Juvenile tadpoles will crave mostly meat because they need extra protein during their growth. They will thrive on a diet of mostly submerged chickens and insects.

When your tago reaches puberty, they need some more vegetables in their diet. However, you will have to increase the protein portions. You can feed adult red tags mice, chicks, eggs and fish. You can still offer larger bugs.

Diet summary.

Fruits and vegetables10% of the diet.

Insects65% food.

Meat.25% of diet - rats, chicks, eggs.

Supplements are required.Calcium.

Keep your Red Tagus healthy.

Before bringing your Red Tago home, it's important to find an exotic vet in your area if you don't already have one. These lizards require expertise or specialized care outside of a regular animal clinic.

You may not need to see the vet very often, but if your lizard suddenly develops illness or distress, immediate vet care is essential. Many times, a lizard will not show signs of illness until it is quite advanced.

Common Health problems:

Red tago can encounter many. Health concerns , but in general, you may see:

• Calcium and phosphorus deficiency
• Salmonella.
• Internal and external parasites

Lifetime

If you have a healthy lizard that isn't already healthy, you can expect them to live 15 to 20 years.

Breeding

In the wild, red tags begin breeding shortly after they are finished. So around March they will begin their natural cycles of reproduction. During this time, males will actively search for females for about two weeks.

Females are incredibly protective of their nest of eggs. Once she lays down, you must stay away and prevent all other tags from bothering her. She will be extremely territorial and can do some real damage.

In a clutch, the successful outcome of eggs is about 50 50%. Females usually lay 30 eggs per clutch. It takes about 60 days before the eggs hatch, as long as all conditions are right.

Are red tago friendly? Our handling advice.

One thing that makes red tago so desirable is that they are soft and easy to be around. Being cage mates rarely causes any aggression.

These lizards grow large and weigh up to 15 pounds. You always have to be extra careful when you handle it. A single drop can seriously injure your heavy man. Tags are so friendly that they may even come up to you for scratches and snacks.

Always remember to wash your hands thoroughly after handling, as they can carry potentially harmful bacteria, such as salmonella.

Shedding and bruising: What to expect

Unlike some other reptiles, red tags shed in parts rather than all at once. When you see scales growing and yellow in patches, it means that part of their skin is ready to shed.

When you see them starting to ooze, it's important to keep them very moist to make the process easier. Instead of interfering, let the shading happen naturally. Picking the skin pieces can cause irritation or infection.

Red tago usually enter the wound during the colder months, roughly between October and March. They will be slower, slower and more inactive during this time.

much do red tago cost?

Red tago are generally inexpensive, considering their size. A general average for price is between $250 and $350. But depending on the situation, they can cost more, less or even free.

Summary of Care Guide

Red Tagus Pros

• Gentle nature.
• social.
• Easy maintenance

Red Tago Cons

• Extremely large.
• Full eater.

Result

If a Red Tago sounds like the right fit for you, you can start looking for a local exotic vet. You can find tags at many pet stores around the country—or you can buy them from a licensed breeder with experience with the species.

Always make sure you have the time, space and proper setup for these animals, as they need extra TLC.