# Worrying too much about COVID and Politics? Try Worrying about Invasive Tegu Lizards for a change **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [December 7, 2020, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worrying-too-much-about-covid-and-politics-try-worrying-about-invasive-tegu-lizards-for-a-change/927509 "2020-12-07T20:36:35Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2020, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worrying-too-much-about-covid-and-politics-try-worrying-about-invasive-tegu-lizards-for-a-change/927509/1 "2020-12-07T20:36:35Z")
Evidently invasive Black and White Tegu Lizards, a native of Argentina and other South American countries, has gotten loose in the Southeastern US. It has no predators there, eats the eggs of ground-nesting birds, and can grow to a length of four feet. It’s been reported in Georgia, South Carolina, and (of course) Florida (especially the Everglades, home to other invasive species). They think pet tegus might have escaped into the wild. > **[An invasive species of giant lizard has been making its way through the...](https://www.cnn.com/2020/12/07/us/argentine-black-and-white-tegus-southeast-invasion-trnd/index.html)** > > An invasive species of giant lizard is invading the Southeast and threatening native wildlife. > **[Argentine black and white tegu](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Argentine_black_and_white_tegu)** > > Pages for logged out editors learn more > > > The Argentine black and white tegu (Salvator merianae), also known as the Argentine giant tegu, the black and white tegu, or the huge tegu, is a species of lizard in the family Teiidae. The species is the largest of the "tegu lizards". It is an omnivorous species which inhabits the tropical rain forests, savannas and semi-deserts of eastern and central South America. > Tegus are sometimes kept as pets by humans. They are notable for their unusual... [https://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/2020/11/tegu-lizards-invasive-spreading-southeast-united-states/](https://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/2020/11/tegu-lizards-invasive-spreading-southeast-united-states/) > **[Tegu Lizards](https://www.evergladescisma.org/the-dirty-dozen/tegu-lizards/)** > > One of the Dirty Dozen! Tegu Lizards. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2020, 9:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worrying-too-much-about-covid-and-politics-try-worrying-about-invasive-tegu-lizards-for-a-change/927509/2 "2020-12-07T21:15:40Z")
I’ve seen those suckers in South America. They’re pretty scary. ---
**Author:** ![Joeu](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/joeu/32/2911_2.png) [@Joeu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joeu)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2020, 9:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worrying-too-much-about-covid-and-politics-try-worrying-about-invasive-tegu-lizards-for-a-change/927509/3 "2020-12-07T21:15:40Z")
Oh, dear. > Tegus are capable of running at high speeds and can run bipedally for short distances. They often use this method in territorial defense, with the mouth open and front legs held wide to look more threatening. Yes, that would look more threatening. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2020, 11:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worrying-too-much-about-covid-and-politics-try-worrying-about-invasive-tegu-lizards-for-a-change/927509/4 "2020-12-07T23:26:20Z")
Oh. I thought this was going to be about some lizard alien conspiracy theories. You know, to take a break from COVID-19 conspiracies to one we could laugh at. Turns out it’s another to add to the list that includes the murder hornets and feral pigs instead. ---
**Author:** ![DavidNRockies](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/davidnrockies/32/6279_2.png) [@DavidNRockies](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DavidNRockies)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2020, 11:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worrying-too-much-about-covid-and-politics-try-worrying-about-invasive-tegu-lizards-for-a-change/927509/5 "2020-12-07T23:31:39Z")
I don’t remember _exactly_ what the rules are for this drinking game, but I’m pretty sure I need to pour myself a single-malt. ---
**Author:** ![dropzone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dropzone/32/7515_2.png) [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2020, 11:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worrying-too-much-about-covid-and-politics-try-worrying-about-invasive-tegu-lizards-for-a-change/927509/6 "2020-12-07T23:36:36Z")
I’m on an enforced drought, David, so pour one for me. ---
**Author:** ![DavidNRockies](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/davidnrockies/32/6279_2.png) [@DavidNRockies](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DavidNRockies)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2020, 12:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worrying-too-much-about-covid-and-politics-try-worrying-about-invasive-tegu-lizards-for-a-change/927509/7 "2020-12-08T00:03:47Z")
You ask so little and give so much. Of _course_ I can do this one for you 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2020, 12:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worrying-too-much-about-covid-and-politics-try-worrying-about-invasive-tegu-lizards-for-a-change/927509/8 "2020-12-08T00:15:38Z")
Do they eat nutria? I saw a show on PBS a while back about nutria, and how people in the Mississippi Delta wetlands have dealt with them. This story also said that they, and not climate change, are actually the main reason the wetlands have shrunk, because they live on roots. My favorite story was the man who had friends who hunted them, and they sold the pelts (which was why they were brought here in the first place) and gave him the meat, which he would smoke along with vegetables and seasoning. Of course, he would always tell people what it was before they ate it. ---
**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2020, 12:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worrying-too-much-about-covid-and-politics-try-worrying-about-invasive-tegu-lizards-for-a-change/927509/9 "2020-12-08T00:24:22Z")
I am OK with invasive species in general as long as they are freaky, big and exotic. Burmese python? Sure. Tegus? Sure. Some tiny horned beetle that you can barely even see but devours crops? No, just no. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2020, 12:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worrying-too-much-about-covid-and-politics-try-worrying-about-invasive-tegu-lizards-for-a-change/927509/10 "2020-12-08T00:28:50Z")
Make them open season and post recipes. They taste like chicken, problem solved. ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2020, 1:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worrying-too-much-about-covid-and-politics-try-worrying-about-invasive-tegu-lizards-for-a-change/927509/11 "2020-12-08T01:54:52Z")
There was an episode of Dave Attell’s _Insomniac_ several years ago where he was down in New Orleans and accompanied a group out in the Mississippi hunting down nutria from a boat at night. > **[Insomniac with Dave Attell | CineSchlocker](https://cineschlocker.net/insomniac-with-dave-attell/)** > **[‘Insomniac’ Dave Attell still bar-hopping all-night](https://www.dailyfreeman.com/2003/02/01/insomniac-dave-attell-still-bar-hopping-all-night/)** > > He also hangs out with people whose jobs require them to be awake in the middle of the night. In New Orleans, he helped sheriff’s deputies hunt 20-pound nutria rats in the swamp; in Boise, Id… ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2020, 5:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worrying-too-much-about-covid-and-politics-try-worrying-about-invasive-tegu-lizards-for-a-change/927509/12 "2020-12-08T05:35:16Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > Make them open season and post recipes. They taste like chicken, problem solved. [Catch and cook wild Florida Tegu.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ubaTXtdEx-o) Evidently it tastes like Pollo Tropical. I’ve had stewed Green Iguana, which is quite delicious. (And yes, it does taste like chicken.) ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2020, 5:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worrying-too-much-about-covid-and-politics-try-worrying-about-invasive-tegu-lizards-for-a-change/927509/13 "2020-12-08T05:37:17Z")
Nice! 🦎 🍗 ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2020, 3:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worrying-too-much-about-covid-and-politics-try-worrying-about-invasive-tegu-lizards-for-a-change/927509/14 "2020-12-08T15:03:54Z")
> [@Colibri](#): > > I’ve had stewed Green Iguana, which is quite delicious. Heh, I tried stewed Iguana, but the iguana was wild-caught and skinny. I remember gnawing the bits of meat off of the bones.Tasted like chicken, but hardly any meat.