Meet Mila, Torbay’s very own beach-loving lizard

From rescue to reptile royalty – Mila the tegu now rules the sands of Preston.

If you’ve seen something large, scaly and rather prehistoric at Preston beach lately, you’re not imagining things. Meet Mila — a very real Argentine Black and White Tegu with a soft spot for sunbathing and a serious sense of mischief.

Mila is the much-loved companion of locals Rhiannon and Jordan. She may not be your typical beachgoer, but she is a familiar face down at Preston.

“She gets down there as much as the weather allows. She loves Preston because there’s a section of still water where she can swim — she’s not a fan of waves!”

It’s the kind of scene that might have startled a few unsuspecting tourists, but this isn’t a rogue raptor — it’s a rescue.

“I’ve always loved lizards,” Rhiannon explains. “My previous one was a Savannah Monitor who sadly passed away last December. I saw how Mila was being kept and knew I had to help.”

Mila was rescued back in January 2025 after Rhiannon came across her online. Back then, Mila was living in a cramped 4x2x2 vivarium — far too small for a Tegu — and had suffered burns from her heat lamp. Severely underweight, impacted, and aggressive, she’d been surviving on a poor diet and had become highly territorial.

But with the right care, a fresh diet, and plenty of patience, she’s made a remarkable transformation.

“Tegus are incredibly intelligent and often called ‘scaly dogs’ because they can bond really closely with their owners,” says Rhiannon. “These days Mila will sit on the sofa, curl up on my lap for a fuss, and then head off to explore the house. She’s very independent and always up to something.”

That ‘something’ includes stealing dog toys, knocking over bottles, digging up live plants and dragging them into her hide for decoration — or a nap. She’s even been known to climb the bookcase. When she wants to come out, she simply scratches at the glass to ask.

“She knows when it’s feeding time — we ring a bell and she comes straight out. She’s incredibly messy, so we feed her on puppy pads to save the floor,” explains Rhiannon.

Keeping her healthy is no small feat. Mila lives in a custom-built vivarium with strict temperature and humidity controls, spot cleaned daily and kitted out with a soaking dish big enough for a dip. Her diet includes turkey mince, lamb and chicken livers, vegetables, fruit, and the occasional defrosted mouse — all supplemented with calcium, vitamins and cod liver oil to help her shed.

“She needs constant monitoring and enrichment. I wouldn’t recommend getting a tegu unless you’ve done serious research. They grow fast, eat loads and need a huge amount of space — Mila’s enclosure is completely custom built.”

Bananas are a particular favourite reward when puzzle solving, and her personality shines through more each day, “She’s full of character. She’ll cuddle on the sofa when she feels like it, but never for long so she can be on the move again.”

But as a rescue, Mila’s story is a shining example of what proper care can do.

So, if you're out for a stroll along Preston beach and catch sight of a sun-seeker with scales, don't be alarmed - it's just Mila, soaking up the South Devon sun.

Mila’s adventures are documented on her very own social media channels, where followers can catch glimpses of her sunbathing sessions, cheeky antics and life as a much-loved rescue:

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