apartment-dwellin' tegus

[Bry]

I've talked about wanting Argie B&W Tegus but putting off actually getting them due to space. Well, I guess I've been bitten by the "I want a tegu" bug again. To give you an idea of how large the apartment is, it's right around 900 sq. ft., and I'm looking into moving into a larger apartment this summer. Would keeping an Argie Tegu in an apartment be too much of a stretch to even consider trying? Other than meeting necessary UV/heat/humidity requirements, what else do you suggest I do in order to accomplish something like this?

Bry

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[NicoleRussell]

You can get a hatchling and that would buy you some time. If you hibernate her/him it will take about 2.5 years for the tegu to get large. If you do not hibernate it--this will happen in 18 months.
They hatch in August so if you buy one now it would be last years babies (but they have not grown too much because they have been in hibernation all winter)so it will be less expensive. Also a plus to buying last years stock is that they will be sexed. Most hatchling are not sexed and it's a tossup.
Also as a new owner and because the tegu is coming to a new home, it's best to get one now because if you wait---the animal will more then likely try to brumate in October. Then you will be a new owner with a sleeping tegu.
This happened to me and that is 70% of the reason i got Rocco. I was bummed because I had this cage...and a great animal....but all I saw was a mound of dirt.
And if you try to wake them they will not be very happy
Just email Bert (if that is where you get him from) and ask him to pick a small one for you.
Humidity is not an issue and long as the hidebox is moist. Temps and UVB are more of an issue.
What size cage will you start him in?

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[Bry]

I'm not sure, what would be a good size to house a young tegu in its first year? Also, is either sex better as a single pet? I would think male, because with many other lizards, females tend to have problems with egg-binding if they are not bred. Actually, I also emailed Burt at Agama Int'l asking the same questions I asked here to see what his response was. He said he hasn't had experience keeping a tegu in an apartment, and told me to come to this site and ask you.

Bry

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[NicoleRussell]

Bert has been keeping tegus outdoors forever--all his animals have terraria, not cages so it makes sense he would not know.
I would get a white headed male (chacoan).
Do you have any spare cages? If so what size? Even a spare 20 gallon would be ok for a little while.
If not, and you are starting from scratch---go as large as possible....and in the end, try to get a low cage that's on the floor after he gets even a little size so you can train him.
You need a basking rock--something flat...a temp gun or something to measure basking temps.....give the animal 2 choices with basking temps. This is as easy as adjusting the rocks to go higher or lower, both at different levels and adjacent to eachother.
Your looking for a basking temp of 100-120 degrees. Mine like it very hot. Get yourself a MVB. In the end with a larger cage go for the TREX spot 160 watts. While the cage is still small you can use a powersun 100 watt on one side of the cage--on the opposite end of the hidebox. When that light goes out have a CHE come on over the hide...wattage will depend on cage size and distance from the substrate.
All this may sound like alot but once you nail your basking and sleeping temps it's all good.
If you are letting the tegu out for a while each day you do not need to go that large at all---the only thing is--as it grows you will end up going through all those cages.....

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[NicoleRussell]

and if your moving this summer it doesn't matter much....just do yourself a favor and get it now.

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[Wrecka]

what does a tagu look like?

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[Bry]

Cool, thanks for the info Nicole. I only have a couple of tanks, one is a 25H which basically has the same footprint as a 20 gal (not long), but is about as tall as a 29 gal tank. I'd think this would be too small, especially for something that was hatched last year. So, sounds like I would be better off buying one cage that is suitable for an adult, correct? Would a 6'Wx2'Dx18"H cage be a good size? Also, what does MVB stand for?

Bry

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[C. hortulanus bites]

Mercury Vapor Bulb I believe.

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[Wrecka]

what is a TEGUS???

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[NicoleRussell]

tegu:

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[NicoleRussell]

Originally Posted by Bry

Cool, thanks for the info Nicole. I only have a couple of tanks, one is a 25H which basically has the same footprint as a 20 gal (not long), but is about as tall as a 29 gal tank. I'd think this would be too small, especially for something that was hatched last year. So, sounds like I would be better off buying one cage that is suitable for an adult, correct? Would a 6'Wx2'Dx18"H cage be a good size? Also, what does MVB stand for?

Bry

He would be lost in a cage suitable for an adult right now...remember when he hatched he was in hibernation a couple of months later. They shut down and do not grow while this happens...and he awoke in april or still might be sleeping. Nico woke up in late May that first year.
So he will be tiny.
Not to say you can't get a big cage but it's not necessary right now.
All you need is an area for him to dig and sleep (like the size of a shoebox) and an area for him to bask.
You can start handling him a few days later so before you know it he will be out and walking about.
MVB=mercury Vapor Bulb...will produce heat and proper uvb. It's really important for growing tegus. Try to remember that when you get him. Many people want to hang with them so much they forget to let the animal bask and then they start to have problems associated with lack of UVB. They are easy to love too much
Oh and let him go for swims in the tub while he's still small...mine are too big for anything but a soak but it's cute when they swim.

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[Wrecka]

maaan, thats a baaad lookin dude right there

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[NicoleRussell]

Originally Posted by Wrecka

maaan, thats a baaad lookin dude right there

That was staken in Nov I think so he's a bit bigger now. He's actually a gentle giant. He loves hugs

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[Wrecka]

looks like a smaller komodo dragon

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[Bry]

Okay, and what do you use as far as substrate? I was thinking of cypress mulch, but that doesn't really seem like a very good digging medium. Or do you provide a box for them to dig in?

EDIT: Never mind, I took a closer look at the picture of your setup and I see the box for digging on the right. What substrate do you use in that box?

Bry

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[Leyla]

Hey,

Thought I'd jump in here for a min

I use cypress mulch in meego's enclosure, and have never had any problems with it in any way, meego has never had a problem digging through it, even when he was tiny (tiny being 16 inches or so), and it holds moisture really well. Hope this helps.

Ley x

[NicoleRussell]

Leyla is correct, cypress is really the best for tegus.
I use two drawers from a dresser I was throwing away...they dig a hole go in in a circle like a ferret and cover themselves.
In that cage I now only use mulch in the drawers and newspaper in the rest (except the basking rock)

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