# Another Escaped Tegu



## Joshua Kirch (Jun 6, 2012)

About a week ago my yearling 18 inch female escaped. This was at least partially my fault, as I'm a new owner and did not realize how very good they are at climbing, nor how strong they can be. Needless to say, I feel terrible. We saw her scrambling under our kitchen counter as we turned the corner, to a hole we didn't even know was there. During this week we've kept the kitchen sealed, warm and put out food and a basking spot for her. For the past five nights I've left a havahart trap baited with boiled eggs, raw egg, fuzzy f/t mice, and raw burger. Nothing, she doesn't even touch it. I've used flour all around the kitchen, and it appears that she likes under the dishwasher, though she's never there when I look, which is upwards of five times a day. I've tried everything, and had resigned myself to the fact that she somehow made it outside (5 days, no evidence).
Last night she pooped!!!
It was under the dishwasher, toward the front. At first I was very excited, but then realized that the stool was very runny, and very much an olive green, with a large calcium deposit (think two mini marshmallows). I'm worried about her all over again, and from this poop, affraid that she may be sick. I don't know what she could have eaten that would have that much calcium, other than a wild mouse (which I didn't think we had, but anyway).
My questions:
1. Does anyone have Any fuether suggestions? How to get her out from a tight space that she may not even be in? Any better bait?
2. Is that poop normal?

Thanks!


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## m3s4 (Jun 6, 2012)

At least now you have confirmation that she's still inside the house didn't make it outside. 

I wouldn't worry about the stool so much at this point, chances are she didn't ingest anything poisonous. 

Sounds like she has a thing for the dishwasher - you might want to move the basking lamp close to her last known position in an attempt to get her to literally, "come to the light". Possibly have a dish of water and food near the same spot so if she does come to it, she can eat and drink. 

A basking lamp right now, is your best friend. Tegus instinctively know they need to bask, so providing that constant lighting will eventually lead her right under it - but it may take some time for the simple fact that while she's hiding, she's also watching and listening for everything going on around her because she's in fight or flight/survival mode right now. 

You'll get her back...Just be patient and a little crafty...and don't worry too much about her stool until you can get her back into a safe enclosure. 

Good luck!


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## Joshua Kirch (Jun 6, 2012)

Thank you! I just got her! After over a week! Havahart traps are amazing. I moved it right to the last places I knew she was, and then made her a Tegu feast (runny egg, raw chicken, mango slices) and just let her come to it. I avoided the kitchen for a few hours, and now I have her in her enclosure, with a few extra security measures. Thank you so much. I really wasn't expecting a happy ending to this one!!


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## m3s4 (Jun 6, 2012)

That's awesome!

I hope people are taking notes in the event their tegu gets lost in the house - this was a good idea to catch her that worked.


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## Joshua Kirch (Jun 7, 2012)

Just to summarize, for the next person with this problem:

I used flour to find where she was going, specifically around hiding places that were at Tegu level, and narrowed it down to two places. I still dismantled the refrigerator and stove, just to check, but she wasn't there.
Even before I had a trap for her, I left out food, water, and a basking spot; so that even if I couldn't immediately catch her, she could still be fed and sunned.
For the trap, I used an apropriately sized Havahart trap, adjusted the tension on the lever to the lightest setting. I closed the back door, and put the food as far back so that she couldn't snag her tail in the closing door. I blocked one side of the pressure plate.
Even with the trap, it took a few days. I tried out a number of different baits, and it seems that the best option was a very runny boiled egg dripped around some diced raw chicken. 
My luck came when I moved the water, basking, and trap to the last place that I had seen tracks, and that came within an hour.
Apparently, she hadn't moved around much from her "new home"; though I don't know if this is typical. To be honest, I wasn't expecting a happy ending. I hope this helps the next person in my shoes.


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## Aardbark (Jun 7, 2012)

Congrats. Im glad that you managed to find her.


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## dragonmetalhead (Jun 7, 2012)

This is good advice and I'm glad this story has a happy ending.


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## laurarfl (Jun 7, 2012)

I wouldn't worry about the poo. The white solids are not calcium. It is concentrated waste as urates. We pee yellow, but they concentrate waste into a solid and pee clear liquid.


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## Thelegendofcharlie (Jun 7, 2012)

I love a good happy ending....


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## laurarfl (Jun 8, 2012)

Me, too! Escaped anything is so stressful!


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## Bubblz Calhoun (Jun 8, 2012)

_Make sure you fix how she got out and cover the area where she was hiding plus any others. Once they find a way out or a good place to hide they remember and continue to go back to that spot._


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## Joshua Kirch (Jun 8, 2012)

Bubblz Calhoun said:


> _Make sure you fix how she got out and cover the area where she was hiding plus any others. Once they find a way out or a good place to hide they remember and continue to go back to that spot._



Has been done. I am never going to understimate how smart she is, nor how agile and strong. 

What blows my mind is how calm she was in that trap though, just gave me this "Really? What now..." sort of look. It was adorable, especially because I expected a raging angry little thing.


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