# Tegu and pool water



## Compnerd7 (May 18, 2012)

I have a very large swimming pool, and I would love to take him swimming. Is pool water with chlorine safe to take my Tegu in, provided I wash him afterward?


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## dragonmetalhead (May 18, 2012)

I've been swimming with a very large tegu before. When I was 12, I had a friend who had a five-footer named Ted and we took him in the pool with us once. He loved it, and when he wasn't swimming he would bask on an inflatable innnertube.


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## got10 (May 18, 2012)

Chlorine isn't safe for people let alone the animals. Remember chlorine is POISON that's why you should not clean out your enclosures with chlorine bleach.


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## Dana C (May 18, 2012)

Tap water is largely bacteria free because of very small amounts of chlorine added via chlorine gas. Pool water, freshly chlorinated contains a much higher chlorine level however and while I think a quick swim and a good hosing down after wouldn't hurt, I am not sure I would do it myself.


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## naturboy87 (May 18, 2012)

salt pools are ok ... chlorine pools bad bad !!!!!


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## Compnerd7 (May 18, 2012)

got10 said:


> Chlorine isn't safe for people let alone the animals. Remember chlorine is POISON that's why you should not clean out your enclosures with chlorine bleach.


That is true, but if you use chlorine or bleach to clean an enclosure you are using a 100% solution and can be leaving 100% chlorine film.

Right after I get my pool serviced, the ppm ( parts per million ) of chlorine in the water is between 3-5 depending on what is needed to be done. Anything below 3 is "safe" for humans. But, I can test the chlorine's ppm at later times in the week and it drops much lower and it hovers around 1-2.5 ppm, sometimes lower. I don't see the immediate harm of letting him swim in water that has that amount in it. I have tested a lot of tap water that comes out at 2 ppm, of course though, I use distilled for my all my herps and inverts. 

Any thoughts on the chlorine ppm in a pool being too high or not if tested and is low?



dragonmetalhead said:


> I've been swimming with a very large tegu before. When I was 12, I had a friend who had a five-footer named Ted and we took him in the pool with us once. He loved it, and when he wasn't swimming he would bask on an inflatable innnertube.




Also, that is exactly what I pictured us doing haha. Him on a body board, and me floating on an inter-tube drinking beer chillin' with my Tegu in the sun


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## dragonmetalhead (May 18, 2012)

After we got out of the pool, the tip of Ted's tail split open and started to bleed a bit because of the chlorine. Nothing serious, like if you scraped your elbow. Should've mentioned that earlier . . . sorry about that.


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## TegusRawsome80 (May 18, 2012)

If you're going to do it anyways, why bother asking for advice? Don't say you weren't warned, in my opinion the tegu has a pretty high risk of dying from it.


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## ilovelizards (May 18, 2012)

got10 said:


> Chlorine isn't safe for people let alone the animals. Remember chlorine is POISON that's why you should not clean out your enclosures with chlorine bleach.



I clean my tegus enclouser with regular laundery bleach....


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## got10 (May 19, 2012)

ilovelizards said:


> got10 said:
> 
> 
> > Chlorine isn't safe for people let alone the animals. Remember chlorine is POISON that's why you should not clean out your enclosures with chlorine bleach.
> ...



dawn liquid and vinegar imo is the best thing to use for enclosures



dragonmetalhead said:


> After we got out of the pool, the tip of Ted's tail split open and started to bleed a bit because of the chlorine. Nothing serious, like if you scraped your elbow. Should've mentioned that earlier . . . sorry about that.



If it bled BECAUSE of the chlorine dude, why would you NOT think it wasn't a good thing.? If I did something to make ANY of my animals even the slightest bit of harm I WOULD CEASE ASAP IF NOT SOONER. That would be like asking if it was ok to let your kids play in broken glass .


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## Compnerd7 (May 19, 2012)

TegusRawsome80 said:


> If you're going to do it anyways, why bother asking for advice? Don't say you weren't warned, in my opinion the tegu has a pretty high risk of dying from it.



Wow. I was asking for advice and information, maybe from someone who doesn't just have an opinion but can back it up with hard facts, research, and hopefully some experience in the matter at hand. Looks like I came to the wrong place for that.

Of course I am not going to take my Tegu into the pool until I am convinced that he will remain unharmed. 

I called and asked Biologist with a degree in biology about the subject, the information he gave was very enlightening. His name is Ben and he works at a local zoo here in southern California out in the desert. He is the main care taker of the reptiles there. He referred me to this this article: http://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=PRINT&A=1363

Even though the article refers to Iguanas but he explained the effects of Chlorine on any reptile skin, along with that of a Tegu. A pool with 2.5 PPM (average tap water ranges from 1-3ppm) of chlorine or less does have a drying effect on a Tegus skin, and you should not let him swim in the pool for more then 4 hours, and no more then 3 times a week due to the fact that my Tegu has only been exposed to tap water and distilled water. As long as he gets a good washing of un-chlorinated water after his swims, there will be no harm done. If you *PUT* your Tegu in pool water with chlorine of 2ppm there is not a " pretty high risk of dying from it. "; in fact those odds are near impossible. Thanks for the warning, but I think I will go with the scientists advice. 

So there is the information and not opinions on the subject I have gotten so far. I am going to contact one more biologist who deals with herps exclusively and get a second opinion on this matter before I take the plunge. I will post what He / She says on here if anyone else is interested.


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## got10 (May 19, 2012)

We all know reptile skin is tougher than people skin and such,Im talking about him inhaling it . Chlorine is a poison that is why it is put into tap water ,to kill stuff. If i cant put a fish in it im not putting my lizard in it. Ask Ben about the fumes from the chlorine. The gas has a much better chance of causing burning of the lungs in small animals than it does in full sized humans .


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## ilovelizards (May 20, 2012)

got10 said:


> ilovelizards said:
> 
> 
> > got10 said:
> ...



im just wondering what the problem is with useing bleach


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## Dana C (May 20, 2012)

If bleach is used to disinfect and then rinsed with plain water after, there is no problem. Pure sodium hypochlorite , does give off gas as does household bleach and chlorine used in pools. Bleach is actually a gas that is liquefied to begin with and does not leave a residue as it breaks down fairly quickly and oxidizes almost immediately in UV light and heat. That is the reason that you have to keep adding chlorine to pools and why pools turn cloudy on nice sunny days when they get a lot of use. The cloudiness is a bacteria load indicating that the chlorine has dissipated. This can happen in a couple of hours.

Think about this: Every you or your family bathes or showers, they are doing so in water which as been treated with chlorine, (unless you have a well). The concentration of 3.5 ppm is needed to detect an odor from bleach and if detected, exposure needs to be very limited or ended until concentrations are reduced by oxidation or further dilution.
As far as determining that a split or bleeding tail was definitely caused by swimming pool chlorine is practically impossible.

You will find that a lot of water monitors, tegus, igaunids etc. enjoy a swim weekly and you can see many of them doing so on You Tube. They don't die. They have been doing it for years in some cases. 
The moral of the story boys and girls is, read the science, do the research.


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## Apophis (May 22, 2012)

I would just buy a big kiddie pool for him if you really want him to swim. When I think about being in a pool with a tegu I have the image of it panicking and trying to claw its way onto my head.


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## monstruo-the-tegu (May 22, 2012)

TegusRawsome80 said:


> If you're going to do it anyways, why bother asking for advice? Don't say you weren't warned, in my opinion the tegu has a pretty high risk of dying from it.



hes just wondering about putting a tegu in the pool you do not need to be so rude about it


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## larissalurid (May 22, 2012)

Chlorine is VERY harsh, even on people's skin and hair, so I would definitely not be bringing any animals in a pool. Although I wish I could do that with my pets as well, it's far too unsafe. (the earlier comment about how a tegu's tail split open from the chemicals is just one example) So I'd just not risk that at all. (Nevermind the risk of ingesting chlorine) The chemicals are bad and also dry out skin/hair/animal scales, etc quite a lot which will cause problems.


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## TegusRawsome80 (May 22, 2012)

I mean, when people tell him the possible problems associated with it and he argues them, I don't understand why he would ask in the first place.


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## monstruo-the-tegu (May 22, 2012)

TegusRawsome80 said:


> I mean, when people tell him the possible problems associated with it and he argues them, I don't understand why he would ask in the first place.



He didn't actually do it he is just curious about it. It seems he just wants a stonger bond with his tegu and his tegu to be happy then be bored and sit in a cage all day.


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## TegusRawsome80 (May 22, 2012)

So he wants to put it in a chlorinated pool, which could easily harm the tegu? I have no issue with him wanting to enhance his bond with his tegu, and I never argued against him attempting to do that so I don't know why you brought that up.


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## Dana C (May 23, 2012)

I am reading a bit of hysteria here. If you take showers or baths in tap water, or if you drink tap water, if any of your family swims in pools, plays in the sprinklers and so on, you are in contact with chlorine if your water comes from a municipal source. A pool, properly chlorinated won't hurt you, your children or your Tegus. 

Here is some interesting information about sources of chlorine, (Lennteck Water Treatment Solutions).
"Chlorine in the environment

In nature it is only found combined with other elements chiefly sodium in the form of common salt (NaCl), but also in carnallite, and sylvite. Chlorides make up much of the salt dissolved in the earth's oceans: about 1.9 % of the mass of seawater is chloride ions.

The amount of chloride in soils varies according to the distance from the sea. The average in top soils is about 10 ppm. Plants contain various amount of chlorine; it is an essential microutrient for higher plants where is concentrates in the chloroplasts. Growth suffers if the amount of chloride in the soil fall below 2 ppm, but it rarely happens. The upper limit of tolerance varies according to the crop.
Read more: http://www.lenntech.com/periodic/elements/cl.htm#ixzz1viv0weOV

Chlorine concentrations: (source Wikipedia,)
Chlorine is detectable with measuring devices in concentrations of as low as 0.2 parts per million (ppm), and by smell at 3 ppm. Coughing and vomiting may occur at 30 ppm and lung damage at 60 ppm. About 1000 ppm can be fatal after a few deep breaths of the gas.[24] Breathing lower concentrations can aggravate the respiratory system, and exposure to the gas can irritate the eyes.[55] The toxicity of chlorine comes from its oxidizing power. When chlorine is inhaled at concentrations above 30 ppm, it begins to react with water and cells, which change it into hydrochloric acid (HCl) and hypochlorous acid (HClO).
When used at specified levels for water disinfection, the reaction of chlorine with water is not a major concern for human health. However, other materials present in the water may generate disinfection by-products that can damage human health.[56][57]

Considering that proper swimming pool chorination should be between 1-2 ppm, it is not harmful to you Tegu or you.
a b Hammond, C. R. (2000). The Elements, in Handbook of Chemistry and Physics 81st edition. CRC press. ISBN 0-8493-0481-4.

Did you expect compnerd7 to blindly accept your pronouncements on pool water without some indication that you actually did a little research?


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## TegusRawsome80 (May 23, 2012)

However, it is quite possible that the tegu could ingest the chlorinated water in large amounts since his intention is to hang out on a bodyboard with the tegu. His chlorine level is not always at 1-2 ppm, but fluctuates up to 2.5 ppm in his past experience. This is not to say it wouldn't end well necessarily, but to me it isn't worth the risk of him ingesting possibly over-chlorinated water. There are also other possible negative outcomes from letting a tegu swim in a large pool. If you were chilling drinking beer and weren't paying close enough attention to your tegu, which could easily happen, and he was swimming, became tired, and couldn't find an exit to the pool that he could use he could definitely be in jeopardy. I simply don't think it's a good idea, although it is totally up to him what he does with his animal.


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## got10 (May 23, 2012)

I still say its a bad idea, period !!


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## TegusRawsome80 (May 23, 2012)

Agreed!


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