# Outdoor caging minmuim temp required



## top dog (Sep 3, 2009)

Hello there

JUst wanted to find out what sort of tempreture are need to keep my red in a outdoor inclosure. Still going to have a heated hide box if i do it, but just wanted to know what temps should be atleast for a outside day cage to ensure he is able to get enough heat for digeustion and other functions.
Thanks in Advance
Mark


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## VARNYARD (Sep 3, 2009)

Where are you located?


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## RehabRalphy (Sep 3, 2009)

I guess it really all depends on your geographical location. Bobby, who lives in Florida, has perfect weather conditions. Whereas, I live in Missouri. During the springs/summer/fall tegus do great outside here, but they will have to be pulled in during the winter because of the extremely cold tempetures. 

Summer averages out around 80-90 degrees with a humidity percentage of 60%-80% here in Missouri. Nights drop to around 70*F ish. Perfect temps.

Like Bobby said, where are you located?


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## Toby_H (Sep 3, 2009)

I have a female B&W Tegu AThat was born early summer of '08...

I moved her outside (Charlotte, NC) when the overnight lows stopped dipping below 50*F... while she was still in hibernation... This allowed her to wake up in fairly 'natural' conditions. 

She has spent the entire summer in an outdoor cage with large screen in windows... and later in the year the cage has been left open giving her free roam of a 6' x 10' deck.

She has seemed very happy outside all summer...

I do plan to bring her in soon though as I do not want her to go into hibernation as early as outdoor weather conditions will promote. I hope to keep her awake until late in the year (which is what happened last year) and then allow her to wake up next spring in the same way...


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## Jefroka (Sep 3, 2009)

This is the reason I posted: <!-- l --><a class="postlink-local" href="http://www.tegutalk.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=62&t=4861" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">viewtopic.php?f=62&t=4861</a><!-- l -->

If we ALL update our profiles and put in our location, we can all better serve one another, besides, I like knowing where people are from.

Thanks, and didn't mean to highjack this post.


...Jefroka


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## top dog (Sep 3, 2009)

Sorry i am from South Africa Johannesburg to be specific. I know my winter temp is too low but just wanted to check what summer average temps would be safe.
Thanks


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## Toby_H (Sep 4, 2009)

As described above, my B&W Tegu was moved outside onto the porch while still in hibernation when the overnight lows stopped dipping below 50*F (10*C) and the mid day temps were between 65~70*F (18~21*C)...

The hottest part of the hottest days of the summer got to about 100*F (38*F)... with lower 90s (32~34*C) being a typical high for mid summer. 

She is still outside and is still eating heavily every day and is still quite active... Current average highs are around 86*F (30*F) and overnight lows are around 65*F (18*C)...

I plan to bring her in soon because I feel if I leave her outside with the cooling temperatures she will go into hibernation sooner than I would like. I would like to keep her active until October/November so that she can sleep until mid spring and wake up with the outdoor warming temps just like she did last year... But without hibernating for more than 5 months... 

I hope this post was a little more helpful...


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## top dog (Sep 4, 2009)

Yes thanks that is great
only planning outdoor cage for summer months
My mid summer temps are not as high betwwen 27c and 30c cooling to around 15c at night.
will that work,


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## Toby_H (Sep 4, 2009)

In shortÃ?Â¢Ã¢â??Â¬Ã?Â¦ yes I think the temps you mentioned will be fine (27~30*C / 80~85*F HighsÃ?Â¢Ã¢â??Â¬Ã?Â¦ 15*C / 60*F Lows)Ã?Â¢Ã¢â??Â¬Ã?Â¦

But keep in mind since Tegus are (naturally) hibernating animals... I suspect rising temps verses falling temps will make a considerable difference on the animals behavior...

After doing a good bit of reading, considering temps in Argentina, talking to Tegu owners etcÃ?Â¢Ã¢â??Â¬Ã?Â¦ I decided that 50*F / 10*C was the coldest overnight low I would make my Tegu put up withÃ?Â¢Ã¢â??Â¬Ã?Â¦ Also keep in mind this is when her Ã?Â¢Ã¢â??Â¬Ã?â??burrowÃ?Â¢Ã¢â??Â¬Ã?Â is simply buried in a few inches of mulch in a cage, not buried over a foot deep in the earthÃ?Â¢Ã¢â??Â¬Ã?Â¦ 

In the autumn I will be bringing her inside prior to the overnight temps getting that cold. Instead I am making 60*F / 15.5*C the coldest she will deal withÃ?Â¢Ã¢â??Â¬Ã?Â¦ This is because I do not want her going into hibernation as early as my local temps would encourageÃ?Â¢Ã¢â??Â¬Ã?Â¦

When dealing with indoor constant temperaturesÃ?Â¢Ã¢â??Â¬Ã?Â¦ ItÃ?Â¢Ã¢â??Â¬Ã¢â??Â¢s much easier to say Ã?Â¢Ã¢â??Â¬Ã?â??a high of X and a low of YÃ?Â¢Ã¢â??Â¬Ã?ÂÃ?Â¢Ã¢â??Â¬Ã?Â¦ but when kept outdoors increasing vs. decreasing temperature as well as day light influences the Tegus Ã?Â¢Ã¢â??Â¬Ã?â??internal clockÃ?Â¢Ã¢â??Â¬Ã?Â which triggers behavior, including preparation for hibernationÃ?Â¢Ã¢â??Â¬Ã?Â¦

Also, just to noteÃ?Â¢Ã¢â??Â¬Ã?Â¦ I found in the hottest part of the summer, my Tegu avoided direct sunlight to the point I felt the need to offer her UVB even though she was outdoors. I decided to offer UVB because I noticed her limbs getting stiff which is a sign of onset of MBD. Now that temps have cooled off, she spends much of the day in direct sunlight, but still seems to enjoy basking under her fluorescent UVB lamp in the evening hoursÃ?Â¢Ã¢â??Â¬Ã?Â¦


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## RehabRalphy (Sep 4, 2009)

South Africa? Awesome!


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