# Are there any Tegus that can live in a 5' long enclosure?



## TeguNovice (Mar 18, 2011)

I've been doing lots of research on Tegus. I'll be 18 soon and I might consider getting one when I know I'm ready to own one. I would get a black and white tegu but they get a little too large. I'll still be living with my parents when I get my Tegu and they said I can get one but the enclosure cannot be larger than 5ft in length. Are there any Tegus that could live in a 5ft long enclosure? Is it ok to house a larger Tegu in a 5ft enclosure as long as they get a lot of time out of their cage? When I say a lot of time, I'm talking 12+ hours a day.


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## reptastic (Mar 18, 2011)

you can possibly get away with that size enclosure with a columbian tegu but it would be pushing it, at very minimum an argentine will need at least a 6x3x3 enclosure(mainly a small female) a 4'+ lizard will not fare well in an enclosure that small, you mentioned having him her out for 12+ hrs a day would you be supplying a basking area for the tegu? if you decide to get an argentine a 5' enclosure could work for the first 1-2 years depending on if your tegu hibernates or not...i say this because i found myself in this very predicament had a hatchling tegu in a 4x2x2 enclosure and she decided not to hibernate...flash foward 5 months i got a tegu pushing 4', since she was super tame i just set up a bedroom for her to live in. but i wouldnt do that again.


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## TeguNovice (Mar 18, 2011)

Yeah. I'm really pushing for a 6ft long enclosure. This is the enclosure I would like to get though: https://www.cagesbydesign.com/p-173-hybrid-reptile-cages-48h-x-72l-x-36d-h3.aspx. My room is about 9 ft in length so I'll be able to squeeze that in my room once my Tegu gets too large. I think we're going to be moving soon so that might help as well. I wouldn't be happy if I were living in a small enclosure. Since I get benefit checks and I'll have a job soon, I should be able to get it very soon. I'm gonna talk to my parents more about enclosures. My mom told once I graduated and got my Diploma, I could get any large cage or lizard. My dad said I couldn't get it but 95% of the time, what my mom says goes. I'm considering a black and white Tegu or Blue Tegu.


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## Toby_H (Mar 18, 2011)

Every aggressive Arg Tegu I've ever seen was kept in too small of an enclosure... every extremely docile Arg Tegu I've ever seen was kept in a large enclosure...

I am convinced temperment and enclosure size are directly linked... I would not cut corners on cage size...


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## Rhetoric (Mar 18, 2011)

Welcome! An adult colombian might be able to live in a 5ft enclosure. I've currently got a 7.5'x3.5'x3.5' enclosure and even then its on the smaller "recommended" size for an adult argentine b/w. I've recently found out mine is a male, depending on how much more he grows I'll need to consider getting a larger enclosure.

These things grow like weeds, if it doesn't hibernate its first year it can get most of its length in the first year. Mine did not hibernate and it grew a little more than 2 ft in 7 months. There are people on here who do let their tegus free roam, I don't see any issues with this as long as you make sure the area is safe.

Just a thought, maybe some of the other tegu gurus can give their input. Have you considered doing an enclosure with some more height? Tegus are terrestrial, but would it be helpful if there was kind of a second floor of the enclosure? Maybe a ramp going up and then another platform type thing to add some floor space, maybe a basking area?

A lot of these guys/gals (no offense) are tegu nerds, many of them have built their own enclosures and have been keeping tegus for years. You're definetly in the right spot for info!


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## TeguNovice (Mar 18, 2011)

This is the cage I would love to have: https://www.cagesbydesign.com/p-173-hybrid-reptile-cages-48h-x-72l-x-36d-h3.aspx. . It has some extra height to it as well.


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## reptastic (Mar 18, 2011)

rhetoricx said:


> Welcome! An adult colombian might be able to live in a 5ft enclosure. I've currently got a 7.5'x3.5'x3.5' enclosure and even then its on the smaller "recommended" size for an adult argentine b/w. I've recently found out mine is a male, depending on how much more he grows I'll need to consider getting a larger enclosure.
> 
> These things grow like weeds, if it doesn't hibernate its first year it can get most of its length in the first year. Mine did not hibernate and it grew a little more than 2 ft in 7 months. There are people on here who do let their tegus free roam, I don't see any issues with this as long as you make sure the area is safe.
> 
> ...



i myself personally dont consider tegus completely terrestrial, i think they are a lil more on the semi aboreal line. my tegu was over 4" and weighed almost 16lbs yet she enjoyed climbing furniture and ahe could leap of the ground and climb in my bed...so i think adding a ramp to a second level would be a great idea..im sure the tegu would use it


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## slideaboot (Mar 18, 2011)

Don't blue tegus stay a bit smaller? Or do they still need a bigger-than-five-foot cage?


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## Chuey (Mar 26, 2011)

I have a blue in a 7 foot boamaster cage. He doesn't use the whole enclosure. He could do with a 5 foot cage fine. He's only about 12-14lbs though, not nearly as big as the black and whites.


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