# acclimation



## roastedspleen (Jun 24, 2011)

i haven't really found anything on acclimation can someone tell me if there is a thread or tell me about it?


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## reptastic (Jun 24, 2011)

Acclimation is the period of time were reptiles get accustomed to their surrounding, this can take 2 weeks or more, some tegus may not eat or bask much during this time, handling should be kept at a bare minimum preferably not at all, just allow them to adjust so that they can feel safe, any other questions feel free to ask


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## roastedspleen (Jun 24, 2011)

how do i remove it after i wait the 2 weeks? and feed him so he doesn't starve?


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## reptastic (Jun 24, 2011)

With hatclings i usually pick them up around their waist close to their hind legs, as for feeding you can offer him a small bowl of food in his enclosure to see if he eats, i use a slate tile and feed on that, then after the acclimation period i move to a feeding bin or the tub, he may take a while to eat in the bin but you have to be persistent when he is hungry enough he will eat in it, a healthy tegu isnt going to starve himself


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## herpgirl2510 (Jun 24, 2011)

While he is hiding put some food in his enclosure. I bribe with tongs during ths period however I know people say they can be cage aggressive if you do this.


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## roastedspleen (Jun 24, 2011)

also i heard you have to soak them every other day. if thats true how do i soak him while he is still acclimating


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## james.w (Jun 24, 2011)

If you can keep your humidity up, there is no need to soak.


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## roastedspleen (Jun 24, 2011)

thanks for telling


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## herpgirl2510 (Jun 24, 2011)

I rarely soak Tonka he does not enjoy it at all. Whe he gets really dirty fom burying in the substrate I will because he spends so much time out of his enclosure.


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## rrcoolj (Jun 24, 2011)

The only time I soak my tegu is when she's shedding. When i was researching tegus ALOT of people soaked their tegu every single day sometimes more. To me that seems excessive. I agree with all the above except I have always fed my tegu in a separate bin even during the acclimation period. I had the feeding bin right next to the tank and just quickly transferred her over. My tegu has always been a very avid eater and I defiantly did not want to feed her in her enclosure for fear of cage aggression. Even now she gets very excited during feeding time especially with live food.


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## roastedspleen (Jun 24, 2011)

i heard some people do it every other day


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## Rhetoric (Jun 24, 2011)

For a while I was soaking them pretty frequently, now I just do it here and there. If they're shedding I'll soak them a little more. All 3 of mine can climb out of the tub now so sometimes it doesn't go as planned lol. 
I would suggest putting a soaking dish (appropriate to your tegus size) in the enclosure. This way they can soak when they feel they need to. Another great thing about this is most tegus will poop in their water making it really easy to clean. You just need to make sure you change it daily or when you see poop.

Feeding in the enclosure isn't recommended by a lot of people. When they're younger I don't see issues with it. I see more harm in not doing it with a new tegu. I'd rather they see me put food in than try to dig him out of a burrow. As it gets older its really up to you and the behavior of your tegu. One of my tegus is fed in the enclosure, hes never shown any aggression over his cage or food. My other 2 are fed outside of the enclosure because they have been known to get a little too excited when its mealtime.


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## reptastic (Jun 24, 2011)

As far as soaking i dont soak my tegus either, however i do put them in tub with warm shallow water daily to poop, they dont go in the enclosure and i left them alone a few times for a day or 2 and they dont use the water dish, besides i prefer they go in the tub for easier cleaning this seems to be their preference for pooping anyway, btw as mentioned before as long as the humidity is kept up and they have a good diet shedding shouldnt be a problem


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## roastedspleen (Jun 24, 2011)

how much water should i use when soaking a hatchling? will they swim or do they like more like wading


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## Rhetoric (Jun 24, 2011)

It depends, Guru is more of a wader, he doesn't swim much. The other two tegus I have will swim around the tub. I wouldn't go higher than its tummy. You can also try putting a branch or something in with it, the tegu might feel more secure if it can hang onto something.

For the depth, I don't think I'd go much past their tummy.


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## roastedspleen (Jun 24, 2011)

just measured how big my cage is its 2ft high 2.75 ft long and 2 and a half feet wide. is this going to last at least a month?


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## montana (Jun 24, 2011)

The problem you will have is keeping the temperatures right ..

You will have to buy special [small bulbs ]and what ever that will not be suitable for a larger enclosure so you will have to buy it all again in a month . 

If you could start with one four feet long you would get along better in my opinion ..


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## roastedspleen (Jun 24, 2011)

the people who gave it to me said it was 4ft long.  which sucks....i could just buy a reptisun and fixture and transfer it to the larger tank

when it needs to move


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