# Lost Colombian Tegu



## nepoez (Mar 11, 2013)

I failed to lock my cage 2 days ago and the Tegu escaped while I went away from the room.. I looked everywhere and he's just nowhere to be found... he's 15 inches long colombian.

So this is the 2nd morning since he's been lost and he never came out to walk around.. the room temperatures in the house is 20C so I don't know if he's even still alive and a young tegu, i'm not sure how long he can live for without food... maybe he is hibernating somewhere in the house?


I tried putting food in the middle of the floor for a while but he never came out...


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## dragonkeeperblue (Mar 11, 2013)

Put a basking light out in the rooms he might be in he might go for heat. However if it was me and one of mine went missing id unload the house to find them lol. Keep looking.


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## Roadkill (Mar 11, 2013)

20 degrees Celsius will not kill your tegu, and 2 days is not much to worry about. However, this time of year with those temperatures and there's a good chance your tegu has gone someplace dark and cool and is lying dormant. I'd be worried about places where it's possible for them to get into the walls, up inside furniture, or under doors.


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## TheTeguGurl (Mar 11, 2013)

Put out a basking light and a plate of food near it it might help him come out. Dont give up and keep us updated


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## Aardbark (Mar 11, 2013)

Ye, as others have said. Put out food water and more importantly, a backing lamp that they can easily get to. The light is the easiest thing to get my tegu out from hideing. If possible, put like baby powder on the floor in areas where the tegu might be, and see it you find any prints after a day. They like to crawl into tight spaces, so start searching there. Under blankets, clothes, pillows, anywhere where they can feel like they are burrowed.

Good luck finding him.


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## Dubya (Mar 11, 2013)

Check in the back of or under the refrigerator. The condensor and compressor get pretty warm. Baseboard heaters are a favorite hiding spot too.


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## laurarfl (Mar 11, 2013)

Also, put the basking area and food in a more secluded spot and not in the middle of a room. He may be more tempted to utilize it if he feels secure.


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## nepoez (Mar 12, 2013)

Thx all for the help and advise.. I've tried those, but for some reason, I am still not getting any results... it's been 3 days now


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## Tannaros (Mar 12, 2013)

nepoez said:


> Thx all for the help and advise.. I've tried those, but for some reason, I am still not getting any results... it's been 3 days now



I've never had a lizard escape on me - however, the snakes that have managed to find themselves let loose in my house generally took numerous days to emerge. My Hogg Island took a week and a half to find, because she apparently found the duct work in my house quite a pleasant area to be.

Three days isn't something to be terribly concerned about in my opinion. Chances area your tegu has found somewhere that they feel secure hiding in and sleeping. While roaming around the room my tegu has found numerous places he liked to hide in when he was smaller. Most notably anywhere in the closet, and my shoes.

If you'd really like to try something here's what I did when someone got out - I placed lines of flour at each doorway, I also put plastic bags in various rooms. That way I could track any movement, and hear any night time prowling. You can also most likely tap a bottle of baby powder to coat a small area and watch for drag marks in various directions.


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## agv0008 (Mar 12, 2013)

A friend of mine had a small ball python loose in the house for months... you could see tracks in the dust on the floor. They finally caught him in the corner of the warmest room in the house.

You could try warming up a particular room to see if you can get it to move that direction. 

Good luck. Don't give up!


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## nepoez (Mar 12, 2013)

Hm.. I know pythons can go a long time without food.. but my animal is a tegu and is just a child. Do you know how long he would last without food?


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## Dubya (Mar 12, 2013)

water is a lot more important. Leave water bowls around the house.


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## BatGirl1 (Mar 12, 2013)

All are good ideas. Maybe if you put water dish against a wall with a heat pad or bask light under or aimed at a hide he might like. What hide do you have in cage? Something 'familiar ' he likes? I would hope he'd go to it but understand animals sometimes may get into places we don't think of. The flour around walls/doorways/etc could help you locate him def. Gosh i feel so bad. My ball python got out before i knew they needed clips on the lid. Never imagined a snake would push a lid off way up there! Haha.we live, we learn. Long ago. But he ended up behind my hutch in the kitchen. Covered in webs. Yuck. And I still have him today...many years later  so yes don't give up. Try all the advice.waiting sucks but keep looking and relooking.  prayers for a safe return!


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## nepoez (Mar 14, 2013)

really sad... I think he would be dead by now 


4 day without food or water, he never came out to my food and dishes


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## Dubya (Mar 14, 2013)

He may still be alive. Reptiles can go a lot longer than mammals without food and water. Keep trying. He may have found water somewhere. Maybe condensation on the outside of the toilet bowl or cold water pipes.


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## Tannaros (Mar 14, 2013)

nepoez said:


> really sad... I think he would be dead by now
> 
> 
> 4 day without food or water, he never came out to my food and dishes





That's a little dramatic. I doubt he'd be dead within 4 days, assuming he was well fed before hand.

His temperatures are much lower, so his metabolic rate is also much lower, causing him to be less active, and require less energy. I would bet that more than likely once he gets hungry you'll discover him wandering around in search of food.

Stay positive! It's tough having a pet missing, but all isn't lost!


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## nepoez (Mar 14, 2013)

do u guys know how long a baby(15 inch) tegu would last with no food at 20 degree Celcius? thx!


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## BatGirl1 (Mar 15, 2013)

If he drops in temp i would *assume * he'd go into a sort of hibernation mode. I was told 74f may be the 'trigger Temp ' but don't go below i think 65 was it to be safe. I know you are not purposely hibernating him I'm just recalling acceptable temps. And agreed as above, of course metabolism slows as with most reptiles at lower temps. Niles has been down since oct no food. Water yes but like dubya suggested he may be finding different sources of water. They are highly intelligent in my opinion. Keep doing the suggestions. Don't give up on him.


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## Cornelius (Mar 15, 2013)

Did this guy ever end up finding him? Mine is lost as well. Lost him yesterday.


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## BatGirl1 (Mar 15, 2013)

I haven't heard anything. It truly is a waiting game.  how did you lose yours? Whatever room you were in, try the methods listed in this thread but persistance from the moment he's lost is key. Search EVERY INCH of the surrounding areas and closely inspect areas he could have crawled into or behind. Along walls. Etc


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## Cornelius (Mar 15, 2013)

I have lost mine a couple times but usually goes to the same spot every time. (Same 2spots) I let mine walk around my room and he is really good about it. Also a young one. I stuff a towel under my doo so he can't get through. But I took my eye off him for 5-10 mins because he has been being good, like resting with my cat selvester under my chair, or just sleeping next to my heater. I my self had taken full responsibility for the couple of times he did get out, so I know exactly how tight to stuff the towel under the door, because one time I lightly did it, and he got out. This time it wasn't me sealing the door,(not blaning her) but just know how to do it more correctly. So I hear the little stinker trying to climb my wall, I laughed, he stopped and closed his eyes. Next thing I know he is missing. I have a ssmall area just outside my room that he has gone to the most, then another room that doesn't have a door, but is FILLED withjunk and hiding spots for him. I don't know how many times I re arranged that room. Tommorrow I'm starting spring cleaning early and plan to spend my Saturday looking for him. I also do have a room just outside my door to the right that he always just walks by, it's about 50 degrees f in there, and really think he has no interest in being in there. His name is teg. I called his name about 5 times today and heard him give me 4 big huffs. But I really could not pin point where it came from. I still continue to call his name from time to time. Every time he has got out, it's been his loud moving that gives him away. He ate a pretty good sized mouse the day before he went missing. He had trouble kinda getting it down so I know he must be stuffed! His poop really stinks and fills my room with the smell so I always get it out right away. Do you think it's possible for me to smell his poop when he does? I put some meat out, a shirt in a box with our scent(he seems to like to sleep and bask on our shirts), some water, and a basking light. All in the cluttered room. In an hour he will have been missing for 24 hr.


He is a really good taimed tegu. Gives me a couple tail whippings here and there, and huffs if I call his name because he knows I'm coming to get him.  or pick him out of his cage. That's why I think he huffed earlier.


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## TheTeguGurl (Mar 16, 2013)

Have any updates yet?


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## nepoez (Mar 16, 2013)

no updates still.... can't think of any more hiding spots... just have to wait now


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## Cornelius (Mar 16, 2013)

I found my tegu, he was so cold! But fast asleep. Good luck with yours!


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## bfb345 (Mar 16, 2013)

use the old kentucky flour trap like on duck dynasty they caught a rough neck monitor that got loose in the warehous


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## nepoez (Mar 18, 2013)

Where did you find yours? I still haven't, no prints on flour spots either.



Cornelius said:


> I found my tegu, he was so cold! But fast asleep. Good luck with yours!


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## bfb345 (Mar 18, 2013)

look in any closets or dark spots also look in bundled up things like clothes for example really look anywhere you havent good luck


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## Cornelius (Mar 23, 2013)

Mine always walks along walls! He was beside a wall partially under a magazine in a really cold room


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## Midwestmonster (Jun 9, 2013)

Good luck finding him. It's unbelievable how sneaky these little guys can me. Even in my closed off room, mine has found herself in interesting places. I always keep an eye on her when she's roaming around. 

Please keep us updated. I hope you find him.


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## nepoez (Oct 7, 2013)

Unfortunately it's over now. It's been 7 months and I have just moved to a new house. I've posted an update to what I'm doing now in the B&W tegu section of the forum.


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