# My ex left me a tegu.HELP please



## _Eric_ (Mar 10, 2012)

I came home from work a few months ago to find a note saying my gf left lol after I finished busting off my best dance moves I looked around to see if she took any of my stuff and found that she left all her animals.I know how to care for the water monitor she left but not the tegu.its been out of hibernation for a few days and Ive been feeding it small rats from rodent pro.
The cage its in is a 150 gallon aquarium with 2 5 watt floods for heat and 1 uvb light.humidity in 85-90% sometimes as high as 99% but I open the top when it gets that high.Hes in cypress mulch thats about 1 foot deap on the hot side and is only a few inches deep on the cool side.the tegu is the one that did the landscaping.
Fabio (the tegu) is 3 feet long and eats like a mad man.I have offered him crickets, eggs, and some greens but he will only eat rats and mice.His basking temp is 122 with a temp gun and his ambient temp is about 85.
His water dish is big enough for him to soak in but I haven't seen him soak since before he went out.

My questions are
1.should I be worried that he only eats rats?Thats all I feed my water monitors.
2.How big of a cage should I build for him?I know the cage hes in is to small at 5x2x2.I also plan on getting a female friend for him so it needs to hold them both.
3.Whats a good UVB bulb to buy?Im sure the one Im using now is no good.I dont use UVB with my monitors so Im clueless there.
4.How long after feeding him is it safe to hold him?
5.I have him on 24/7 heat cycle.thats how I keep my monitors because they borrow and have no idea if the lights are on.the tegu borrows when he sleeps to so I dont see the difference there.What do you experienced keepers think?
6.Whats the temp rang that I can bring him outside in?I try to walk him on the leash whenever I can so he can get some real sun.

Thanks for any help or criticism offered.


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## monstruo-the-tegu (Mar 10, 2012)

water monitors have huge requirements and if your a beginner i would rehome it tegus arent nearly as hard 
1. they both need a variety
2. 8x4x4 for the tegu a whole room for a water monitor with a swimming pool
3. i had no idea there was diffrent uvb but both a new one\
4. water monitor every day or every day after small meal tegu give it food the same as monitor
5. i have no idea because i am not a water monitor expert though i have studied them a little
6. 90f-120f for both if you live at a area that gets that hot 

but tegus are still not beginners either thats what i meant but not like water monitors


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## _Eric_ (Mar 10, 2012)

Im not new to Water monitors,I have my own.I have a 12x12x7 cage for them with 2 133 gallon ponds.

Thanks for your info on the tegu,Fabio will be much obliged.


Water monitor cage


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## TegusRawsome80 (Mar 10, 2012)

Can you post some more pics of your water monitors and enclosures?


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## _Eric_ (Mar 10, 2012)

Sure,but the lighting is no good for pics in there and they look like shadows lol


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## monstruo-the-tegu (Mar 11, 2012)

oh i thought u were new to monitors lol sorry


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## _Eric_ (Mar 11, 2012)

monstruo-the-tegu said:


> oh i thought u were new to monitors lol sorry


np, your were just trying to help.Thanks again for the info.


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## james.w (Mar 11, 2012)

_Eric_ said:


> I came home from work a few months ago to find a note saying my gf left lol after I finished busting off my best dance moves I looked around to see if she took any of my stuff and found that she left all her animals.I know how to care for the water monitor she left but not the tegu.its been out of hibernation for a few days and Ive been feeding it small rats from rodent pro.
> The cage its in is a 150 gallon aquarium with 2 5 watt floods for heat and 1 uvb light.humidity in 85-90% sometimes as high as 99% but I open the top when it gets that high.Hes in cypress mulch thats about 1 foot deap on the hot side and is only a few inches deep on the cool side.the tegu is the one that did the landscaping.
> Fabio (the tegu) is 3 feet long and eats like a mad man.I have offered him crickets, eggs, and some greens but he will only eat rats and mice.His basking temp is 122 with a temp gun and his ambient temp is about 85.
> His water dish is big enough for him to soak in but I haven't seen him soak since before he went out.
> ...



*I would lower the basking temp unless of course he is using it with no problems. Tegus generally bask at around 110-115. Ambient temps sound good, as long as he can get down to about 75 on the cool end. Humidity seems a bit high, 75%-80% would be better in my opinion. *



How do you keep your water monitor pond clean?


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## _Eric_ (Mar 11, 2012)

james.w said:


> *I would lower the basking temp unless of course he is using it with no problems. Tegus generally bask at around 110-115. Ambient temps sound good, as long as he can get down to about 75 on the cool end. Humidity seems a bit high, 75%-80% would be better in my opinion. *
> 
> 
> 
> How do you keep your water monitor pond clean?





Fabio actually piles the cypress mulch up to make his own basking spot,I looked today and he has lowered in about an inch but I didnt check the temp because hes sleeping and I didnt want to wake him up.

The water monitor ponds both have 2 inch drains in them so all I have to do is turn a lever and it drains then into my yard.Then I wash both ponds out with hot water and fill them back up.Right now I only need to do it once a week but when there bigger Ill have to do it daily.It takes about an hour for the whole proses.


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## Compnerd7 (Mar 11, 2012)

_Eric_ said:


> I came home from work a few months ago to find a note saying my gf left lol after I finished busting off my best dance moves
> 
> 
> My questions are
> ...



*LOL I'm guessing you didn't along?

1.A full diet of rats is not suggested, here is a link of good food for a Tegu http://www.tegutalk.com/showthread.php?tid=6452#axzz1oqQ0ImZl

2. As was stated, 8X4X4, you seem to be pretty adept to building cages from the looks of your dope monitor set ups. It can also depend on the species of Tegu, is he a B&W or Red, or a smaller Golden? You can get away with a smaller 6X4X4 if you don't have the space depending on the species.

3. Reptiglo 10.0 is the best 

4.I give my Tegu some time to digest his food before I handle him, maybe 1 - 2 hours.

5.A 24/7 heat cycle is fine. I turn off all my lights at night, and the temps drop into the high 70's all night which is fine, saves a little $ on the electric bill.

6.Anywhere in the 70s rage and higher should be more then safe, since he is more then likely not going to be outside for long, walking him is great exercise and of course the all natural sunshine. 

So far you seem to be doing pretty good, just a few tweaks and you got it great. If you keep monitors then a Tegu should be a piece of acake for you. Here is a good overall care sheet to look over for food, housing, lighting ect...* http://www.tegutalk.com/showthread.php?tid=7712#axzz1oqQ0ImZl


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## james.w (Mar 11, 2012)

Compnerd7 said:


> 3. Reptiglo 10.0 is the best




How much experience do you have with these bulbs?


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## _Eric_ (Mar 11, 2012)

Compnerd7 said:


> _Eric_ said:
> 
> 
> > I came home from work a few months ago to find a note saying my gf left lol after I finished busting off my best dance moves
> ...



Thanks for the link,the problem is he wont eat anything other then rodents.Do you think it could be because of his age?I have no idea how old he is but he is 3 feet long.The pet store my ex got him from didnt know the age and even told me that tegus dont hibernate lol I stopped asking questions at that point lol


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## james.w (Mar 11, 2012)

Stop feeding for a few days to a week then start offering other food items.


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## Compnerd7 (Mar 11, 2012)

james.w said:


> Compnerd7 said:
> 
> 
> > 3. Reptiglo 10.0 is the best
> ...



Quite a bit, I use to use the 5.0 until they came out with the 10.0. They have a *very high* UVB output along with a nice rage of the spectrum which as we know causes the skin to produce D3 which in turn helps the the body regulate calcium metabolism. 

I have found that when using the 10.0 for my Bearded Dragons they can take it at full strength UV radiation all day long without any problems; being that they are a dessert species. The 10.0 is all I have used on them for as long as I can remember. If I was housing an Anole or tropical Gecko I would would scale down a bit to a lower output bulb. 

The reason I still chose the 10.0 for my Tegu is because I can use less UVB bulbs to achieve proper D3 levels and avoid MBD. Since Tegus spend quite a bit of time burrowed or in their hides, the high output comes in handy when they come out to bask and expose themselves to it. So far with my Tegu, it's created an excellent balance.


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## james.w (Mar 11, 2012)

The reason I ask is quite a few tegus have developed eye problems from the use of the coil uvb bulbs.


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## Compnerd7 (Mar 11, 2012)

james.w said:


> The reason I ask is quite a few tegus have developed eye problems from the use of the coil uvb bulbs.



I don't use the coil bulbs I use these:

http://www.joshsfrogs.com/exo-terra-repti-glo-10-0-desert-terrarium-lamp-24-inches-20-watt.html?gclid=CIvw1JGr4K4CFQKEhwod7iLcaA

Do you that would make difference in light intensity, rather then use the higher brightness coil bulbs?


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## james.w (Mar 11, 2012)

I thought the reptiglo was a coil. My mistake.


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## _Eric_ (Mar 13, 2012)

Compnerd7 said:


> james.w said:
> 
> 
> > The reason I ask is quite a few tegus have developed eye problems from the use of the coil uvb bulbs.
> ...



Im going to give that bulb a shot next time I go to a pet store


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## Logie_Bear (Mar 24, 2012)

> Thanks for the link,the problem is he wont eat anything other then rodents.Do you think it could be because of his age?I have no idea how old he is but he is 3 feet long.The pet store my ex got him from didnt know the age and even told me that tegus dont hibernate lol I stopped asking questions at that point lol




Perhaps you have a Columbian? They max out around 3-4 feet and, to my understanding, do not hibernate.


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## _Eric_ (Mar 24, 2012)

Logie_Bear said:


> > Thanks for the link,the problem is he wont eat anything other then rodents.Do you think it could be because of his age?I have no idea how old he is but he is 3 feet long.The pet store my ex got him from didnt know the age and even told me that tegus dont hibernate lol I stopped asking questions at that point lol
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Hes a black and white


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## Thumper (Mar 24, 2012)

I personally think he'll be fine on mice and rats. There have been studies done on stomach contents of wild tegus showing they eat more foliage as they reach maturity and at three feet I would consider yours an adult. I really think whole prey items are the healthiest way to go. Listen to your tegu if he likes mice and rats feed him mice and rats. I see people here feeding their tegus ground meat made for humans and it's not the same as Bert L. Grinding up whole chickens bones and all. Also you might include a substrate that holds a burrow.


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