# What are optimal temps for a young tegu?



## fbaker8 (Jul 13, 2012)

I'm going to be picking up my first ever tegu on Monday. I've had plenty of other reptiles, but this is my first adventure getting something big and I am pretty excited. I have a 20 long hatchling enclosure all planned out, but my question is, what are the actual optimal temps for the hot and cool side of a tegu tank? Care sheets online are giving me a pretty wide range. I plan on having a full spectrum exo terra light for daytime basking and a red night heat light for night time, but I need to know how far from the lid to hang the light to keep my new friend nice and comfy. Thanks!

Also, is coco bark acceptable substrate? She will be fed outside the tank, but if she eats a little on accident is there much of a compaction risk?


----------



## james.w (Jul 13, 2012)

75 cool side 85 warm side basking of 105-110. What are you going to use for uvb? Coco bark will work for substrate.


----------



## Teguzilla (Jul 13, 2012)

Hello there  I recommend you check out the caresheet already posted here: http://www.tegutalk.com/showthread.php?tid=7712#axzz20Y4q5aU7

As for the 20 gallon, I would definitely get something bigger. Tegus grow fast and that 20 gallon definitely won't last. A lot of people recommend a 40 gallon breeder or larger for young tegus. Bigger is always better


----------



## Thelegendofcharlie (Jul 13, 2012)

Teguzilla said:


> Hello there  I recommend you check out the caresheet already posted here: http://www.tegutalk.com/showthread.php?tid=7712#axzz20Y4q5aU7
> 
> As for the 20 gallon, I would definitely get something bigger. Tegus grow fast and that 20 gallon definitely won't last. A lot of people recommend a 40 gallon breeder or larger for young tegus. Bigger is always better



Ditto
And its just not possible to get an appropriate temperature gradient in a 20g.
This is necessary for your Tegus health and well being. Please try to find something more appropriate.


----------



## james.w (Jul 13, 2012)

You most certainly can get a proper temp gradient in a 20G.


----------



## fbaker8 (Jul 13, 2012)

Thanks for the responses. As for getting a bigger tank, I'm afraid I cannot do that right now. A 20 long is what I have, and I have been told that it will do just fine for a few weeks until I can get her permanent enclosure built. As far as UVB, I have the light from Exo Terra that has both UVA and UVB as well as basking heat. Found a decent deal on Amazon and figured that would be easier than trying to have three different domes going on a relatively small tank.


----------



## james.w (Jul 13, 2012)

Are you talking about the SolarGlo? What wattage?


----------



## fbaker8 (Jul 13, 2012)

Yes, that one. It's 125, which is as low as I could get it. I plan on adjusting its distance from the tank until the temps are right.


----------



## james.w (Jul 13, 2012)

You are going to have a hard time getting the temps right in that cage with a 125W bulb. What I would recommend is get a 18" tube UVB and a small wattage basking bulb. You can raise the basking spot to get the proper basking temp and keep the cool side low.


----------



## fbaker8 (Jul 20, 2012)

Just wanted to update. Penny is settling in quite well and is even cool with me coming in and out of the room and touching her now and again. I measured my temps with a digital probe; the hot side is a toasty 83 and the cool side 74 with a 102 basking spot. This is in the 20 long. So yes, a proper temp gradient is very do-able in a 20 gallon tank.


----------



## TuTegu (Jul 21, 2012)

*Re: RE: What are optimal temps for a young tegu?*

What lighting did you use for your 20gal?


fbaker8 said:


> Just wanted to update. Penny is settling in quite well and is even cool with me coming in and out of the room and touching her now and again. I measured my temps with a digital probe; the hot side is a toasty 83 and the cool side 74 with a 102 basking spot. This is in the 20 long. So yes, a proper temp gradient is very do-able in a 20 gallon tank.


----------



## fbaker8 (Jul 21, 2012)

I have an exo terra 125 watt solar glo bulb that I swap out at night for a 50 watt red night bulb. Although Penny likes sleeping on the cool side of her tank so the night bulb is probably not all that necessary. 



TuTegu said:


> What lighting did you use for your 20gal?
> 
> 
> fbaker8 said:
> ...


----------



## Jeremyxb12 (Jul 21, 2012)

Hey i have a question here and thought it might be appropriate on this thread. If i were to take my soon to be tegus' cage and put it in front of the sun would that be fine for a while before i get the proper lighting and heat for it? The sun hits my room and bakes it lol just wondering if this would be alright for the time being


----------



## james.w (Jul 21, 2012)

Jeremyxb12 said:


> Hey i have a question here and thought it might be appropriate on this thread. If i were to take my soon to be tegus' cage and put it in front of the sun would that be fine for a while before i get the proper lighting and heat for it? The sun hits my room and bakes it lol just wondering if this would be alright for the time being



No, how will you control the temps? How will you provide uvb?


----------



## bangem1988 (Jul 21, 2012)

would the uvb be filtered out through the glass?


----------



## james.w (Jul 21, 2012)

Yes uvb does not pass through glass.


----------



## Thelegendofcharlie (Jul 22, 2012)

Jeremyxb12 said:


> Hey i have a question here and thought it might be appropriate on this thread. If i were to take my soon to be tegus' cage and put it in front of the sun would that be fine for a while before i get the proper lighting and heat for it? The sun hits my room and bakes it lol just wondering if this would be alright for the time being



Dont let the naysayers discourage you.
This CAN work.
You just have to remove the glass from your enclosure.


----------



## james.w (Jul 22, 2012)

Thelegendofcharlie said:


> Jeremyxb12 said:
> 
> 
> > Hey i have a question here and thought it might be appropriate on this thread. If i were to take my soon to be tegus' cage and put it in front of the sun would that be fine for a while before i get the proper lighting and heat for it? The sun hits my room and bakes it lol just wondering if this would be alright for the time being
> ...



And from the window.


----------



## Thelegendofcharlie (Jul 22, 2012)

james.w said:


> Thelegendofcharlie said:
> 
> 
> > Jeremyxb12 said:
> ...



::smacks forehead::
Yeah remove all the glass from your enclosure and your window and youre good to go!


----------



## Jeremyxb12 (Jul 22, 2012)

What if i opened a window and put up a reflector to delfect the sun into the enclosure? and this would only be for a week or two. i do have calcium and vitamin supplements.


----------



## james.w (Jul 22, 2012)

Jeremyxb12 said:


> What if i opened a window and put up a reflector to delfect the sun into the enclosure? and this would only be for a week or two. i do have calcium and vitamin supplements.



No, quit trying to get around properly providing for your pet. If you can't/won't do it right, just don't do it.


----------



## TuTegu (Jul 22, 2012)

*Re: RE: What are optimal temps for a young tegu?*

Idk if uvb/uva can be reflected, calcium and vitamin shouldn't be needed if your feeding your tegu a variety of nutritious foods but if you do use calcium make sure it doesn't have d3 in it, d3 can only be produced by uvb!!


----------



## Thelegendofcharlie (Jul 22, 2012)

Jeremyxb12 said:


> What if i opened a window and put up a reflector to delfect the sun into the enclosure? and this would only be for a week or two. i do have calcium and vitamin supplements.



This will not be appropriate, and without proper heat within the designated range, your Tegu will not even be able to digest its food.
You had better figure something out or you are going to have a sick or dead Tegu.


----------



## Jeremyxb12 (Jul 27, 2012)

Thanks to my ingenious plan to get more hours and overtime i got more money in my check which means a whole bunch of cool things and very necessary lighting/heating for my new baby gu coming tuesday!!


----------



## bmx3000max (Jul 29, 2012)

is 95 ok basking?


----------



## Murkve (Jul 29, 2012)

bmx3000max said:


> is 95 ok basking?



No. It should be around 110-115 for the max in the basking area. Ideally these would be accompanied along with a temperature gradient around the lower 100's. Again, these are all for basking, and as such are surface temps, not ambient temps.


----------

