# Contemplating best enclosure



## OwnedByPets (Mar 15, 2017)

I am thinking about getting an Argentine B&W tegu, there is a Reptile Expo near me this weekend that I plan to attend. Until it grows a little, I will be keeping it inside, but my question is about when it grows to its permanent enclosure size. I live in Texas, the humidity here is about 15%-20% at most, very dry. I was thinking about housing my tegu in a greenhouse, something like this:







Something along the lines of 8'X10'. I would put paver stones or concrete on the bottom and then its substrate on top of that. What about ventilation? Would this work?

Thanks!!!


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## Walter1 (Mar 15, 2017)

OwnedByPets said:


> I am thinking about getting an Argentine B&W tegu, there is a Reptile Expo near me this weekend that I plan to attend. Until it grows a little, I will be keeping it inside, but my question is about when it grows to its permanent enclosure size. I live in Texas, the humidity here is about 15%-20% at most, very dry. I was thinking about housing my tegu in a greenhouse, something like this:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


If you can keep air moving and no stifling heat build-up that looks like a possible option. Might want 50% shade cloth on top to keep it from getting too hot? Fans for a cross-breeze would prevent stagnant and stifling heat but interfere with maintaining humidity. Perhaps a swamp cooler. Last issue is UVB. It is blocked by the glass.


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## OwnedByPets (Mar 15, 2017)

Walter1 said:


> If you can keep air moving and no stifling heat build-up that looks like a possible option. Might want 50% shade cloth on top to keep it from getting too hot? Fans for a cross-breeze would prevent stagnant and stifling heat but interfere with maintaining humidity. Perhaps a swamp cooler. Last issue is UVB. It is blocked by the glass.


Thanks for the reply......I was thinking about building a simple top over it, kind of a carport-type thing, for two reasons......one is to keep the heat down, and the other is to protect it from weather (particularly hail). On the UVB issue, I would be hanging a couple of lights from the ceiling......

I guess a storage shed might be another possibility.


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## Walter1 (Mar 15, 2017)

May be consider a wood and wire walk-in structure with either a roof or tarp over top of wire pitched top that can be removed a an option. Base would be cement. whole thing against the house.


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## OwnedByPets (Mar 15, 2017)

The reason I was thinking about a greenhouse or a storage building was to protect the tegu in the winter from the cold.....


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## Walter1 (Mar 15, 2017)

OwnedByPets said:


> The reason I was thinking about a greenhouse or a storage building was to protect the tegu in the winter from the cold.....


don't know the temps but wonder if twice-wrapped with visquene would do the trick.


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## OwnedByPets (Mar 16, 2017)

Would a 6'X8' enclosure be adequate for a tegu or do I need to go bigger?


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## Walter1 (Mar 16, 2017)

OwnedByPets said:


> Would a 6'X8' enclosure be adequate for a tegu or do I need to go bigger?


People keep them successfully in 8X4', but bigger IS always better for them. *X6' would make for a very comfortable tegu enclosure.


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## Justin (May 17, 2017)

Here is my 2 cents.
It would seem to me that a large outdoor enclosure in an environment not really suitable for tegus is going to be a costly affair to do properly. First it needs to be enclosed to maintain humidity then it's has to be insulated to maintain temperature. So you could be looking at an insulated building that will require both heating and cooling.


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## Walter1 (May 17, 2017)

Justin said:


> Here is my 2 cents.
> It would seem to me that a large outdoor enclosure in an environment not really suitable for tegus is going to be a costly affair to do properly. First it needs to be enclosed to maintain humidity then it's has to be insulated to maintain temperature. So you could be looking at an insulated building that will require both heating and cooling.


Yes, unless the enclosure is used only for part of the year and if that part of the year is acceptable.


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