# Hatchling Enclosure



## blackjack41 (Apr 17, 2011)

I've heard different ideas on the size enclosure to get for your hatchling tegu. I was planning to have a large 6 x 3 x 3 enclosure made for my hatchling, but I have heard it is too big for a hatchling. I have also heard it would be just fine. I have heard that you can put your tegu in a 20 gallon long aquarium, but I wanted to have the big enclosure built right away. 

I am starting to second guess my thinking about getting the 6 x 3 x 3 built right away, but that would be ideal for me, because I can get it soon. I would like to hear everyone's opinion on this topic, as I have not a clue which way to go. 

Thank you!


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## Toby_H (Apr 17, 2011)

My 6 wk old hatchling went straight into a 4x2x2 and did great...

When he was 9 months old he began free roaming 5+ hours a day on a 6' x 10' outdoor deck/balcony and by 12 months old was living openly on that deck/balcony 24/7

I believe very strongly that keeping a Tegu in a large enclosure is the absolute best step in raising a doclile Tegu... and on the contrary I think keeping a Tegu in too small of an enclsoure is the most common explaination for Tegu aggression. I believe the majority of the time "Tegu Puberty" is blamed, the reality is the owner failed to upgrade the enclosure when the Tegu needed it.


You can add logs, hides and other obstacles to break lines of sight and to give your tegu something to hide behind or climb on. Having solid (non-transparent) walls will allow your Tegu to feel much less vulnerable than glass (or other transparent) walls.

Young Tegus grow very (very, very, very) fast, therefore if we choose to keep them in smaller enclosures and upgrade as needed, we will be upgrading extremely frequently. This constant moving may prevent the Tegu from ever feeling "at home" in it's enclsoure which can cause stress. 

The single downside to a large enclsoure for a small Tegu is he will be hard to catch. But in all honesty, if you have to chase and catch your young Tegu, there are better approaches than chasing and catching your Tegu. 

Minimizing Stress is the #1 key to keeping any reptile happy/healthy.


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## teguboy77 (Apr 17, 2011)

I myself keep my hatchlings in a 75 gallon then right to 6x4x4or 8x4x4,and every tegu is alittle different as temperment,so i think if your always chasing around your tegu it feels as if your a threat,i mean some tegus are alittle more standoffish even if you don't chase them around the encloser.I agree to keep moving a tegu cage to cage will prolong getting him use to his home.Also i do let my tegus free roam a couple days a week under my watch and that does help them get use to there owner and home.This is just my opinion and what works for me thx.


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## slideaboot (Apr 17, 2011)

I raised Aesop in a 4 x 2 from the day I got him even though it was recommended to put him in like a 20 gallon long (or something like that)...

After about a week he was completely comfortable in such a large cage and I believe that raising him in the big cage from the start is partially why he is so docile and used to me going in and out of his cage. It'll be interesting to see what happens when I put him in his 8 x 3 next month. I'm hoping he acclimates well...


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## teguboy77 (Apr 17, 2011)

Should be fine


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## blackjack41 (Apr 18, 2011)

Thank you everybody! Your comments have made up my mind.


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## hanniebann (Apr 18, 2011)

I'm in the middle of converting my 125 gallon tank stand into a temporary enclosure... it's been fun and i hope it lasts me a good 6 months, lol. its a 6x2x3.


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## Rhetoric (Apr 18, 2011)

All of my tegus started off in their adult sized enclosure. They all seem to do great. If you can afford to just buy or put together an adult sized one, I think its the best way to go. I never had stress issues, with my male I didn't have a lot of decorations in his enclosure, few hides, some rocks and some branches, he did fine. I'm now adding more stuff to it and playing around to see what he won't destroy lol. The girls have been in their same enclosure as well but I just got them last week so I don't too much info on if they were stressed as babies.


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## frost (Apr 19, 2011)

those of you that let your tegus roam doy uo have a room that u let it run around in or do you have a really clean house?lol


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## Moofins (Apr 19, 2011)

frost said:


> those of you that let your tegus roam doy uo have a room that u let it run around in or do you have a really clean house?lol



I would imagine that keeping a clean house is a basic necessity. 

It probably depends on the person, tegu and their preferred method of taming their tegu. I was thinking of starting off with strictly my reptile room, to allow him/her to get used to my presence, smell, etc. I will spend time sitting on the floor in front of the cage, maybe putting my hand inside, or just leaving the door open while I sit. If he/she wants to come out, that's progress. THEN once we have grounds for trust, I would open up the opportunity to explore the house.

My pre-planned method that I just felt the need to blab about.


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## frost (Apr 19, 2011)

haha yeah true. when i let my tegu roam i put him in my bathroom.i also used my tub seemed to work.but it was pretty calm to begin with.sucks it died...


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## Toby_H (Apr 19, 2011)

frost said:


> those of you that let your tegus roam doy uo have a room that u let it run around in or do you have a really clean house?lol



I wouldn't say I have a "really clean" house, but I keep it pretty well picked up. No clutter on the floor. It's very very strange some of the things that will randomly appear tasty to a Tegu. If it will fit in his mouth I have to assume he will try to eat it.


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