a learning experience

[kurtle55]

its been a while since i have posted anything about my tegu. but i have bad news and good news.

i was keeping my tegu in a custom built glass enclosure i got for free from a friend. it is 4 feet long 2 feet high and 1.5 ft wide. my tegu was only a baby so this was alot of room for him. the only problem was i didnt have a top. i was planning on building one but hadn't got around to it. but since he was so young i didnt think he would be able to get out.

well he ended up climbing over the humidity monitor that was glued on the side of the cage and getting out. i didnt see him for 2 and a half months.

i tried everything to find him and after about a month and a half i gave up. i felt like a complete idiot because i made the most amature mistake ever. i look back on it and dont know what i was thinking.

a few days ago i found him, a little bit bigger but severly malnurished and completely skin and bones. i called up a friend of mine who is a herpetologist at FSU and he gave me some helpful advice.

long story short he is now eating everyday and is gaining weight at an incredible rate. he is also even more tame than before. i am extremely happy i found him.

bottom line is never under estimate reptile when it comes to escaping.

 

[ashesc212]

That is such good news that you found him. I lost mine for a day once and I was devastated. It's interesting that he survived all that time. I wonder what he ate? Where did you find him?

 

[J.LRegius]

That is such good news that you found him. I lost mine for a day once and I was devastated. It's interesting that he survived all that time. I wonder what he ate? Where did you find him?

Me too! My tegu had crawled under my moms bathtub (there were like pipes n stuff in the crevice) Hunger and curiosity eventually became the better of him and he crawled out for some chicken I left out.

 

[kethry]

well my tegu had escaped form his cage and he is able to under my door but he doesnt
i had my tegu on the chair out side my room and took my eyes off him to watch tv and he had crawed into my room.
my tegu crawls out of his cage all the time but doesnt do anything if i dont find him before his bed time i can find him under my beanbag chair.
i think how he got use to my room is he was in a 10 gallen for a short time but he grew and grew and so i made part of my room his cage with the lamps on the wall.
but now he has a huge cage and hates being in there soo i let him out all the time....

 

[k412]

WOW! I'm so glad you found him and that he is doing well!
CONGRATULATIONS! :-D

 

[kurtle55]

well i am not sure if he was eating anything. he is skin and bones right now(i feel terrible) but he is eating every day (ALOT). i called bobby to get some advice and to no surprise at all he didnt mind (i didnt even get the tegu from him, thanks bobby!). he said i should get a fecal on him, which i will do tommorow. but i am REALLY happy i found him. he is sitting on my lap as i write this. he is by far the best reptile i have ever owned. i knew they were rewarding but i am more amazed at how rewarding they are everyday. i have never had any experience with lizards other than a blue tongue skink i fostered for a while. but aside from the cost, i hold tegus next to dogs.