Cage help and new owner

[spot_is_the_name]

Hi im new here and december 2020 i got my first tegu spot. I got her and she went into brumation almost instantly she was about 1ft long. She is currently in a 75 gallon tank witch i am currently looking into her new tank has she is waking up from brumation. I have a couple of questions so i am sorry for the aburdity of this post. I need yall's help with taming or this is just puberty. The only time i have ever had her outside she jumped from my shoulder and bolted to my deck. (this was when she was decently calm ). We did get her back the next day and it was a struggle and im afraid she has hated us from that day. After that she had escaped her cage 2 more times and we did get her back both times. But after we did the second time she has been very moody and angry at the world. She would jump at me, the lid and just be a overall jerk. I think it was puberty because she was about the age for that to happen. SO thats my first question if you guys think i ruined my tegu or it was puberty. My other question was about her cage. 1 how big should it be i know the min is 8x4x4 but how big should it really be for a good relationship/ wellness with my baby. 2 lighting how hot should it be, should i have non heat lights, heat only lights and what is a good basking tempature. Final question Enrichment/ toys how should i have the cage set up like hides and soil wise so what should i use to make her a happy lizard. Thank you all so much and i cant wait to share how this goes with you all.

 

[AnimalNerd]

Hi spot, a lot of your questions (substrate, temperatures, lighting) can be answered if you browse this forum and even Google. How old is she? Do you have a temperature gauge for both sides of the tank? A hygrometer for measuring humidity? While tegus are smart and you can absolutely become the 'bad guy' to them they come around with patience and giving them space. If she keeps escaping part of that is her way of telling you her needs aren't being met - most likely she isn't able to cool down and she doesn't have enough space. For enclosure size I wouldn't go any smaller than 8'x3'. For enrichment they need a minimum of a foot of substrate to dig in ;pure cypress mulch (NO PINE OR CEDAR FILLER IT IS DEADLY TO REPTILES) coconut coir, or organic top soil even are some substrates to select from. I use a mixture of cypress mulch and coir myself. Some properly sized cork rounds (big enough she won't get stuck in) and a hide are a good start for enclosure set up. She will also need uvb lights for proper digestion and bone development.

 

[spot_is_the_name]

ok thank you were getting her a 8x4 currently in about a week and ill get everything els you said, thank you again