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HELP-Baby tegu escaped

CharlieDarwin

New Member
Messages
4
This is my first post and I joined very recently so I apologize for any mistakes.

Backstory:
My small tegu, about 10 inches, escaped last night. I attempted to give him more space by putting a metal mesh gate around the front of his enclosure and opening the doors. This was a temporary solution (I’m in the middle of a move) to give him more space to explore until he has a bigger enclosure, I put some logs on the ground and a fogger humidifier to keep the humidity appropriate. The gate added about a foot in depth to his 40 gallon 36x18x18 tank. I was sure that there was no way he could escape this, the gate is way too heavy for that little guy to move and there was a gap that was maybe 1/2 inch on each side. Perhaps he climbed the 3 foot tall mesh sides? I’m not sure how it happened but the bottom line is that he escaped and I am very upset.
I never let him out of my hands if not contained because he is so small and could easily get lost in this room.

I removed the gate, put a log and shirts+towel that he can use to get back in. I put some food in his dish and turned all his lamps on. My thought is that he will get hungry and cold and want to come back and bask, I assume he should be able smell his way back.
Is there anything else I can do? Should I turn up the heat in the room so he doesn’t get too cold, or will bring cold make him want to come back? I have to leave for work soon and won’t be back until the evening, what if he comes back and then leaves again?

Any advice is would be helpful and greatly appreciated. I’m so upset and worried!
 

Stellalife1

Member
Messages
93
This is my first post and I joined very recently so I apologize for any mistakes.

Backstory:
My small tegu, about 10 inches, escaped last night. I attempted to give him more space by putting a metal mesh gate around the front of his enclosure and opening the doors. This was a temporary solution (I’m in the middle of a move) to give him more space to explore until he has a bigger enclosure, I put some logs on the ground and a fogger humidifier to keep the humidity appropriate. The gate added about a foot in depth to his 40 gallon 36x18x18 tank. I was sure that there was no way he could escape this, the gate is way too heavy for that little guy to move and there was a gap that was maybe 1/2 inch on each side. Perhaps he climbed the 3 foot tall mesh sides? I’m not sure how it happened but the bottom line is that he escaped and I am very upset.
I never let him out of my hands if not contained because he is so small and could easily get lost in this room.

I removed the gate, put a log and shirts+towel that he can use to get back in. I put some food in his dish and turned all his lamps on. My thought is that he will get hungry and cold and want to come back and bask, I assume he should be able smell his way back.
Is there anything else I can do? Should I turn up the heat in the room so he doesn’t get too cold, or will bring cold make him want to come back? I have to leave for work soon and won’t be back until the evening, what if he comes back and then leaves again?

Any advice is would be helpful and greatly appreciated. I’m so upset and worried!
They LOVE to squeeze into small spaces! Is there furniture in the room? I found mine once in the outside fabric of a couch, took me afew times to actually discover he was right under the arm of the couch, I had also found him deep inside the couch. Check closet, clothing, dresser drawers he will show up! It took me 5 days to find mine! Lol they are escape pros!!
 

Stellalife1

Member
Messages
93
They LOVE to squeeze into small spaces! Is there furniture in the room? I found mine once in the outside fabric of a couch, took me afew times to actually discover he was right under the arm of the couch, I had also found him deep inside the couch. Check closet, clothing, dresser drawers he will show up! It took me 5 days to find mine! Lol they are escape pros!!
You may want to invest in a grow tent to give him more space. Hold temps & humidity very well! There are DIY tent enclosure pages on fb, also DIY Enclosure pages. He/she can fit into tiny spaces at that age. You will find him!! Could he have squeezed under the door??
 

CharlieDarwin

New Member
Messages
4
You may want to invest in a grow tent to give him more space. Hold temps & humidity very well! There are DIY tent enclosure pages on fb, also DIY Enclosure pages. He/she can fit into tiny spaces at that age. You will find him!! Could he have squeezed under the door??
Oh, great idea!! I never even thought of that, I will absolutely look into it! Thanks!! That sounds like the perfect solution if I get him back... There's no way he could have squeezed under the door to outside, the door that leads to the rest of the house I blocked as soon as I noticed he escaped. In the unlikely chance he found that in that short amount of time, then that leads to a small laundry hallway with doors to the rest of the house that have no space under them, so he definitely didn't get far.
 

CharlieDarwin

New Member
Messages
4
They LOVE to squeeze into small spaces! Is there furniture in the room? I found mine once in the outside fabric of a couch, took me afew times to actually discover he was right under the arm of the couch, I had also found him deep inside the couch. Check closet, clothing, dresser drawers he will show up! It took me 5 days to find mine! Lol they are escape pros!!
There is one couch, I haven't done a thorough inspection of it after I flipped it over, I suppose it's possible that he climbed in really deep. I'll definitely inspect it better!
 

Stellalife1

Member
Messages
93
Oh, great idea!! I never even thought of that, I will absolutely look into it! Thanks!! That sounds like the perfect solution if I get him back... There's no way he could have squeezed under the door to outside, the door that leads to the rest of the house I blocked as soon as I noticed he escaped. In the unlikely chance he found that in that short amount of time, then that leads to a small laundry hallway with doors to the rest of the house that have no space under them, so he definitely didn't get far.
He could be under the washer/dryer or behind, in. Clothing, boots...he will get hungry & come out sooner or later... if he is in a chair or other peice of furniture, try shaking it gently, if he's there, you should hear him huff!
 

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