Help ! New black and white Tegus owner

[jcopes3782]

hello everyone ! I need some help. I recently got a baby black and white tegus only 6 months old about . All it wants to do is sleep. She wakes up when I force her but then goes right back to sleep. We bought a Ubv lamp and heat lamp combined into one. I read somewhere that the lights should be off for 12 hrs and on for 12 hrs??? If I turn this off won’t her tank get too cold?
Please help . I have never owned a lizard before .
Thank u in advance

 

[Walter1]

Ma'am, with all due respect, you have no business keeping a tegu. Haven't kept lizards before and purchased a tegu without having taken the time to learn something about its care.

My advice is to pass it along to someone who takes pet care responsibly.

 

[Jacobbigfoot1]

Not to be rude but Walter1 is right. Tegu's are some of the hardest lizard pets to get started on and having gotten one without doing all the needed research implies that you probably don't have a big enough enclosure for its future growth. And that there are probably other things regarding their health that you are unaware of. Sorry for being pessimistic on this matter. I don't know how to properly answer your question about her only wanting to sleep. I hope someone is able to answer that for you.

 

[jcopes3782]

I did do research it’s something that has been in the works for a few months but thanks anyways . I went and talked to a specialist more about it and have solved the problem.

 

[Jacobbigfoot1]

I did do research it’s something that has been in the works for a few months but thanks anyways . I went and talked to a specialist more about it and have solved the problem.

Okay. sorry I assumed otherwise. My bad. Glad you got it fixed.

 

[Debita]

The guys are right - but hang in there if you can get the basics together for your animal immediately. Working quickly to correct the foundation issues for the animal has to be your first priority. The reason they reacted with a bit of harshness is because we LOVE these animals. They are worth the effort, but aren't like keeping a turtle or even a Bearded Dragon. They have some hard and fast requirements (I'm having to increase the size of my Tegu home as I say this), and most people come to this forum with specific issues, not "how do I do this"? Don't be put off - the people in this forum helped me a lot when I got started. That said, this is not an animal for everyone. Don't be upset if it's not the right fit for you. Some Reptile stores are dying to sell their animals and will just about tell you anything. Do the right thing though - if it's too much, don't hesitate to go with another lizard variety. You'll be happier, and you won't inadvertently hurt the Tegu.