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Help Please

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52
Location
Massachusetts
Hello everyone, I got my baby red tegu 2 days ago. He is about 10 inches long and seems to be quite healthy (no missing toes, good color, and has some nice weight as well). He came out and basked for about 4 hours the day I bought him, and that was about it. I tried to feed him calcium dusted finely chopped pieces of venison but he wouldn’t eat that, and now he has been buried under his substrate for almost a day now. I’m just a little worried. I know they like to burrow, but is this normal?? Can someone plz give me some advice. Thank you
 

Zyn

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609
Turkey, pinky mice, there are a few dozen threads and a entire stickied list of tegus dietary needs you can consult under the general tab
 

Walter1

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Yup. New tegus usually behave normally for a day then disappear for a week or two scarcely showing themselves until they feel more at home.
 
Messages
52
Location
Massachusetts
Yup. New tegus usually behave normally for a day then disappear for a week or two scarcely showing themselves until they feel more at home.
Ok, how should I feed him then, because he doesn’t seem to want to eat. I have tried to dig him up (that probably just made it worse :( ) to take him out of his cage to feed him, because people say it’s not good to feed them in their cages. I’m just very nervous that he is going to starve himself to death.
 

Walter1

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Leave a small meal out for a day every other day. Make sure there's water and a basking platform. He can sneak out for a meal if he wants.
 

Walter1

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Active is every day or other day depending on how much is offered.

Stressed and settling in, he might go a week. By setting out food, you'll know if he came out for a meal. Lso, he'll know where to look.
 
Messages
52
Location
Massachusetts
Active is every day or other day depending on how much is offered.

Stressed and settling in, he might go a week. By setting out food, you'll know if he came out for a meal. Lso, he'll know where to look.
Ok thanks for all your help, I’ll keep you posted on how he’s doing. I also plan to build a 7X4X4 enclosure for him this weekend
 

Walter1

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We're all glad to help, and there's a wealth of experience here.

Consider at least 8 ft. in length. Bigger than 8 even is better.
 

Skeep

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Ok, how should I feed him then, because he doesn’t seem to want to eat. I have tried to dig him up (that probably just made it worse :( ) to take him out of his cage to feed him, because people say it’s not good to feed them in their cages. I’m just very nervous that he is going to starve himself to death.

Leave some food out as Walter suggested, and especially water. Your little guy won't let himself starve. And they are quite resilient when necessary; my hatchling got lost for 2 months without food! But she was healthy again after a couple of days of filling her belly.
 
Messages
52
Location
Massachusetts
Leave some food out as Walter suggested, and especially water. Your little guy won't let himself starve. And they are quite resilient when necessary; my hatchling got lost for 2 months without food! But she was healthy again after a couple of days of filling her belly.
Wow, that's incredible. Thanks for the advice. Also, I've heard some people state that its not good to put a hatchling into a large enclosure like an 8x4x4, is that true? Because if its not then I would like to get him into one as soon as possible.
 

VenusAndSaturn

Active Member
Messages
114
Depends on the individual usually... but it probably wouldn't hurt to put a hatchling in an adult enclosure, may be a bit harder to find them. When I first got my tegu and she was about 10 inches she'd burrow to the bottom of the enclosure and sleep there. However now that shes 24" and a bit older she normally just sleeps underneath a slab of rock close to the surface.
I for one know that my tegu would love to be in a larger enclosure as she loves to explore but for now her 75 gallon will do until I can get her 8x4x4. Plus she's still in a winter cool down so that buys me some time.
 

Skeep

Active Member
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131
Wow, that's incredible. Thanks for the advice. Also, I've heard some people state that its not good to put a hatchling into a large enclosure like an 8x4x4, is that true? Because if its not then I would like to get him into one as soon as possible.
Hatchling tegus really like to run around and explore, so the bigger the better! As long as there are hides where your tegu can go to feel safe, I'm sure he'll appreciate more room to explore. You can put in lots of things for him to hide behind if he's nervous.
 
Messages
52
Location
Massachusetts
Hatchling tegus really like to run around and explore, so the bigger the better! As long as there are hides where your tegu can go to feel safe, I'm sure he'll appreciate more room to explore. You can put in lots of things for him to hide behind if he's nervous.
Ok, just a little update on him, I did what you guys said and left some calcium dusted venison out for him while I was at school and he did end up eating a few pieces but not enough to call it a meal. I NEVER see him out when I get home. I know they go through like a phase where they burrow a lot but how long does this usually last, because it’s been 5 days and I NEVER see him?
 

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