Hides and other climbing things

[Rhetoric]

Anyone want to post pictures of their hides or other cage decorations? I'm changing substrate on wednesday and I'm going to get (yet another) large rock for Guru. He's outgrown the previous (massive) basking rock I had for him. I also threw out the smaller old pieces of wood that were in the enclosure. I was thinking of getting some various sized rocks and just building some climbing stuff for him instead of doing the wood again. Maybe a couple cinder blocks and a large flat piece of flagstone or something for the hide.
His enclosure looks so naked right now lol. I'm a little hesitant about doing other random sized rocks because I don't want them to come loose and somehow hurt him... Even though hes lifted and gotten under a 40lb rock. <-- Scared the you know what outta me.

 

[adam1120]

do older( bigger tegus) enjoy climbing? i now they perfer the ground but i now alot of people keep there beardies on the ground cus there not known for climing in nature alot but just making sure since ima build the enclosure soon and i like putting huge stick i mean big lol i was gunna get a 8 foot stick and put it across it or in middle idk something to make him busy or maye just like to chill there.

 

[Rhetoric]

Ehh I haven't given them the chance to really climb like an arboreal animal. I meant more of a couple elevated platform type things. I think its more of an exploring thing since they are so curious. Guru had a rubbermaid tub turned onto its side with a hole cut into it. He would climb on top of that and hang out here and there but I wouldn't expect him to want to get 6ft off the ground or anything lol. Sometimes they will try to climb up onto a chair or ottoman but thats about as high as they seem to want to go.

---

It could also be because mine are still young. I would guess Guru to be around 7-8lbs, Gary and Rango are just shy of 5lbs. It could be harder to climb when they're 10+ lb adults. They could grow out of it lol

 

[j.sawyer48]

---

my gu is very small do not know how big urz is but thats my enclosure i have sett up for him.

 

[chelvis]

my climbing thing is the sofa and the bed. Those are the only things i have seen my gu climb scense he out grew his 4 foot cage, lol. He only did that to get to his favorite sleeping places too, lol.

 

[james.w]

I just pulled some big logs out of my Tegus enclosure because he never used them. All I have in his cage now is a cinder block basking spot, two large rocks (that are sitting on the cage floor so he can't get under them), his water dish, and a cat litter pan turned upside down and buried for a hide (it has a hole cut in the side for entry). I would like to add some things for him to explore but not sure what to use. I was thinking some sort of second level to give him somewhere to climb up on that is stable unlike a log.

 

[rrcoolj]

My tegu doesn't really climb at all. She used to when she was younger. In fact I remember she used to climb to the top of her 40B and walk on the screen. She climbs in and out of her enclosure, on her basking spot, and on furniture as mentioned above but besides that she could care less. I have branches in her enclosure and she is not interested in climbing them at all. She would much rather go under them. I wouldn't be too concerned about climbing things in an adult tegu enclosure. Focus on providing a deep substrate because these guys will dig. I honestly think that tegus are perfectly happy with a deep substrate and really don't need all the extra "stuff" we put in their enclosures.

 

[slideaboot]

I get those extra long cinder blocks. They're a couple bucks, work great as both hides and basking areas. Not to mention, they're great for shedding.

Francis finally got bumped up to a bigger cage and she STILL climbs anything she can. She's got quite the daredevil spirit!

 

[Draco D Tegu]

Yeah I've discovered, that cage decorations and tegus don't always mix. I have two shelves mounted to the wall of the enclosure, covered with indoor outdoor carpet and a hide box. They bask and eat on the shelves and hide in the box. That's about it.

When they're little, having a very nice looking cage is doable...when they get bigger, I just don't think it's practical for anything other than owner's aesthetic appeal.

 

[Rhetoric]

I ended up getting another larger rock and a few cinder blocks to elevate the rocks I already had. One tegu enclosure has an elevated rock and piece of plywood, the other has 2 raised rocks. They seem to love the cinder blocks lol, they've all been trying to squeeze themselves through the holes... Thanks for the replies.
I don't want to add any plants or anything, I was more looking for heavier additives. The enclosures don't look so naked anymore. Yay!

 

[d_money363]

I added this oak log and rock to Lucifer’s enclosure a week ago. Immediately after I finished setting it all up and testing its stability he came out from under his bark hide and climbed all over the top of it and checked it out.