My first gu!!!

[lyndsey123]

I'm very excited to say after years of waiting that I officially am the owner of a baby tegu! I just got him Tuesday from Bobby and everything went perfect, couldn't be happier. I haven't got a hatch date or parents yet I will post that as soon as I get them, but I'm hoping he's a male. I haven't chosen a name yet, and would like some suggestions. But most of all I need some opinions on his setup. I have him in a 4'x2'x4' that I made myself (and did a happy crappy job at that, it was originally for a varanus melinus) and I have on the warm side a powersun 100watt and a 65watt floodlight. My temp gun should be here any day now, but it seems to me that the overall temp of the cage is too hot and the basking spot isn't hot enough... I know I am probably doing something wrong, and I want him to be in the best care possible so any/all suggestions are welcome. Here's a picture...

That face gets me every time haha <3 As you can see he's pretty agitated by my presence so I've left him completely alone since I got him. He stays hidden all day so tonight I might wake him up to eat...

ALSO where is a good place to buy Zoo Med Repti Calcium without D3?

 

[lazyjr52]

Hi lyndsey123, congrats on the new gu. He looks great. I think he just needs time, but he'll come around. You mentioned that you think the cage is too hot and the basking spot is not hot enough. Have you mesured to see what the excat temps are? If so what are they?

 

[lyndsey123]

Thanks! My temp gun should be here soon, then I'll know exactly, but I'm going to get a cheap thermometer from walmart now to get a general idea. I'll let you guys know what it says.

 

[wyattroa]

actually the cheap digital temp and humidity probes from walmart for like $8-$12 are damn good. I have them in all of my cages. Also you might want to start the gu out in a smaller cage to help with the bonding, With him being in a big cage he knows he can go to the other side way away from you, where as with a smaller cage you cane rest your hand in there and be in relative distance to him. I put mine in a big tank first and wish I did not.
Robert

 

[stubbsthetegu]

i jus got a tegu 2 in march fromm bobby hill hes doing good and sleeps all day prob still hibernating he ate som ground turkey and eggs and im gana give him a fuzzy a little later. at first mine was freaked by me 2 but now hes fine and its only been like 3 weeks and rs r prob both from the same clutch. im ganaput picks of him up soon and his names stubbs because he was a stubbed foot wit only 2 toes hope ur tegu does good and nice cage and tegu

 

[lyndsey123]

Thanks everyone! I would keep him in a smaller cage but I actually don't have one. I hope our tegus are from the same clutch, that would be really cute to know he has siblings on this board. He is still sleeping everyday, I tried to give him some egg but he only ate a tiny bit before going back to sleep. And I finally got the temps, it's about 90F on the hot side, 80F on the cool and 110F on the basking spot. Is this ok?

 

[lazyjr52]

Thanks everyone! I would keep him in a smaller cage but I actually don't have one. I hope our tegus are from the same clutch, that would be really cute to know he has siblings on this board. He is still sleeping everyday, I tried to give him some egg but he only ate a tiny bit before going back to sleep. And I finally got the temps, it's about 90F on the hot side, 80F on the cool and 110F on the basking spot. Is this ok?

Hey lyndsey123 you were right about the cage temps being too hot. The cool side should be in the lower 70's. I think if your decreased the basking spot to around 90 degrees the rest of the cage temps should be fine. Also you should check out this care sheet , it has a lot of good info.

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Cheers

 

[lyndsey123]

thanks a lot I was looking for that care sheet! Do you recommend that I switch the bulb or just lift it higher from the ground? For now I lifted it farther away, I just gotta remeasure the temps.

 

[lazyjr52]

No problem. If moving them up higher dosen't work I would use lower wattage bulbs. Hope this helps