new Tegu owner, help please is 150 watt basking lamp and a under tank heater to much for my set up .

[Dude Bro Man 433]

I got my new Paraguayan red tegu april 4th.
Still not to friendly but eating when ever he comes out of burrowing . Not sure how old he is , definitely had some bad sheds in the past that I’ve Been trying to help with, swollen toes and such. . In the past month he’s shed twice and grown quite a bit.fatter in the tail for sure .

I have him in a 60 gall aquarium for now 4/2/2 with cypress mulch and Zilla jungle mix gonna add organic topsoil today since I put in some rollypollys and isopod, got try the bio tank thing, sounds cool. Should I ADD A Under tank heater, I read that it helps with humidity and the tegus like it.

 

[TripleTegus]

As long as your average temps are around 80 and a basking spot around 110-115 you shouldn't need one if the temperature in the room isn't to cold. But if you decide to use one it needs a thermostat for sure. Most UTHs will run about 120 and that's to hot

 

[Godzilla Earth]

Get a temp gun their a lot more accurate

 

[Debita]

I've had a temp gun for almost 2 years now, and I still use it because of the changing seasons, and checks that I do to make sure the temps are correct as they grow. It's not expensive, and you can get them online.

I don't know anyone with a heat mat underneath, but I'm sure when they're young it couldn't hurt. To me, it seems like an expense that you don't need. Tegus grow fast and bask under their lamps, burrow inside their substrate or hide underneath anything they can feel safe where us humans can't get to them.

My males' newest problem is a tail that doesn't want to shed, so I've bumped up the fish oil in his diet, Vitamin B12 and he gets warm soaks often in the tub.

Some of the best advice from this forum is to put some moist sphagnum moss in his hide (helps with humidity, which helps with sheds) and throw one of your old worn shirts in his enclosure. He'll get a constant familiarity with your scent, hide under it and throw it around a little. You will never wear that shirt again. (1/2 a shirt would work too!)

Cute little daughter - and thanks for the Tegu pics! Good luck

 

[Walter1]

I've had a temp gun for almost 2 years now, and I still use it because of the changing seasons, and checks that I do to make sure the temps are correct as they grow. It's not expensive, and you can get them online.

I don't know anyone with a heat mat underneath, but I'm sure when they're young it couldn't hurt. To me, it seems like an expense that you don't need. Tegus grow fast and bask under their lamps, burrow inside their substrate or hide underneath anything they can feel safe where us humans can't get to them.

My males' newest problem is a tail that doesn't want to shed, so I've bumped up the fish oil in his diet, Vitamin B12 and he gets warm soaks often in the tub.

Some of the best advice from this forum is to put some moist sphagnum moss in his hide (helps with humidity, which helps with sheds) and throw one of your old worn shirts in his enclosure. He'll get a constant familiarity with your scent, hide under it and throw it around a little. You will never wear that shirt again. (1/2 a shirt would work too!)

Cute little daughter - and thanks for the Tegu pics! Good luck

Should do the trick.

 

[Godzilla Earth]

Lizards do better with basking lights. most snakes prefer to be heated while their hidden

 

[Dude Bro Man 433]

Thanks for all the help guys, I have a nice tempgun by Klein tools , it has a eteskicity setting on it, I don’t know how to use that part of it but after adding that organic top soil my temperatures are good and I’m not gonna be adding the heat Matt.
Night temps are good with out heating so everything’s where it should be. Gonna set up the monsoon automated mister today, I have a screen top aquarium which sucks at holding in the humidity.

 

[Dude Bro Man 433]

I through a dirty sock in his tank for a day and he’s been more calm with my had. In his tank, Im also feeding him in a seperate tank now, hopefully that helps with taming him.

 

[Godzilla Earth]

putting an artical of clothing helps them accosiate your smell with saftey