New to this forum....need help!

[maxxdout]

So tomorrow morning I go to pick up a b&w tegu. She is about 18 in. right now, and is thin. She's being fed an all egg diet. Also has not had proper uvb lighting. This is necessary, correct? Heard mixed things on that. I can't stand to see her like that. I've been trying to do lots of research before she comes home. But I figured I'd get some good pointers here. She's also being housed in a 39 gal tank at the moment poor thing can't move. I kinda improvised for now, and made an enclosure out of a HUGE plastic dog kennel. I have many other reptiles, so I had supplies and gauges and such kicking around. But first thing first, I definitely need to bulk her up a bit! Thanks in advance.

 

[Rebecca Stout]

Awe!! Thank you for saving her. I'm new too. So I can't advise. I just wanted to say thank you and give you my support.

 

[Josh]

Welcome to TeguTalk. Kudos on the adoption rescue. You will need proper UVB lighting and a much, much healthier diet. You'll want to diversify her diet immediately and get her bulked up as you said. But do it the proper way. Lots of variety.

 

[maxxdout]

I may not be the mist quallified home, but i keep a number of reptiles, and they are all fat and happy. So im sure i can pull it off. I went grocery shopping today. Hopefully I grabbed something shell like. I've wanted a tegu FOREVER! I have a small house....that is about to become even smaller lmao. We've got quite the zoo of misfits now.

 

[Rebecca Stout]

Watch out for plastic melting being that you need a heat source. I heard mixed things about the UVB until I finally found this board and a couple of other reputable places online. The consensus is they need plenty of it. I believe that too because of their natural environment. They prowl around all day in the sunlight. Boy you in the same situation as me. I'm new too and I've wanted a tegu for so long now. And my house is small. Today my son and I were measuring rooms, furniture, other animal cages, etc, trying to come up with the best way to house a huge enclosure, which we have to build as soon as we are able. Its tough. So ... here's to you and me on our new journey.

 

[maxxdout]

Good luck to you as well! They are amazing creatures....I was worried about the plastic....so what I did was use a clamp and it hangs in the middle in the back....thank god I'm home most of the time right now though. Need to get her a permanent solution. I would never have bought a tegu with the setup I have now....with that being said, this was a time sensitive matter. She needed out of her prior situation. Its a lot to take on! can't wait to see her grow up!

she's thin, but we got some good groceries

 

[Rebecca Stout]

She is awesome. Is her color actually peachy like that?

 

[maxxdout]

She is kinda peachy looking! So thrilled to have her.

 

[maxxdout]

Also just found out she was loose in the previous owners house for 34 days before they found her in a heating duct...smh. Did a pedialyte soak this afternoon, and she took a piece of my sons pineapple right out of his hands lol is pineapple ok? I didn't let him give her more because was unsure. She loved it though.

 

[maxxdout]

I have never in his 9 yrs seen this kid glow like he did when she came home! he's been begging for years to get one. I guess things have a way of working out! He's such a good helper with all the others, and can't wait to dive right in with her

 

[Rebecca Stout]

That is just beautiful. You are such an awesome parent to teach your child to love and respect animals and living things so he grows up to be a strong moral man. a kind man. Best of all you are teaching him to be open minded and creatures. That they all have endearing qualities and can be loved!

 

[TheTeguGurl]

http://tegusfromaroundtheworld.weebly.com/ give this a look too