Hi folks. I'm new to this site, though I think my late husband Mike may have been a member here (I couldn't find his membership info, so I created a new one).
Long story short, my husband passed away suddenly and unexpectedly six weeks ago... leaving me with a black & white Argentinian Tegu that I don't feel quite equipped to care for properly. Mike had always been 100% responsible for his care. The only thing I've ever done was occasionally feed him (cut up raw chicken) if Mike wasn't around at feeding time.
We live in the Los Angeles suburbs. Tequila (that's his name) is about five years old and has had free roam of our apartment for the last three years. He sleeps in a closet in our spare bedroom. My husband worked from home, so he was able to get up every morning and put Tequila in a warm bath or out to bask in the sun on the balcony. Most of the time the lizard would do his 'business' either in the bath or on the balcony, where it was easy to clean up.
Tequila has hibernated for the last three winters. This year he went into hibernation very early, I think late August or the first of September, and started becoming active again in early February. Before my husband died, he was getting pretty active and was eating at least every other day.
I was managing OK until I went back to work this week. Now I'm gone during all the hours when there is sun on the balcony, so I can't let him out to bask. I have to keep him in the spare bedroom all day; otherwise I'd have lizard droppings all over the apartment. I suspect he's not getting enough exercise. I bought a new basking lamp, and he spends a lot of time under it... but he seems very lethargic and is often refusing food for 4-5 days at a time.
I'll be moving to a new apartment within a month or two and have decided I can't take him with me. So, I guess I'm looking to this community for two things:
1) Advice on what changes I might make in Tequila's care while I still have him, to keep him as healthy as I can.
2) Suggestions on how to go about finding a good home for him with someone who can take care of him appropriately.
Thank you!
Long story short, my husband passed away suddenly and unexpectedly six weeks ago... leaving me with a black & white Argentinian Tegu that I don't feel quite equipped to care for properly. Mike had always been 100% responsible for his care. The only thing I've ever done was occasionally feed him (cut up raw chicken) if Mike wasn't around at feeding time.
We live in the Los Angeles suburbs. Tequila (that's his name) is about five years old and has had free roam of our apartment for the last three years. He sleeps in a closet in our spare bedroom. My husband worked from home, so he was able to get up every morning and put Tequila in a warm bath or out to bask in the sun on the balcony. Most of the time the lizard would do his 'business' either in the bath or on the balcony, where it was easy to clean up.
Tequila has hibernated for the last three winters. This year he went into hibernation very early, I think late August or the first of September, and started becoming active again in early February. Before my husband died, he was getting pretty active and was eating at least every other day.
I was managing OK until I went back to work this week. Now I'm gone during all the hours when there is sun on the balcony, so I can't let him out to bask. I have to keep him in the spare bedroom all day; otherwise I'd have lizard droppings all over the apartment. I suspect he's not getting enough exercise. I bought a new basking lamp, and he spends a lot of time under it... but he seems very lethargic and is often refusing food for 4-5 days at a time.
I'll be moving to a new apartment within a month or two and have decided I can't take him with me. So, I guess I'm looking to this community for two things:
1) Advice on what changes I might make in Tequila's care while I still have him, to keep him as healthy as I can.
2) Suggestions on how to go about finding a good home for him with someone who can take care of him appropriately.
Thank you!
