Tegu Hides - Interesting Behavior

[apocalypse910]

So I've noticed for a while that Loki likes to steal empty paper plates and move them into his hide. I recently attempted to cover several walls of the cage with burlap and he ripped it all down and dragged it into his cave immediately. At first I just thought it was normal insane tegu behavior - took me awhile to realize that he really hates sleeping on dirt and is attempting to line his hide with something more comfortable.

I tried adding some leaf litter to the cage - he immediately took most of it into his burrow and seems to be happier. I can only guess that they normally line their burrows with leaves for better insulation and so they aren't laying on damp dirt. It is one of those thing that seems logical but never occurred to me. I haven't seen this behavior mentioned in any of the care sheets so I figure I'd see if this matches other people's observations - and recommend providing leaf litter for your tegu if you have some available.

 

[chelvis]

I've lined one of the den boxes Bosco has with towels and old blankets and she always choices that over the mulch or moss den when it comes to overnight sleeping.

 

[BatGirl1]

Niles loves shredded paper towels

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[apocalypse910]

He likes the leaves - But he got into the gecko's supply bin yesterday and I think he may be hinting that he wants some moss as well. Tegus are subtle.

 

[bfb345]

Chubbs' favorite my old shirts lol

 

[Roadkill]

apocalypse910, you are quite correct. In the wild, tegus gather up leaves, grasses, etc. and pile it up in their burrows to build their nests. I'm not so sure it's strictly a physical comfort thing as much as an insulative measure. They don't typically rest atop the nest as much as in or under it. You'll see this behaviour particularly displayed during entrance into hibernation and during hibernation. We use to rake the leaves and put the grass clippings into their pens for them, it's quite intriguing watching them push it all into their burrow.

 

[BatGirl1]

I like the paper towel nests niles makes. When i first got him i put a bunch shredded up in a bin and he was so cute digging around and 'playing ' in them like a child in one of those ball pits. Haha

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[chitodadon]

Lol Godzilla takes my shirt amd drags it in his hide

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[kim86]

When I first got mine in September, he would push out all the dirt from his main hide and sleep on the bare glass instead.... now, he just sleeps anywhere, in the dirt or on top of it. Pretty awesome what they can do with their bodies though!

 

[brica]

First month, slept under her substrate, burrowed deeply - second month in and she has begun sleeping on top of her substrate. She seems to be a light sleeper, although I have to assume she is doing what's most comfortable to her which is to sleep above burrow. Also noticed when I added her hide of choice that she often packs it up with the looser soil matter which combines with another substrate to make up her cage. Still can't figure out how she manages to barricade herself in there and she doesn't leave a single part unpacked.