Tegu keeping in Texas

[Olivia Potts]

Hello! I plan on bringing home a red tegu in the next few months and am getting ready to build an enclosure. I'm in Houston Texas and was wondering if anyone else keeps their tegus outside and if you have any tips. Also our winters can be pretty chilly would we need an inside enclosure for winter? Any advice is much appreciated

 

[N8bub]

Being in Houston I would think you should be fine for year round outside tegu keeping with the exception of a few days in winter. Either a indoor brumation cage or a well insulated hide box outside with a possible radiant heat panel for the rare nights under 32°. I live in missouri and my tegus love being outside in the summer, but they are only safe 7 to 8 months out of the year. We're usda ag zone 6a, guess you guys are 8 or 9? Might want to contact some of the Florida breeders, I believe it iswarmer there than Houston, but you could get some good ideas nonetheless. Try Ty Park of Ty's lizards on Facebook or Hector Berrios at hectorshabitat.com. hope that helps

 

[Walter1]

With a decent underground burrow, cool in summer, stable low 60s in winter, don't knowhowyou'd go wrong assuming reds can be found in naturally temperate areas.