Very interested in raising a Tegu.

[CmoneyAA]

I have a 60 gallon... And I looked up sizes and saw a 55 gallon at the dimensions I listed above. Got it right off the site selling em. Also I think some of you are missing the fact that I plan on getting my Tegu as a hatchling and only using that tank for 3 or 4 months. Also from cruising the forums I saw that people have about the same size tank as me and are doing fine for the little guys. I would never keep him in there so long he outgrows it.

 

[CmoneyAA]

Wow...... I feel like an idiot its about 1and a half foot on the side and same for height. 4 foot long

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I got my answers and the forum is awesome thanks for putting up with my crap lol and thanks for the welcome.

 

[james.w]

We are just trying to help. Many people get tegus thinking they will have a few months to get an adult enclosure and aren't ready when the time comes. These things can grow fast.

 

[CmoneyAA]

Yes most definitely and I thank you all very much for that! I am already starting the process to build a new one he should only be in he 60 gallon for about a month.

 

[Chantel]

Thanks for the tips. I didn't want to have to worry about an enclosure until a little while after I got him because ive already had this tank :/ but now Im very interested in the species and may have to shell out the money to do this...

Others, please let me know your opinions on starting a baby or hatchling in my tank and about how long before they get uncomfortable.

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Found a tape measurer so I can give an actual acurate measurement and I got 4'x2'x2'on my tank just an fyi

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I'm new here, but I have a Columbian black and white tegu baby. I'd say she's about 10" including her tail and she's more than comfortable in a 20 gallon tank. I'm not really understanding why others are seeming to be so rude when answering this, maybe it's just me? But I think a 60 gallon would be perfectly fine for a hatchling for a few months depending on which kind of tegu you want (different species get to be different sizes and have different growth rates). Joanna buries herself most of the time and she comes out of her enclosure for about an hour a day to hang out with me/be fed in her bin and the 20 gallon, like I mentioned, seems fine for now. I don't know how old she is so I can't guess her growth rate. General rule is that the enclosure should be twice as long as your tegu. Even once it's full grown, as long as it gets out of the enclosure for most of the day you should be fine. I'm planning on having Joanna hang out just around my house instead of in a cage once she's large enough to not get lost under my couch.

 

[BatGirl1]

I'm not sure if everything has been handled here but some input... for an adult an enclosure minimum of 6x3x3 is recommended. Uvb and basking one side, cool side can have ceramic heat emitters or other heat source for night time ambient temps. Substrate should be deep enough to bury themselves. Mist or fogger to keep humidity up for ease of shedding. Anything else? Yes free roam is good but only if you can ensure safety and also give enough uvb exposure / basking etc. Size of enclosure and when needs to be larger depends on the tegu. Niles, for example, has been in 40gal wide breeder because he went down for hibernation so soon after I got him. He was 16in. In sept. Then went down in oct. At 18in. So has not had the chance to grow at all...since he's been sound asleep. When he does wake up I have the 6ft enclosure ready for him. That is key, to make sure you have one ready because I've heard the growth can suddenly creep up on you.

Sent from my ZTE-Z990G using Tapatalk 2

 

[Ripkabird98]

Thanks for the tips. I didn't want to have to worry about an enclosure until a little while after I got him because ive already had this tank :/ but now Im very interested in the species and may have to shell out the money to do this...

Others, please let me know your opinions on starting a baby or hatchling in my tank and about how long before they get uncomfortable.

---

Found a tape measurer so I can give an actual acurate measurement and I got 4'x2'x2'on my tank just an fyi

---

I'm new here, but I have a Columbian black and white tegu baby. I'd say she's about 10" including her tail and she's more than comfortable in a 20 gallon tank. I'm not really understanding why others are seeming to be so rude when answering this, maybe it's just me? But I think a 60 gallon would be perfectly fine for a hatchling for a few months depending on which kind of tegu you want (different species get to be different sizes and have different growth rates). Joanna buries herself most of the time and she comes out of her enclosure for about an hour a day to hang out with me/be fed in her bin and the 20 gallon, like I mentioned, seems fine for now. I don't know how old she is so I can't guess her growth rate. General rule is that the enclosure should be twice as long as your tegu. Even once it's full grown, as long as it gets out of the enclosure for most of the day you should be fine. I'm planning on having Joanna hang out just around my house instead of in a cage once she's large enough to not get lost under my couch.

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A 20 gallon is WAY to small for a 10 inch lizard. Period, end of story.

If you want that size enclosure, stick with Leopard Geckos. Otherwise, take care of your Tegu, and get a larger enclosure ASAP.

 

[laurarfl]

I really didn't find anyone to be rude on this thread. But to be honest, tanks aren't good for large lizards beyond the hatchling stage. People get opinionated about because they see what happens over years of experience. There are many owners with good intentions who get an iguana or tegu and keep it in a tank as a baby. They know it needs a larger enclosure as it grows. Life happens, and the little lizard gets bigger, the medium lizard is now stuck in a too small tank. It is very common. So it is not a matter of people being rude, just concerned owners trying to warn others that tegus are growing, active lizards that require a lot of room.

 

[Deac77]

I really didn't find anyone to be rude on this thread. But to be honest, tanks aren't good for large lizards beyond the hatchling stage. People get opinionated about because they see what happens over years of experience. There are many owners with good intentions who get an iguana or tegu and keep it in a tank as a baby. They know it needs a larger enclosure as it grows. Life happens, and the little lizard gets bigger, the medium lizard is now stuck in a too small tank. It is very common. So it is not a matter of people being rude, just concerned owners trying to warn others that tegus are growing, active lizards that require a lot of room.

Very well said Laura this is one of the many reasons I think it's best to have your forever cage. I know many people are hostile towards people because of this because its a sensitive subject, but I don't think this thread is rude at all

 

[Ripkabird98]

I really didn't find anyone to be rude on this thread. But to be honest, tanks aren't good for large lizards beyond the hatchling stage. People get opinionated about because they see what happens over years of experience. There are many owners with good intentions who get an iguana or tegu and keep it in a tank as a baby. They know it needs a larger enclosure as it grows. Life happens, and the little lizard gets bigger, the medium lizard is now stuck in a too small tank. It is very common. So it is not a matter of people being rude, just concerned owners trying to warn others that tegus are growing, active lizards that require a lot of room.

Very well said Laura this is one of the many reasons I think it's best to have your forever cage. I know many people are hostile towards people because of this because its a sensitive subject, but I don't think this thread is rude at all

Agreed!

 

[chitodadon]

I agree also

from Samsung Galaxy S3

 

[laurarfl]

If I Had a dime for every big green iguana stuffed into a 55gallon tank. Then the owner realizes they can't afford an adult sized enclosure and has to rehome a lizard that no one wants.

 

[chitodadon]

Even though I didn't want Godzilla to hibernate it helped me get more time to build his enclosure which will be 7x3x3

from Samsung Galaxy S3

 

[TeguBuzz]

Even though I didn't want Godzilla to hibernate it helped me get more time to build his enclosure which will be 7x3x3

from Samsung Galaxy S3

I thought you were getting that 2 months ago? Your tegu can come out of hibernation any day now - when will the enclosure be ready? The 55 gallon you have him crammed in will not suffice - not even for a day - when he wakes up.

 

[chitodadon]

I know me and dubya r working on it we finish up on Saturday hopefully

from Samsung Galaxy S3