When to put tegu outside in Northeast?

[carcharios]

I've had mine hibernating all winter but it's been much warmer lately here in MD - was 91 today. However, we're still supposed to get some nights in the 50's. Is this too cold to put my tegu outside in her enclosure?

 

[Adam87]

i wouldn't see a problem during the day but i would bring her inside at night until its like 70 at night which is kinda uncommon in the northeast here i live in CT

 

[lilwyhunter]

Yea, I'm from NH and they'll start spending days outside here soon, but I don't leave them out at night, there's just too many what if's of animals trying to get in at them and I don't trust the temperatures around here.

 

[carcharios]

Last summer I left my big tegu out all summer - nights included. I have her in a rabbit hutch I purchased. She does have a rubbermaid container in it where she can hide when it rains, etc.

The nights are still in the 50's here in MD but today it was in the low 80's. I was tempted to leave the little guy out over night but 50 may be cutting it close - although I'd love to know what the night time lows are in their native range.

 

[carcharios]

I left Freida out last night in her rabbit hutch. It dipped into the mid to low 50's. Yesterday she was very active, as it was in the mid 80's. I'm still wondering what the lows are in their native Argentina. Anyone know their cold tolerance limit?

 

[Toby_H]

I'm still wondering what the lows are in their native Argentina. Anyone know their cold tolerance limit?

Google and weather.com can satisfy your curiosity...


My '08 (born) male went into full hibernation his first winter ('08/'09). To wake him up I put his cage outside when the overnight low was in the mid 50s (at the lowest).

I can't say this is "ideal" but it worked well for me...

This winter he didn't truly "hibernate" so it has been a complete different story.

 

[argus333]

mine go out around june stay out till oct as long as nights are not below freezing they do fine they burrow under mulch and hay.

 

[camb]

I live in maine, and i was planning on putting my gu outside side during the day this summer. but she has this habit of absolutely freaking out going out of control when she goes outside, do you think outside would be to stressful for her, or do you think it would help her get used to more natural surroundings?

 

[camb]

I live in maine, and i was planning on putting my gu outside during the day this summer. but she has this habit of absolutely freaking out going out of control when she goes outside, do you think outside would be to stressful for her, or do you think it would help her get used to more natural surroundings?

 

[argus333]

i had a cuban iguana that always did that i just left him out but he never got used to it maybe as it gets a little warmer up there give him a heated hut to go in at night when it looks like its gonna be a cool night make sure he is in the hut other wise just let him be he will calm down.

 

[carcharios]

I would think that your guy would calm down. It depends I guess. Once I made the mistake of taking Diego outside. He was always so slow moving inside that he had me completely fooled. I put him on the driveway and in a matter of seconds, he just took off. He was no where to be found. After about an hour of searching our entire yard, forest, etc., we managed to find him under a 2 x 12 we had laying near the garden. I've never taken him outside since, though I did just purchase a rabbit hutch that he'll be living in this summer.

On the other hand, I had Frieda in a rabbit hutch all last summer and she did great. Given, she's much bigger than Diego though. I have a rubbermaid tub with a hole cut out and some cyprus mulch that she sleeps in. However, when it's sunny out, she's always on her rock soaking up rays. She doesn't seem too bothered by the predators outside her cage - mainly the cats, hawks, and a night, foxes, raccoons, owls, etc. Her rabbit hutch is pretty solidly built though and Freida is pretty large.