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corn-ball
07-23-2008, 05:28 PM
removing the hide and adding more mulch was recently suggested to me by Alek, so ive been doing that. makes sense to me. anybody say nay?

Ben3233
07-23-2008, 05:34 PM
It depends to each reptile. As for Tegu, they dig a lot, I don't think that they spend more time in their little hide compare to their own build tunnel.

Some herp, like bearded dragon, do not dig to hide themselves, they need to find something (cave, rocks etc) to feel secure.

I made the test with my bluetongueskink. The hides were just pointless, he was always digging and sleeping under the substrate, so the hides were only decoration.

Hope it helps! :D

meanah
07-23-2008, 05:37 PM
i myself give them hides along with enough substrate for them to burrow.

Angelrose
07-23-2008, 07:11 PM
I notice with colombians they like to just burrow under the cypress and move from hot side to cool side.

for argentines and colombians ....
however, a hide is also thier 'safety'. a place they can go where they should feel safe thus said is why you should not ever, ever disturb them when they are in their hide.



:edited

Alek
07-23-2008, 07:17 PM
Hides are good If you are trying to start breeding wild tegs were they are use to that type of environment. But for taming sake from my experience I would say toss the hide If you can create a dark side of your enclosure that helps as well with some nice thick bedding. Abserve my enclosure in my gallery I have gotten the idea from some of our own members here. Such as Rick his indoor enclosure seen in his gallery is a great example for a no hides :D

Alek
07-23-2008, 07:23 PM
I am talking about the argentine Tegu, not colombians. 8)

As far as the whole safety thing it would be safer for you and your tegu to get use to you no matter what. They will not need any safety if they are not afraid of human contact or presents I my first Arg. Black & white would love walking up to me and my wife to be picked up and cuddled in our shirt the one I have to day does the exact same thing as Ricks do he climbs up my knee and then up to my shoulder. All done with no hides. the proof is in the pudding :lol:

Angelrose
07-23-2008, 07:33 PM
I am talking about the argentine Tegu, not columbians. 8)

your right. that's not very clear how I wrote that Alek. thank you.


the paragraph I wrote about the hide being their 'safety' was for both argentine and colombian.

the first sentence was is simply an observation more so with colombians.


p.s. I will fix it.

txrepgirl
07-24-2008, 11:13 AM
I don't think that you need a hide box.As long as you keep the mulch moist to the touch ( for humidity reasons ) they will not have any shedding problems ( of corse with the right diet,too ).If they want to hide they will dig into the mulch that is good enough.I do have one bin in one of my enclosures because I wanted to see a difference.The only difference that I found out to be was that the mulch stays moist longer.

laurarfl
07-25-2008, 03:05 PM
I gave my big Arg a hide and she never used it except to climb on and then poop. I took it out. She likes the mulch better.

The little one will bury in the mulch if he doesn't have a hide, but prefers a little box to sleep in.

Alek
07-25-2008, 06:21 PM
They love to bury them selves its like a blanket for them. even on the shallow parts they tuck there head under the mulch like a ost

corn-ball
07-25-2008, 09:06 PM
well i basicallt killed two proverbial birds with one stone and threw one of my t-shirts in there and he uses it as a blanket or he burrows beneath it (and it traps humidity well) also, by doing the he is becoming familiar and dependent on my scent

Alek
07-25-2008, 09:09 PM
Nice work :D Like I said along time ago long as your tegu is healthy and happy that is all that matters :D