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Thread: Newbie

  1. #1

    Default Newbie

    Hi there, im from the UK!

    Bought a tegu yesterday from a pet store near me, was very hard finding someone who had tegus! but i got one. He is a baby about 12-14" long, ive called him Godzilla

    Ive printed out the care sheet from the site, what should there humidity levels be kept at? can i allow the viv to get steamed up (spray him and shut the doors). also my basking spot is a bit higher than 110, its around 120 but i was told they need it that hot??

    Also, the tegu has a lump near its bum, i was a bit worried about this when i bought him, but the tegu seems to be in good health, ill attach a picture below of it, my camera isnt that great so im sorry for the quality. The lump kinda stick out a little bit, and i dont think its hard. it moves when pushed.

    Thanks
    Dave






  2. #2
    Join Date
    Nov 2004
    Location
    Central Maine
    Posts
    1,689

    Default

    Welcome to The Tegu Community @ www.www.thetegu.com

    ...and welcome to the addiction!

    The pictures are too blurry to be sure, but the bump you mentioned (just below your pinky) just looks like the tegus vent to me. If you can get much better (less blurry) pictures I can assist you better on that aspect. A tip that works with most cameras is to turn the quality up. Turn on Autofocus. Hold the camera 20 to 24 inches from the subject. Hold the shutter button halfway for a couple seconds as it automatically adjusts, then press the rest of the way. I hope that helps.

    My basking spots vary based on the temps inside the house and outside. So my basking spots can fluxuate between 100F and 115F. Keep in mind if you basking spot is 120F on a cool day, one a hot day it's going to get up there.

    I have not used that pellet litter you are using, but I would assume it will not hold humidity very well. It looks like a rabbit food type pellet and I know rabbit food breaks down when wet or humid. I recommend cypress mulch as it holds humidity very well and does not mold if its humid. I would also recommend at least 4 to 5 inches of depth so the tegu can dig around and burrow, which is one of their favorite pastimes.

    Your tegu looks good. It's a hatchling from last year so I'd guess its age at around 6 months. Congrats on the new baby argentine tegu.

    Rick

  3. #3

    Default

    Rick

    Thankyou very much for your response, i love him already he is great. was a bit hissy this morning but i just picked him straight up and calmed him down. The substrate-litter is called repti-turf and its what they had him at the shop i got him from, thought i could try it as it hides strong smells really well, but i will order some cypress mulch from the net when i can find a UK supplier

    the lump someone has told me his rectum is inflammed and to bathe him in a sugar/water mixture to see if it swells down, also said it could cause an anal prolapse, but ill make sure he is ok

    as i only got him yesterday his viv is not 100% accurate so tonight i will be changing the basking temp to 110, putting a BIGGER water bowl in for him to submerge his body, and ordering some of that cypress mulch stuff you mentioned

    ill take some further pictures tonight

    Thanks

    Dave

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Nov 2004
    Location
    Central Maine
    Posts
    1,689

    Default

    Dave,

    If it's vent is irrated I would take him off the substrate you are using. It may be causing the issue or at the least contributing to it. A lot of petshops do not know the proper husbandry for every animal they are selling. I would immediately pick up some type of natural wood mulch substrate from the petstore until you can get cypress mulch. There are companys that make stuff that will work as well as cypress, it just costs more.. like Jungle Mix(tm) or similar. Just make sure it doesn't have pine or cedar in it.

    I would soak it in warm water with a little bit of Betadyne (a cheap topical disinfectant available at any prescription store or anywhere they sell first aid supplies). Mix just enough Betadyne so that the water looks the color of a cup of hot tea. I never heard of soaking a tegu is sugar water. I don't think I would try that unless it was recommended by a vet. Some bacteria thrive on sugar and sugar has no disinfectant qualities that I know of.

    Rick

  5. #5

    Default

    Rick

    I will try the solution that you have suggested, i have ordered some cypress mulch from a site, buti dont think i have ordered enough of it. and of course i have lost the site i went on lol. oh dear

    had him out last night, he loves to roam around on me, just get a bit worried when he licks everything then stops and stares, but he is ok. doesnt like being woken up though! and hides most of the time in his viv. ideally i need to build him a bigger viv, he is 17" long (longer than i thought) and the viv is 3ft, so soon i will get building!

    at the current state my money situation is quite low, car problems etc causing me to be a bit skint but i have enough food for godzilla so thats ok.

    what are tegu's like with other lizards (beardies). i have a 11 month old bearded dragon too.

    Thanks

    Dave

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Mar 2005
    Location
    Denver, CO
    Posts
    1,184

    Default

    Welcome to theTegu Dave :wink: - You're right about them not liking to wake up and it's best not to do so - Let him come out on his own...

    And as to the bd, I would be very cautious about introducing them as you could quite possibly have a fight or worse on your hands...
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  7. #7

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    Hi Teiida

    yes i will be cautious, the bd is very calm as most BDs are but he doesnt like my parrot hehe.

    i will try and take some more pictures tonight, was meant to last night but left my camera at work!

    Dave

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Mar 2006
    Location
    Elwood, IL - Southwest Suburb of Chicago (about an hour away)
    Posts
    573

    Default

    Hey dave, welcome, and you mentioned you lost the site you ordered your cypress mulch from. Well, when your order comes in you should have a packing slip with it and that should have the website name that you ordered it from so that shouldn't be that big of a deal. . Also, as Teiidae stated you should not wake up your tegu, because when they bury themselves and hide/sleep, they believe that spot they are in is safe and secure, and when you wake them up from that spot, you are showing your tegu that the spot he chose is not "safe". Good luck with the vent problem you have, tegus are hardy and it should not be any problem if treated properly.
    -Art-

  9. #9

    Default

    i found the site, and ordered some more! lol. got about 15litres coming in the post should be enough for him. ill take your advise and not wake him. will see what hes up to when i get in from work, hopefully up and about ready for his feed!

    Thanks all for your advice
    Dave

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Sep 2005
    Posts
    201

    Default

    don't they have gardening centers in the UK? here in the states we have all kinds. b/c the shipping on several cubic feet of cypress mulch may be pricey. for some cheap hiding areas (for now) ...flip over a small shoe box or two and cut a doorway. put one in the warm side of cage and one on cool side. i agree not to pull him out of hides until he is better acclimated, if not never. they like their security, especially when new to a cage. he looks good otherwise. take a pic of vent w/o being so close so your camera is in focus, too. i'd like to see the bump.

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