Lost Colombian Tegu

[nepoez]

I failed to lock my cage 2 days ago and the Tegu escaped while I went away from the room.. I looked everywhere and he's just nowhere to be found... he's 15 inches long colombian.

So this is the 2nd morning since he's been lost and he never came out to walk around.. the room temperatures in the house is 20C so I don't know if he's even still alive and a young tegu, i'm not sure how long he can live for without food... maybe he is hibernating somewhere in the house?


I tried putting food in the middle of the floor for a while but he never came out...

 

[dragonkeeperblue]

Put a basking light out in the rooms he might be in he might go for heat. However if it was me and one of mine went missing id unload the house to find them lol. Keep looking.

 

[Roadkill]

20 degrees Celsius will not kill your tegu, and 2 days is not much to worry about. However, this time of year with those temperatures and there's a good chance your tegu has gone someplace dark and cool and is lying dormant. I'd be worried about places where it's possible for them to get into the walls, up inside furniture, or under doors.

 

[TheTeguGurl]

Put out a basking light and a plate of food near it it might help him come out. Dont give up and keep us updated

 

[Aardbark]

Ye, as others have said. Put out food water and more importantly, a backing lamp that they can easily get to. The light is the easiest thing to get my tegu out from hideing. If possible, put like baby powder on the floor in areas where the tegu might be, and see it you find any prints after a day. They like to crawl into tight spaces, so start searching there. Under blankets, clothes, pillows, anywhere where they can feel like they are burrowed.

Good luck finding him.

 

[Dubya]

Check in the back of or under the refrigerator. The condensor and compressor get pretty warm. Baseboard heaters are a favorite hiding spot too.

 

[laurarfl]

Also, put the basking area and food in a more secluded spot and not in the middle of a room. He may be more tempted to utilize it if he feels secure.

 

[nepoez]

Thx all for the help and advise.. I've tried those, but for some reason, I am still not getting any results... it's been 3 days now

 

[Tannaros]

Thx all for the help and advise.. I've tried those, but for some reason, I am still not getting any results... it's been 3 days now

I've never had a lizard escape on me - however, the snakes that have managed to find themselves let loose in my house generally took numerous days to emerge. My Hogg Island took a week and a half to find, because she apparently found the duct work in my house quite a pleasant area to be.

Three days isn't something to be terribly concerned about in my opinion. Chances area your tegu has found somewhere that they feel secure hiding in and sleeping. While roaming around the room my tegu has found numerous places he liked to hide in when he was smaller. Most notably anywhere in the closet, and my shoes.

If you'd really like to try something here's what I did when someone got out - I placed lines of flour at each doorway, I also put plastic bags in various rooms. That way I could track any movement, and hear any night time prowling. You can also most likely tap a bottle of baby powder to coat a small area and watch for drag marks in various directions.

 

[agv0008]

A friend of mine had a small ball python loose in the house for months... you could see tracks in the dust on the floor. They finally caught him in the corner of the warmest room in the house.

You could try warming up a particular room to see if you can get it to move that direction.

Good luck. Don't give up!

 

[nepoez]

Hm.. I know pythons can go a long time without food.. but my animal is a tegu and is just a child. Do you know how long he would last without food?

 

[Dubya]

water is a lot more important. Leave water bowls around the house.

 

[BatGirl1]

All are good ideas. Maybe if you put water dish against a wall with a heat pad or bask light under or aimed at a hide he might like. What hide do you have in cage? Something 'familiar ' he likes? I would hope he'd go to it but understand animals sometimes may get into places we don't think of. The flour around walls/doorways/etc could help you locate him def. Gosh i feel so bad. My ball python got out before i knew they needed clips on the lid. Never imagined a snake would push a lid off way up there! Haha.we live, we learn. Long ago. But he ended up behind my hutch in the kitchen. Covered in webs. Yuck. And I still have him today...many years later so yes don't give up. Try all the advice.waiting sucks but keep looking and relooking. prayers for a safe return!

 

[nepoez]

really sad... I think he would be dead by now

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4 day without food or water, he never came out to my food and dishes

 

[Dubya]

He may still be alive. Reptiles can go a lot longer than mammals without food and water. Keep trying. He may have found water somewhere. Maybe condensation on the outside of the toilet bowl or cold water pipes.

 

[Tannaros]

really sad... I think he would be dead by now

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4 day without food or water, he never came out to my food and dishes

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That's a little dramatic. I doubt he'd be dead within 4 days, assuming he was well fed before hand.

His temperatures are much lower, so his metabolic rate is also much lower, causing him to be less active, and require less energy. I would bet that more than likely once he gets hungry you'll discover him wandering around in search of food.

Stay positive! It's tough having a pet missing, but all isn't lost!

 

[nepoez]

do u guys know how long a baby(15 inch) tegu would last with no food at 20 degree Celcius? thx!

 

[BatGirl1]

If he drops in temp i would *assume * he'd go into a sort of hibernation mode. I was told 74f may be the 'trigger Temp ' but don't go below i think 65 was it to be safe. I know you are not purposely hibernating him I'm just recalling acceptable temps. And agreed as above, of course metabolism slows as with most reptiles at lower temps. Niles has been down since oct no food. Water yes but like dubya suggested he may be finding different sources of water. They are highly intelligent in my opinion. Keep doing the suggestions. Don't give up on him.

 

[Cornelius]

Did this guy ever end up finding him? Mine is lost as well. Lost him yesterday.

 

[BatGirl1]

I haven't heard anything. It truly is a waiting game. how did you lose yours? Whatever room you were in, try the methods listed in this thread but persistance from the moment he's lost is key. Search EVERY INCH of the surrounding areas and closely inspect areas he could have crawled into or behind. Along walls. Etc