Gigantic Enough?

[Jefroka]

My buddy who owed me a favor dropped off the gigantic cage he volunteered to build for me. This thing is huge and even slightly smaller than was suggested for an adult extreme giant male.

My wife and I are still trying to get past the shock and awe stage of a cage that is 8' long inside our smallish rectangle of a house.

My little guy is a long way off from me putting his butt in this cage, its just way too big for him right now. I will have to slowly but surely graduate him to something so immense.

With that said, will this even be large enough for a 5' adult?

Lately, I've been thinking that perhaps housing my guy when he becomes large in a very large exterior set up would be the way to go.

Until then, I will enjoy the growth spurts but don't know about the gigantic enclosure I have sitting in the middle of my house. It may just not be gigantic enough?

I'm in southeast, Louisiana where we have perhaps one or two freezing days our entire winter (which we don't really have much of anyway).

Who here keeps theirs outside and what about supplemental heat sources?

Also, with them outside, what supplements would be deemed unnecessary?


...Jefroka

 

[Tux]

What's the width?

 

[Jefroka]

35 and 1/2" wide (so it could fit through my largest door) 3' tall, with 2' tall legs, 8' long.


...Jefroka

 

[Rudd]

Pictures.

Do you have a yard?

 

[Jefroka]

Its a very large rectangular cage, 8' long 35 and 1/2" wide, 3' deep. It has a sliding plexiglass front door, everything else is wood.

Yes, I have a yard.


...Jefroka

 

[Rudd]

I would put the cage outside and modify it to accomodate sun exposure. Then when the over night lows are too low bring the tegu in everynight and throw him in a small footlocker type box. Then put him back out in the morning.

This is how I do it and don't burn up a lot of inside space. Come winter they are in the footlocker while they hibernate.

 

[Jefroka]

Rudd, I'm not sure what a foot locker is but you have given me some good ideas.


...Jefroka

 

[GOT_TEGUS]

Jefroka the cage sounds nice... A out side enclosure would be awesome for your GU.

 

[Jefroka]

I have a lot of time to figure it out, but an outdoor enclosure seems to make a lot of sense with lizards that get this size. I'm sure they must appreciate a good roaming now and again.


...Jefroka

 

[Rudd]

This is a foot locker. I get them many different places, Fred Myer, Wal-Mart, Army Surplus store.... Doesn't have to be anything special, just soemthing to do the job of housing him while he sleeps.

 

[Richard21]

This is a foot locker. I get them many different places, Fred Myer, Wal-Mart, Army Surplus store.... Doesn't have to be anything special, just soemthing to do the job of housing him while he sleeps.

How much those things run for? How do you heat it up to the proper temps?

 

[Rudd]

Just depends on where you get it. The plastic ones at Wal Mart or Fred Myer are around $30.

You don't have to worry about heating it up, it's used for over night sleeping and hibernation. Both of which can either sit in the house in your closet or in some other out of the way place. Tegus can handle over night temps in the mid to high 40's. Mine stay out side from the time they wake up till the time they are ready to go back down. In early spring and late fall I use a red bulb in the nesting area of their outdoor enclosures to help keep the temps up.

I have recorded lows of 43 with no problem, however I like to keep the tems above 55, just MY comfort zone. I would bet the tegus could handle lower without any issues on a regular basis. Remember, this is with the proper set up where they can nest themselves in a burrow.