Landofthelost!
New Member
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- 4
So please no hateful comments for I am new to the Tegu world. I happen to rescue animals… usually reptiles. Ones that are neglected and ones that people just didn’t want anymore, I don’t understand it myself for each of these reptiles have wonderful personalities and often time I find they “bond” to me rather quickly. People don’t get it lol. But anyways, I started with a single iguana (she is now 5 years old) that some how landed in my home due to a negletful situation, yes the evil of all, the spawn of satan itself, but I don’t know it opened up the doors to the reptile world. From that point on I started researching, and educating myself, not only on iguanas but many other reptiles. My children too have become involved as well and appreciate the beauty in these creatures which I love to see. I also like to be able to teach others about these reptiles and certain ones I take with me to places and educate others and let them interact with because around here it is very uncommon to see ANY exotic animals. I became obsessed with learning everything about them and creating what I think are very eye pleasing, but also appropriate enclosures for these new reptiles I welcomed into my home from these bad situations. I have seen the darkest blackest iguana turn to a stunning bright blue (with time and patience and of course the right enclosure requirements). Anyways, I know this is a tegu talk page so that leads me to this. I now have a new family member, yes a black and white argentine tegu. When I asked the age when receiving him (it’s a boy, named Hades) they were unsure like most cases, and of course that led me on to research yet again. However, it is still quite unclear how old he is because they said about a year or younger and that he was fed frozen rodents to make him grow faster or something, didn’t know that was a thing. So here I am I know he isn’t full grown from my own research. He is actually relatively healthy, and actually very social for a lizard. I rescued him from being In a 40 gallon enclosure, I knew for a fact he was way too big for that damn thing. I brought him home and temporarily set up a room where he could free roam until his new temporary enclosure came and was built. As of right now he does free roam a lot and we do go outside with him often, since it’s been warmer, but his temporary enclosure that was built just until he gets a little bigger is about 6 foot long 2 foot wide and 2 foot high. I know it’s not very high but I was more worried about him having more ground space right now to move along. He has a shade box he can go into and plenty of dirt to dig and mess in and also a straw box he can mess in ( just found out about the straw thing) along with a little dog bed in one area (he liked my slippers and would always lay on them so I thought he would like it along with a shirt of mine for my scent. He also has a tether ball I put bugs in for enrichment time. He is fed tropical fruits mixed with veggies ( he eats them but not his favorite), high protein no grain canned dog food ( I do know about cat food but didn’t want him to get fat since I wasn’t sure how old he is), sometimes I can get him to eat a little boiled egg but rarely, some repashy, and yes frozen rodents. I have tried to cut down the rodents to twice a week and replace his meal with other stuff. Ok so now here is the question, sorry if you had to read all this for the question,I just wanted you to have some background information, I see a lot of you talking about mercury vapor bulbs being the best. I want to use them so bad but I am petrified of them after reading horror stories about them burning reptiles and things. But if it’s the best for him, I only want the best for my reptiles. My enclosure is only 2 ft high as of right now. Which he seems fine with right now, he does have uvb, heat and basking, but I don’t think it’s proper enough for him and I want to improve it. I have three poles I can adjust and hang lights from about his enclosure so that’s not a problem I have always used t5 linear bulbs for my reptiles and the rare occasion and in emergencies have use t8 bulbs. I am reading so many conflicted stories on what a tegu actually needs as far as his lighting and heat situation. So please can people kindly list what they currently have going on for their tegus? Also if some people can give me some much needed information more on the mercury vapor bulbs and the distances I would need for the uvb and heat and all that. I just want to do right by him for he is such a sweet kind soul and he deserves a good life. I make that promise to these reptiles when I take them on. Even the little spawns of satans themselves. If I think the reptile is going to be too challenging of a situation for me when it gets brought to me, as much as it breaks my heart, I take it and rehome or foster it to someone who will do better with it because that’s what the reptile deserves. I am not a selfish person. By any means but I am asking for help and I hope I don’t get people in the comments saying mean bullshit to me over this. I just am looking for good answers to my questions that’s all. Thank you for reading this whole thing if you made it this far and sorry it’s so long. Much love, peace, and happiness!
