Temp, Humidity, and NE USA Climate

[Tegular]

Hey all,

I have been interested in getting a Argentine BW Tegu for a little while now, and am getting closer to making the 20+ year commitment. I had a beardie morph that recently passed away after 11 years, and have another moph beardie right now (hatch date of Jan, 2018). I also talked with my beardie's vet today and she has seen tegus before and would feel comfortable seeing another one.

Now, as for my questions, they primarily center around the fact that I do not live in a climate hospitable to herps 8 months of the year, especially a herp that would be doing a fair amount of free roaming in my house (I am 31, have a career, a house, and the resources to care for a tegu). My beardies humidity levels range from 20-40%, for the most part. . If I got a tegu, should I get a humidity pump for inside of it's enclosure, so it can be closer to that 80% mark? How about the house? Should I have a room kept warmer with humidity pumps in it? What happens if the humidity is not high enough (just a bad shed, or can it lead to respiratory issues?).

During the winter in Pennsylvania, it get's pretty freaking cold and the air can't hold much water (aka the humidity level is almost nonexistant).

For others in a cold climate -- what do you do to make things hospitable for tegu? I would like to keep heat levels up consistently, to help avoid brumation the first year so his growth would not be stunted.

Thanks!

 

[JZrose]

I live in Michigan, and have those same challenges. I have found that using eco-earth mixed with ReptiChip holds humidity great. In the spring/fall I add water and turn the substrate once a week. In the summer and winter I usually need to that 2or 3 times a week. Using a good enclosure with appropriate wattage lights will keep your heat up. Sealed wood or pvc cages ive found to be best in our climate, glass with a screen top lets out all the humidity and heat.

 

[Tegular]

I live in Michigan, and have those same challenges. I have found that using eco-earth mixed with ReptiChip holds humidity great. In the spring/fall I add water and turn the substrate once a week. In the summer and winter I usually need to that 2or 3 times a week. Using a good enclosure with appropriate wattage lights will keep your heat up. Sealed wood or pvc cages ive found to be best in our climate, glass with a screen top lets out all the humidity and heat.

Would turning the substrate adequately take the place of needing a humidifier pump? Or, instead, could I get a humidifier pump and then not worry about having to turn the substrate on a regular basis?

As for the temps -- I'm not worried about hitting the temps inside the enclosure (I already do this for me beardies, granted 20 degrees cooler in the basking spot). Rather, worried about the temps and humidity while free roaming. Do I not have to worry about the low humidity levels when free roaming, as long as the humidity and temps inside his enclosure are ok? I do have an extra lamp/dome stand to create a basking spot to retreat to while free-roaming.

 

[JZrose]

I have used a humidifier in some of my reptile enclosures from time to time. In my opinion, in my enclosures, turning is more effective for burrowing species. A humidifier will give you moist air, and if running frequently enough a moistened top layer of sub, but it won’t penetrate the substrate. That will be a test-it-out situation. You may find in your home with your furnace, you need both, or only one.

As far as free roaming.... aside from time out supervised with me, none of my reptiles “free roam”. Some people do this with tegus especially, there are many reasons it’s not a good fit for me; and my climate in MI is one of them. No way I can provide the adequate humidity and heat for a tegu to live free in my house. So if you mean living free roaming in your home, I cannot help. If you are referring to bonding time, or letting your tegu stretch his legs; room temp and humidity are fine for short periods.

 

[Zyn]

I would not suggest stopping them from brumating their first year it’s important. It won’t stunt them don’t worry. Not brumating can cause issues if growth is to rapid. The brumation cycle is an important part of their natural growth cycle.

I live in Ohio, my blue brumates through most of the winter in the basement which is around 60 all winter long. He has about 12 inches of eco earth he burries himself in. He was only a few months old when he brumated last year, and when he came out of it his growth was amazing. These reptiles grow fast so don’t worry about stunting growth it’ll happen all on its own.

As far as free roaming goes I wouldn’t suggest it. Don’t use YouTube as an example, such as Macguyver he’s unhealthy.

 

[Walter1]

Mine are down 5 full mo. at 58-62 f. The four pigpile into a plastic hide with barely moist sphagnum.

 

[Iron Soldier91]

Hey all,

I have been interested in getting a Argentine BW Tegu for a little while now, and am getting closer to making the 20+ year commitment. I had a beardie morph that recently passed away after 11 years, and have another moph beardie right now (hatch date of Jan, 2018). I also talked with my beardie's vet today and she has seen tegus before and would feel comfortable seeing another one.

Now, as for my questions, they primarily center around the fact that I do not live in a climate hospitable to herps 8 months of the year, especially a herp that would be doing a fair amount of free roaming in my house (I am 31, have a career, a house, and the resources to care for a tegu). My beardies humidity levels range from 20-40%, for the most part. . If I got a tegu, should I get a humidity pump for inside of it's enclosure, so it can be closer to that 80% mark? How about the house? Should I have a room kept warmer with humidity pumps in it? What happens if the humidity is not high enough (just a bad shed, or can it lead to respiratory issues?).

During the winter in Pennsylvania, it get's pretty freaking cold and the air can't hold much water (aka the humidity level is almost nonexistant).

For others in a cold climate -- what do you do to make things hospitable for tegu? I would like to keep heat levels up consistently, to help avoid brumation the first year so his growth would not be stunted.

Thanks!

I live in Arizona and humidity is somewhere around 40%. I use a good humidifier inside my reptile room that crank humidity up to 60% plus my Tegu substrate is a mix ply sand and 80% organic top soil. I added an additional coconut fiber for holding moist for humidity. Between the topsoil and coconut fiber will do the job and it’s arguably the best substrate for Tegu. You don’t need a pump but it’s entirely up to you. Just keep the substrate wet every other day or two. If you like to install a reptile humidifier that is great but there are other ways.

 

[nightanole]

Ohio born and raised so ill throw in my 2 cents.

I have a "reptile room" that is a spare bedroom. If i seal the heat vents, and keep the house at 68-70f, the reptile room will stay at 60-64f. The main benefit to that is humidity levels stay at 60-70%, vs 30-40% if i kept the room at 75 with a small heat source.

To "teguize" i have a 1ft deep 4x4 bed of 50/50 peatmoss and top soil. This will literally absorb 50 gallons of water or more, and require at least 5 gallons of water per week in the winter due to evaporation, in order to keep the bottom half of the dirt line moist. The tegu's burrow goes all the way down to the bottom (kinda wish i lined the bottom with slate shingles so i had a natural toe nail file) and stays at 80-90% humidity. The daily free range routine is to find the tegu every night, and pop them in the burrow. They will stay in the burrow from say 8pm till at least 8am. They will bask till about 11am, then crawl out of the giant box and free range. I have 1-2 low voltage pet safe outdoor heating pads placed in the room under blankets. This keeps the tegus at about 100-105f (basking is about 115f). Mind you room temp is only 60-65 during the day. So these pads help stop the "cooling" that is a non minor problem with free ranging tegus, even with 75f air temps.


Mind you this is worst case for the non hibernaters, since odds are they will not hibernate indoors every year, for six months. If i couldnt keep the humidity up, not control the local cooling from free ranging, id just get a grow tent and say you are dumb so you are stuck in it till spring.