Going back to Tegus...Need new ideas

[JoshSloane]

After seeing all the new threads about tegus, I decided that I am going to get back to keeping them. It has been a few years since I had my old one, and I am looking to maybe try some new caging alternatives for the hatchling stage. Previously I kept my hatchling in a 40 gallon breeder. But as we know these guys quickly outgrow that and need their adult cage. Do any of yall start with more of an intermediate size cage, one that they can spend more than a few months in? Im going to ultimately build their adult size cage myself, just looking for options that might last a bit longer for the hatchlings.

[jclaiborne]

From my experience I would say start them in their adult cage, that being said I had mine in a 4x2x2 while I was building her adult cage, and as a hatchling she seemed ok, but she quickly got cramped up in there, so personally if you were going to put them in a "temp cage" seeing how quickly mine was cramped in a 4x2 I would say a minimum of a 6x2, which at that point you will be spending quite a bit on a cage that size, just to then bump it up to a cage 8ft longer. My 2 cents for what its worth.

[JoshSloane]

Yeah I hear what you're saying. I have no problem building an adult cage myself, but would rather not build two custom cages. I feel like if I put a hatchling in an 8 foot cage it would get lost or be hard to observe. I do like having easy access to the hatchling when I first get him.

[frostysBP]

Hát about building the adult cage and make it with a divider in the middle. So when it grows all you have to do is remove the divider

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[JoshSloane]

That's actually a good idea. Problem is that I am moving this January, to a more permanent spot, and would rather build the adult enclosure once we are there.

[jclaiborne]

That's actually a good idea. Problem is that I am moving this January, to a more permanent spot, and would rather build the adult enclosure once we are there.

Well I will tell you by January it will have outgrown a 4x2x2, so depeding on how soon you are wanting to pick one up, you could either wait until you move or try to find a used 6ft vision cage for sale on CL, that may buy you some more time, just be aware after doing all my searching there wasn't a single off the shelf cage that really was tailored to a lizard that needed a deep layer of substrate and a high heat basking spot, which led me to start building my own cages, but before that I modified all my vision cages to have a drop down bulb inside the cage to achieve higher temps and made substrate barries that I put on the inside lip by the glass doors to allow a good 6inches of substrate, (still not enough for a tegu, but works nicely for my blueys).

[Daniel.michelle]

My personal beliefs are to put it in its adult enclosure as soon as available.

[JoshSloane]

Yeah these are all the things I have been thinking about. I cant find any used vision cages or any used pvc enclosures in my area at all. Pretty frustrating. I know its not ideal but might need to find as big of a tank as possible and have that hold him over until I build the adult cage this fall.

[jclaiborne]

Yeah these are all the things I have been thinking about. I cant find any used vision cages or any used pvc enclosures in my area at all. Pretty frustrating. I know its not ideal but might need to find as big of a tank as possible and have that hold him over until I build the adult cage this fall.

glass tanks are rough with keeping their humidity up. It may be worth shopping around online at some tractor or equestrian supply stores online and get a big rubbermaid plastic trough, then you could make a lid for it, big enough space for it to run around, deep enough substrate, etc. They do it a lot for ackies. That would be the only other option I can think of other than waiting. There is not off the shelf tank big enough to house them for close to a year, if you aren't moving until Jan, lets be honest building a cage will be low on the list of priorities because you be unpacking and getting your new home situated. If you go the small cage route you will be kicking yourself a few months down the road. I am not harping to be mean, I am telling you from my own experience, the money wasted, the rushing to get a bigger cage, the health of the animal, all things that I constantly kick myself for.

Link for some troughs and stock tanks. http://www.tractorsupply.com/en/stor...ch/stock-tanks

[JoshSloane]

Thanks for the link. Not too sure how I would construct a lid for one of those. Ive also never really been fond of having high intensity heat lamps next to plastic. For humidity I have found in the past that some thin melamine on top of a wire lid holds moisture in the tank pretty well. Was also going to purchase MistKing misting system that I would use in the adult cage anyways. This would really only need to be a setup for no more than 6 months.

Thanks for all your ideas, I really appreciate it.