Quick Question

Knight05 · Posted: Sat Mar 01, 2008 3:35 am Post subject: Quick Question

Is a large exo-terra waterfall a viable substitute for a water bowl? Technically they can soak and drink and its more natural which is better, but at the same time they couldnn't fully submerse themselves. Also when they reach adult status obviously it will be too small to be a proper water source but as 5 month old babies should last 5-6 months or so? Ideas comments?

Curty · Posted: Sat Mar 01, 2008 5:05 am Post subject:

I use a large one for my beardies because they are kinda the right size but I don't think I'd use one for a tegu.

txrepgirl · Posted: Sun Mar 02, 2008 1:32 am Post subject:

I wouldn't worry about your Tegu not be able to soak in the water every day.The only time I give Leonidas or Zeus a bath is when they are shedding.It is not good for your Tegu to soak in the water to much because they have oil on there skin and the water can dry the skin out.Just like if you wash your hands to much.Hope that helps.

gebris353 · Posted: Sun Mar 02, 2008 1:51 am Post subject:

I thought of that many times, it seems really natural but only if you have a big enclosure and I didnt want to take space from Juancho's one. You just dont have to forget to change the water often cause if not it's always the same water flowing into it. But yeah, I think it's a great idea.

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Knight05 · Posted: Sun Mar 02, 2008 4:28 am Post subject: Oily skin

If you wash a tegu and it dries his skin how do you get him oiled back up so to speak? I only bathe my tegus maybe once every 4 days or so but lately they have felt really dry and not as smooth. What can I do other than spray them for humidity to make them regain some of that oily skin?

Rick · Posted: Sun Mar 02, 2008 9:48 am Post subject:

Misting is one of the simplest methods so far for maintaining a proper humidity in the enclosure, as well as having a large water bowl. The more water surface area, the more humidity. Another option is putting a hot air humidifier in the room, and possibly ducting it directly into the enclosure, and put it on a timer for a couple hours a day. It also helps if the enclosure is mostly closed in and not wide open. So a wood, plexiglas or glass enclosure is better at holding humidity than a screen or wire enclosure. If you have a glass tank with a wire cover, you can cover part of the wire cover with a sheet of plexiglas or something that will hold in humidity. High wattage bulbs also burn off humidity. We obviously need the lights for basking and warmth, but if you run lights at night you burn off even more humidity. Instead, try an under tank heater for night time warmth.

Soaking for more than 10 to 15 minutes at a time can result is drier skin because it removes the natural oils from the tegus skin. You can apply a thin coat of mineral oil after the soak to help.

Rick
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Knight05 · Posted: Mon Mar 03, 2008 4:41 am Post subject:

Thx rick I never thought of mineral oil maybe I'll dap a little bit here and there if there skin gets REALLY dry again. You pretty much covered my issue. I mean I spray there cage 4-5 times a day and lightly wet everything on the surface but my bulbs are now 275 uva/uvb and 250 for inffered night time so it does burn off tons of humidity in they're new cage. It seems a constant fight to maintain humidity and heat. The reason for the high watt bulbs is the cage height 3 feet =/