Tegu Size?

VARNYARD · Posted: Wed Jun 29, 2005 1:58 pm Post subject: Keep us posted

Keep us posted, I would like to know what the vet says, and that your tegu is going to be ok.

tegulove07 · Member Joined: Jun 20, 2005 Posts: 39

the vet said he was very constipated and dehydrated, but should be fine with a better diet, a UVB light and that i should give him more baths ...he gave me some stuff to help hydrate him, and he's doin a lot better. i let him sit outside in the sun and hes a lot more active.
but for some reason my boyfriend thought i needed another tegu. so he bought me one, which i should be getting at the end of july...i guess he thought i didnt have enough problems already...
so since im getting another one...i've decided to build a better cage. but im afraid that they will fight, or the one i have will be very aggressive.
should i wait till a few days before the new tegu arrives to build the cage so i can introduce them together? so neither tegu "owns" the cage? god, i dont know what to do...this is just getting harder!

Alan · Posted: Fri Jul 01, 2005 11:11 pm Post subject:

TEGULOVE07,

Glad to hear you baby is better! Has he started eating more, drinking?
I kinda thought he had the little problems you and your Vet found,
must be a great relief for you. Is he now a little more huffy & puffy
that he's feeling better?
Take care

ElliotJasChief · Posted: Fri Jul 01, 2005 11:59 pm Post subject:

yeah.....a second tegu probably isn't a good solution right at the moment

. Ideally they should be housed seperatly. If you do have to keep them together it's definetly going to be best to introduce them at the same time so the cage is "nuetral ground."

If they are both really young it's unlikely you'll have any major territorial issues, however as they grow trouble may develop (or may not since they are used to each other.)
_________________
Elliot

1.2.0 blues
1.0.0 red
0.2.0 family

...and way too many fish

VARNYARD · Posted: Fri Jul 01, 2005 11:59 pm Post subject: Tegu size

Glad to here he is doing better,and glad you took him to the vet for help.
hope he does great now.

ElliotJasChief · Posted: Sat Jul 02, 2005 12:00 am Post subject:

oh yeah...and its good to hear it's doing better

keep up that natural sunlight...it works wonders
_________________
Elliot

1.2.0 blues
1.0.0 red
0.2.0 family

...and way too many fish

tegulove07 · Member Joined: Jun 20, 2005 Posts: 39

yea he's eating a lot more then he used to..he will actually eat in front of me now...and yesterday when i took him outside, he was following me around the yard, so i thought that was cute! i havent seen him drink yet...so i dont know if hes is or not...but he is sure a lot more active

but with the 2nd lizard, mine is 6 months and the new one will be a hatchling...im hoping that putting them in the new cage im building at the same time will bring less stress and aggression...i really cant handle 2 right now...but i cant say no to another one...there to cute and addicting

thanks everyone for ur help and support!

VARNYARD · Posted: Sat Jul 02, 2005 12:44 am Post subject: tegus

If you are putting them together they need to be close to same size, as the larger one might hurt the smaller one. And two males may tend to fight.
So if you put the new one in the cage with the one you have now, you need to watch them close.
I have heard of putting smaller ones, with the larger ones but they can get real rough over food, and fight over food.

Alan · Posted: Sat Jul 02, 2005 1:00 am Post subject:

The risk of new 'baby' being bitten or in some other way 'injured' is high
due to the size difference the two will have. Best if new'baby' has his own home. Maybe o.k. to slowly introduce them when they are same size to avoid potential problems, the wait is well worth it. Well wishes!

Alan

ElliotJasChief · Posted: Sat Jul 02, 2005 1:23 am Post subject:

oh yeah...forgot that little detail...try to feed them seperatly
_________________
Elliot

1.2.0 blues
1.0.0 red
0.2.0 family

...and way too many fish

tegulove07 · Member Joined: Jun 20, 2005 Posts: 39

yes thats true that the older one would be bigger for a normal tegu...but since mine was sick..hes still pretty small...not much larger then a hatchling...so size should be fine...unless he has a sudden growth spirt since hes getting better...but no matter what i would feed them seperatly...and watch them very closely!

VARNYARD · Posted: Sat Jul 02, 2005 4:05 pm Post subject: new pics

I am putting in two pics, note the difference in size. I would not put this little one in with my pair.
This is a pic of the bigger female.

This is a pic of the smaller female.

If I put her in with my larger ones they would tend to bully her, and push her back at feedings, and they might hurt her as well.
And I know some people would, but I will not. Its just not worth taking the chance.
Most tegus with regenerated tails, are due to feeding fights when they were young.
But this is understandable, If you are a breeder and have 40 hatch, it would be real hard to separate them to feed.

tegulove07 · Member Joined: Jun 20, 2005 Posts: 39

great news...i came downstairs to check on my baby *my bf's brother named him digger* and he was sitting in his water bowl and he poo'd..and hes starting to shed...
the bad news is that i had to clean it out haha

but he's finally growing and is not constipated anymore...im so happy!
thanks everyone

VARNYARD · Posted: Mon Jul 04, 2005 12:08 am Post subject:

Glad to hear it, I hope he does good for you from now on.

tegulove07 · Member Joined: Jun 20, 2005 Posts: 39

my tegu is eating like a PIG now! i fill his food bowl to the top with meal worms and he eats every last one and waits for me to put more in! he startin to shed so thats a good thing....and i have a 6'lx4'hx2.5'w cage for him but since hes still little i put in a 1.5'tall divider so hes not to stressed out and today when i went to feed him...he leaped over the divider into the other side...i was like OMG! i didnt know they could jump that high...

i just started building his new cage today...hopefully i finish by wednesday so i can start paintin in...

what kind of paint should i use and what kind of sealer? how many coats of each? i dont want him to get sick again

thanks everyone who gave me the great and helpful advice!