Duct Tape Wonderland

After multiple trips back and forth from Home Depot and Petsmart, mostly due to my indolence and unwillingness to create a simple list, I have finally set up the tegu's enclosure and completed tegu-proofing my living room, kitchen, dining room, and study. I now live in a duct tape wonderland, and any reminiscent of a hiding place once found by a friend's ferret has been annihilated.

Upon shopping for my tegu's new home, I encountered numerous conundrums: what type of enclosure, what is the cleanest and safest substrate, how do I want to control humidity, &c??

After much deliberation, pictured below is the current setup I decided create. There are still modifications that need to be done, though the foundation is essentially complete. Most changes will be depended on how the tegu interacts with her surroundings, and whether revisions will be imperative to her comfort.

40-gallon breeder tank for tegu hatchling

The terrarium is an Exo Terra Large/Wide (90 x 45 x 45 cm), equivalent to a 40-gallon breeder, with two doors that swing open from the front. I initially purchased two tanks, a standard aquarium requiring a top mesh lid and this Exo Terra. I wasn't confident that the Exo Terra, with front opening doors, was worth the additional hundred or so dollars (the 40-gallon aquarium was purchased during the $1 per gallon sale at Petco), but after many considerations it was indisputably the best choice for me.

My reasoning? Well, here it is: accessibility, accessibility, accessibility!

• Cleaning: I am a short, petite girl, and therefore the ability to clean the enclosure from the front is inexplicably amazing. Despite the fact that there is only substrate located in a single area of the enclosure, I am not so delusional to believe substrate will not end up all over the entirety of the tank. Removing substrate from a top-opening tank has proven difficult for me in the past.
• Lighting: Because this is an animal that requires regular handling and interactions from humans, I plan to be in and around the enclosure multiple times a day. Although UVB lighting should not be placed on top of a mesh screen (it impedes UVB rays and makes the bulb less effective for your reptile), having to deal with lighting fixtures when reaching in and out of the terrarium would become tedious. The Exo Terra allows permanent placement of a fixture (located in back left corner of tank) at a desirable angle, parallel to the floor.
• Handling: It is debatable whether or reaching downward into an enclosure inhibits the "taming" of a tegu hatchling, but I have found front doors permit quick access to any area of the terrarium, allowing swift removal of the tegu if ever needed. 
• Removal: Lastly, tegus are large lizards. Although this is tank is incapable of serving as a permanent housing unit for an adult tegu, it will be used for the first year of it's life. As it gains weight, removing a less-than-amenable lizard by lifting it out of the enclosure may become difficult. By placing the enclosure on, or close to, the ground, this would allow the lizard to merely saunter out of the terrarium on it's own. If physical removal were necessary, the doors would allow less lifting.

The flooring consists of Brazilian slate, purchased from Home Depot. The largest piece of slate is 40 x 40 cm (16 x 16 in), and the others are 15 x 15 cm (6 X 6 in). I chose this particular tile type due to it's ability to retain heat (a temperature gun is highly recommended to check the surface heat of the slate on a regular basis). The lack of substrate will permit me to monitor the tegu's bowel movements, and easy collection of samples for veterinary examination. This is especially important, in my opinion, for young reptiles; early detection of illness or distress can potentially increase the chances for a positive outcome (signs of impaction may become more obvious, noticing loose stool may indicate parasites and allow quick treatment, etc.). This is not necessarily the ideal flooring for a tegu, but should not be problematic due to the presence of a dig box. Please view my other post, "Home, Sweet Home: Tegu Housing," for the generally accepted "ideal" tegu substrate.

Instead of a terrarium full of substrate, I provide a digging box - a box filled with Eco Earth loose coconut fiber substrate where my tegu can dig if desired. Regular misting of the substrate will allow my enclosure to maintain the proper humidity. Stairs or a ramp will also be added for easy access into the box, and the location of the box may be moved.

The only source of heat and light present in my tank comes from the UVB bulb. Currently, I have a PowerSun 100w Mercury bulb placed 30 cm (12 in), parallel to the floor (distance from the floor is dependent on the type of bulb). It will be kept on 12 hours of the day and is controlled by a Zilla Digital Timer Power Center. My ambient temperature drops to 24 C (75 F) at night and the cool side stays around 28 C or higher while the UVB bulb is on, therefore an additional heat source is not required. Avoid coil bulbs!

The hide is from Whole Foods, and is currently located on the cool side only. I may, or may not, provide a hide on the warm side, depending on how my tegu does with one hide. Many tegu owners find that their tegus do not ever come out if a hide is kept on the warm side of the enclosure, which makes taming and socialization more difficult. I will be providing tegu-safe cloth materials for it to bury in.

Temperature is monitored with an Acu-rite Indoor/Outdoor Thermometer. It can simultaneously monitor the temperature in two different locations: the hot side (basking) and the cool side. Humidity is also measured. 

I do intend to add branches to allow various distances from the UVB bulb, and possibly live plants. Once the tegu is acclimated and deemed healthy, I will most likely fill the enclosure with substrate throughout. 

Please view my other post, "Home, Sweet Home: Tegu Housing," for the generally accepted "ideal" tegu enclosure.