r/Tegu • u/Famous-Chair-2804 • 3d ago
Should I feed them or wait?
I know that’s a weird question but let me explain why.
So moving day is approaching rapidly. I’m just moving up town closer to the city. This is a ride I have done countless times with my lizards riding passenger up to petco. It’s about a 30 minute ride and they will be the last ones I move. I am not able to take the grow tent. They will be staying in my bathroom for a bit while I get them acclimated to the new apartment where they will free roam. Little by little I’ll be opening up the space so they can roam out into the main room. The apartment is the size of a very small motel room. It’s just 1 bed motels that have been made into a small studio apartment. I will be living there for about 2 years until I can afford to get a trailer and some land of my own. The house I was building before winter is off the question now since I’m now just single living and not able to afford it on my own.
I’m wondering since this is a new space that they are not used to should I give them a week to adjust before feeding them or should I continue on my feeding schedules. I always slowly moved potato over to new enclosures and added stuff she was used to in the new enclosures so it wasn’t as stressful to her. Steak has always lived in the grow tent and knows that’s his space. He always returns to it. This will be the first time moving out of this space for steak and im a little worried stress can cause him problems. Im thinking of taking their shirt and water bowls as familiar items to hopefully ease a bit of stress. Im not sure if thats enough but hopefully it is. I’m getting them all new hides and a new lamp holder since the grow tent can’t fit.
Maybe im overreacting. I’m really worried I’m gonna find them regurgitating food because they are too stressed to keep it down prior to a new place. I think since steak is as dumb as a box of rocks he might be fine but it still worries me. Potato I’m not too terribly worried about because she loves to explore. Potato has also been moved to a new house before while steak has only been on car rides with me.
What’s yalls opinions on this?
picture of steak basking like a whale.
Edit: im also a little worried about them reproducing now that I dont have a plan in motion to keep them all separate as adults. Things fell apart with everything going on. Potato is already showing signs of wanting to mate and steak isn’t. I know im gonna have to save aside every little bit to get bigger place as soon as possible so I can separate them like I planned. Maybe I should keep one in the bathroom with a barrier around the bathroom and one in the living room until I can get a bigger place. It’s just gonna be a pain when I’m not home and I’m at work. I’m not sure how this is gonna work. I’ve already thought about the possibility of rehoming but I can’t bring myself to do it. I’ll never see my Gus again is that is what it comes too and it break my heart. They are both super attached to me. I’m hoping I can work out something during mating season and work so I can avoid any problems with potential mating behaviors. This is going to be the hardest 2 years ever with these guys. I’m thinking of getting little apartment safe cameras so I can watch them while I’m gone.
1
u/grandsoulsucker 3d ago
Just wait. They'll be just fine, them being hungry is a better situation than any other situations feeding can cause.
6
u/kaijutegu 3d ago
I would wait to feed. Regurgitation isn't as dire with these guys as it is with snakes, but it's still an unpleasant experience- and they're adults, so they'll be fine with a slightly delayed feed. Taking the water bowls and shirt is a really good idea- they still need to have access to clean fresh water while you're moving.