I recently purchased an 18 month old Argentine Red tegu... He is in a 40 gallon tank w/ a modified screen lid (by modified I mean coated in duct tape over the majority of it to aid in holding humidity and heat) his substrate is cypress mulch, he has a paver under a heat light that stays about 106 per my infared thermometer his warm side stays in the 90s usually about 92 and cool side is in the 80s usually about 85ish... he has a cat litter pan full of water on a uth to keep it warm (it is on the cool side) and another water dish on the warm side. I have a UVB bulb in there (its a reptisun i believe the label is worn off of the bulb as it is older I will be replacing it this weekend when i got to the repticon show) His humidity stays about 70 percent as I mist regularly... So here is the issue he has buried himself and has not come out in about 2 weeks... I was concerned 2 days ago since I had not seen him nor seen anything in the tank disturbed so I shuffled around and made him come out to know he was a live... after he came out I left him some food in there on a plate and left the room so that he could be comfortable and hopefully eat. He did eat the little bit of egg I had placed on the plate and did not touch anything else (there was ground turkey and a few cut up cherry tomatoes) he has reburied himself and no emerged... I am not sure of what I am doing wrong but I felt after about a week he would be more comfortable and come out more. I am trying to let him do as he may but it concerns me that the set up isn't correct for him or he absolutely doesn't feel safe. Today I will be placing a black background around 3 sides of the tank to help him feel a bit more secure... other than that I can't think of anything to do... am I wrong in thinking he should be a bit more comfortable? He is in a quiet part of the house (my bedroom) no one goes in there and messes w/ him but myself. Should I continue to make him come out at least for a bit to bask and hopefully eat or do you think he is in brumation? I have him on a 12 hour light cycle as well... lights come on at 8 am go off 8 pm... anyway any help is much appreciated! :)
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