Day3 and still not eating

[Guest]

Day 3 and trying to get my little guy to eat is still a mission. He is always out under his basking light but still doesn't seem to have an appetite. I may get a fecal exam soon just in case because he doesn't seem to be trying to hibernate so i am starting to worry that hibernation is not the issue for his lack of eating.

 

[Guest]

That's frustrating. Mine was a little finicky when I first got him a few months ago, and I've heard that it can sometimes take a few weeks for a tegu to adjust and develop a strong feeding response. Have you only had him for three days?

Here are a few follow-up questions that come to mind (hopefully more experienced members can chime in with more):

How are the temps in his enclosure?

When he's out, does he bask the entire time or is he active? How does he look moving around (does he drag his back legs, for example)?

What kinds of food have you offered?

- David

 

[Guest]

No i've had him for 4 months or so, he used to be fine when it came to eating but now October rolls around he slowed down on eating. Ive heard a lot of ppl telling me its hibernation and that its normal but when i read other people posts i read that their tegu will come out for an hour or so, bask and sometimes eat but thats what is confusing me, my little guy is out all day from around 11 or 12 and doesn't head to to sleep till 9 or 10 at night. He basks all day and seems pretty lethargic. I would try feeding him and he would either smell the turkey and turn away from it or take one bite and just leave it. I started giving him pinkies since that is what would spark his appetite and probably the only thing he would eat but now he is not even going for the pinkies.

Temps in the cage are:

Basking: 105- 108 F

Ambient : 85-90s F

Cool side 75-77 F

And yes he does seem to drag his back legs which my wife pointed out to me this morning.

 

[slideaboot]

A lot of times, they'll slow down and stop eating before hibernation. Last year, Boosh (b/w) quit eating a couple of weeks before he actually started hibernating.

 

[brutus13]

Have you soaked him in a warm bath in natural sun light? You said he is up around 11:00 and doesn't go to bed around 9:00-10:00. Are his light on that whole time?

 

[Guest]

I turn his lights on at 9 in the morning while i get ready for work, he normally doesn't come out of his hide box till 11 or 12 and as for nights, his lights go off at 9 but he still walks around his cage and tries to get out or just pushes his bedding around. I do take him out every day and he lays out by the pool with me to get natural sun but as for baths i soak him maybe once a week.

 

[tora]

What are you using for uvb?

 

[chelvis]

He could just be getting ready to hibernate. They will stop eating before hand (sometimes a week or two) and still bask, drink and be otherwise normal. They are trying to clear their system so there is nothing in them when they do hibernate. Otherwise undigested food can rot inside them, which is not a good thing.

 

[Guest]

What are you using for uvb?

I am using the Exo Terra repti glow 10.0 Uvb light

He could just be getting ready to hibernate. They will stop eating before hand (sometimes a week or two) and still bask, drink and be otherwise normal. They are trying to clear their system so there is nothing in them when they do hibernate. Otherwise undigested food can rot inside them, which is not a good thing.

He has been pooping less...and if he does it is like a drop but hardly anything.