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November - Both Tegus Not Hibernating

devine*

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So it's November already, and a few weeks ago I began raising my temps/daylight hours and began feeding my tegus again.

One is a yearling male, I thought if anything I could get him to go under but the most I got him to go away for was a day and he'd be out again. This went on and on again for almost 2 months

My other adult tegu I didn't think she would go under as she never has been before. I'm just wondering, should I give up trying and resume normal daylight hours/temps? I've already began and started feeding again... so I guess I'm kinda awnsering that mysefl.

And my other question is even if I don't get them to hibernate this year, can I try next year? Or is it once not hibernated, never hibernated... Thanks everyone!
 

shabazz

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i have a two year old female b&w and she didn't hibernate last, but she has been down more then a month now
 

Harveysherps

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Keeping them indoors I thinks messes up their cycle. All the lights and stuff we use to keep them. Most all that has to be cut off. You have to simulate the outdoors indoors. Cooler night temps and all. Shorter days and longer nights. But if your not planning on breeding them. Then keep them on summer temps and light cycles. It's not like it is hard. Just a few timers and what not and it can be done. Just don't let them go down with food in the gut or belly. Or you will be looking for another one.
 

JohnMatthew

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You sure about that rotting food in the stomach thing? I wonder what tegu's in the wild do if an easy meal pops up around hibernation time. My boy ate a fuzzy a day before he disappeared for good and I never found any feces. He's been down a good while now and I don't smell anything bad so I guess he's still kickin. I'm not sure exactly how hibernation works but I would think they'd have some method of pooping in their sleep if rotting stomach contents was an issue. Maybe it's more of an issue with forced hibernation where people snag an animal and toss them into cool temps and low light cycles right after a meal and their body just doesn't know what to do. I'm interested to learn more about the topic.
 

Harveysherps

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That is what I was taught. I learned most of what I know from Bert at Agama International. His web site is another great place to do research. I'm not sure if the site is even still up. But he explains it in depth. It is a slow death not quick. They literally rot to death. In the wild they know when to start emptying themselves. Indoors they don't get the same stimuli. This is why most Sucessful keepers use outdoor enclosures. Then bring them in for the winter. In some places
they leave them outdoors. Indoor keeping them is still something that needs to be worked on. Dave seems to be doing a great job . Cause his bred. Maybe he will chime in.
 

Harveysherps

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Here is a direct quote from Berts site it is still up. This is from his faq page. This is buy no means my work. It is from his site. I just copied it to show you.


My tegu has slept in his hidebox/burrow for several days, can I put him in a box in the basement now?
If your tegu has been hibernating for only a few days, it is premature to move them to their winter sleeping arrangements. They can go into hibernation and stay in hibernation for a week, and then come out and bask, and so off and on for the first 3-4 weeks. That seems quite normal. Unfortunately many indoors hibernators have been killed by putting them into hibernation at the first signs; what happened is that the poor animals are put in a box in the basement (as they started hibernating already) and decide to get up and warm up a week later since they have some left over food inside their digestive tract. They cannot warm up and so cannot get rid of it, and it rots and the animal dies 2-3 months after that. Make sure that your animal has access to water and a basking spot for at least the first 4 weeks after they start hibernating.
13. Do tegus ever come outside during warm days while hibernating to sun themselves?
In the fall, only. They can go in hibernation and stay in hibernation for a week, and then come out and bask, and so off and on for the first 3-4 weeks. That seems quite normal, and people got to know this, as many indoors hibernators are killed by putting them into hibernation at the first best signs; these poor animals are then put in a box in the basement (as they hibernate already) and decide to get up and warm up a week later as there is some left over food inside. They cannot warm up and so cannot get rid of it, and it rots and the animal dies 2-3 months after that.
 

JohnMatthew

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I checked out the site, it seems the rotting food thing is more of a problem when you "force" hibernate but definitely a real problem if they go down with food in their stomach. I set the timers on my lights every few weeks and have 2 windows in my tegu room to simulate natural photoperiods. Hopefully my tegu took a crap somewhere(hidden) as he was coming up every few days before going down. I might have just missed him a few times while at work.

Here's what I found at:

http://www.agamainternational.com/pages/faq_tegus.htm

12. My tegu has slept in his hidebox/burrow for several
days, can I put him in a box in the basement now?

If your tegu has been hibernating for only a few days, it is premature to move them to their winter sleeping arrangements. They can go into hibernation and stay in hibernation for a week, and then come out and bask, and so off and on for the first 3-4 weeks. That seems quite normal. Unfortunately many indoors hibernators have been killed by putting them into hibernation at the first signs; what happened is that the poor animals are put in a box in the basement (as they started hibernating already) and decide to get up and warm up a week later since they have some left over food inside their digestive tract. They cannot warm up and so cannot get rid of it, and it rots and the animal dies 2-3 months after that. Make sure that your animal has access to water and a basking spot for at least the first 4 weeks after they start hibernating.
 

JohnMatthew

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So it seems as long as you keep the lighting and heating going until you are absolutely certain they're down for the winter, they should be able to get rid of any food in their stomach following their own instincts. Good to know and makes me worry just a bit less.
 

povmichael123

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It makes perfect sense to me, the whole rotting food concept, Reptiles need the heat to help them digest food and get their systems working. My rosy boas do the same thing when they hit sexual maturity. If want to breed them or get the best results in breeding you put them under Brumation and they are down for the winter until Spring. You need to empty their stomach contents and make sure they do not have any leftover food in them. With snakes this can take awhile since some snakes choose not to poo unless they have proper heating and hydration. So if you understand that concept it is really just a fact that makes sense. I could also be wrong please correct me if I am. I am just following all of the info I have read and researched since owning reptiles.
 

Rottsie

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I have read from more experienced owners to cover the tank during hibernation, turn off lights, how do they get heat during this time? My tegu is still hibernating
but is active when I dig her out. Does location of tank matter? By a window?
 

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