# Help! Tegu stopped basking. Do I keep feeding?



## Stormi (Jan 23, 2016)

Lately my tegu hasn't been basking as much as he used to. Should I be feeding him still or? I'd say he doesn't eat as much either. I just gave him a plate of Turkey and tilapia and he had one bite of Turkey then stopped. Usually don't bask after he eats also.. Could it be brumation? He comes out of his burrow and sleeps all day near his basking spot but just don't bask anymore.


What kind of tegu do you have? Argentine black and white

How old is your tegu? About 7 months

How large is your tegu? 30 inches

What is the sex of your tegu? Male

How long have you had your tegu? Since June 30. 7 months

Does your tegu brumate or hibernate? I don't think so

What size enclosure do you have? 7'7 x 3 x 2

What kind of substrate is used?
Cypress mulch

What kind of UVB do you use (brand and coil vs bulb vs tube)? Powersun

What is the wattage of your bulb? 160

How old is your bulb? 4 months

How far away is the UVB? Little over 12 inches

Do you use a separate bulb for heat? No

What is the wattage? N/a

What are the temps (basking and cool side)? Basking - 125+
Cool side - 80

What do you use to measure the temps? Temp gun

What is your humidity? What do you use to measure it? 60-75
Some kind of digital probe

What do you feed your tegu? Dubia roaches, turkey, chicken liver/gizzards, tilapia, salmon, and pinky mice.
How often do you feed and what time do you feed (morning, afternoon, night)? He's been eating about 4 days out of the week and feed him at about 2 or 3 pm .

Do you use vitamin or calcium supplements? What brand(s)? How many days a week do you use each of them? Yes. Zoo med. 5 out of 7 meals.

Does your tegu have regular BM's?
Have you gotten a vet check and fecal done? No

Does your tegu share and enclosure with another tegu? No


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## Walter1 (Jan 23, 2016)

It's trying to overwinter.


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## Stormi (Jan 23, 2016)

"It's trying to overwinter" 

What's that? Should I stop feeding him?


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## Walter1 (Jan 23, 2016)

They come from potentially very seasonal climates where they will sleep in a burrow for five very cold months. Shorter days in the fall help trigger that sleepiness. They don't eat either. 

In captivity, they get mixed signals. Make sure he can bask if he wants and can sleep in a hide that is say mid-70s F. Offer some food once a week, see what he does. Then you can gauge more or less feeding from his responses.


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