# very small appetite!!! :(



## GUSTAVO (Aug 31, 2008)

hello everybody I'm new here..
I have a 2 month old chacoan extreme giat.. 
he is really nice and very tame. I try to give him turkey, eggs ,pinkies, crikets, frut mix. all diferrent stuff but he is not interested in anything some times he doesnt eat for 2 days and when he eats he eats a little bit.. all he does all day is jump trying to escape and his nose is kind it sore.. !!!I need desperate help!!!! I really like him a lot and i dont want to lose him :cry: :cry: :cry: .. any suggestions I would apreciate it.. thanks!


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## KoreanDeathKid (Aug 31, 2008)

hello and Welcome, GUSTAVO, sounds like you have a similar problem as i do
but i'm not worried at all, tegus that hibernate or burmates, usually start refusing food around this time of the year, they slow down on eating, my tegu is already made himself at home with a very fine secure burrow in his hide, and i rarely see him, and obvious sign for his future burmation
and not being tame, not not letting you hold him is simply because your tegu is just too young, and you are very big, which scares the little tegu, i hear somebody tamed their tegu by putting an old shirt in the tegu's enclosure, just to get the tegu used to the owner's scent
i hope that helps


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## Gx3 (Aug 31, 2008)

What is his cage set up?? What substrate are you using?


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## jor71 (Aug 31, 2008)

I like to add we need to know the temps and the humidity within the cage. Size and type of enclosure. The more information you provide the better for you to get an answer.


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## GUSTAVO (Aug 31, 2008)

Gx3 said:


> What is his cage set up?? What substrate are you using?


thank you guys for replying to this post
I'm trying to add some pichures so i can show you but I dont know how to download it in to the post I dont see the option...
the substrate i'm using is ..Douglas Fir Bark i have the uv light and heat lamp


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## Gx3 (Aug 31, 2008)

You have to host the image (like on photobucket.com) and them just put it into the image code


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## GUSTAVO (Aug 31, 2008)

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## GUSTAVO (Aug 31, 2008)

Gx3 said:


> You have to host the image (like on photobucket.com) and them just put it into the image code



HEY i GOT IT!!! :-D


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## GUSTAVO (Aug 31, 2008)

jor71 said:


> I like to add we need to know the temps and the humidity within the cage. Size and type of enclosure. The more information you provide the better for you to get an answer.



The temps is 98 to 100 the humidity is 35% and 40% i think is very low. and the saze of the cage you can see it on the pic..


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## KoreanDeathKid (Aug 31, 2008)

no offence, but that's actually a "bad" enclosure habitat, i see no hides, i'm not sure how deep the substrate is, the humidy should at least be around 70%, and i also might recommand some fake plants to make the tegu feel much more secure
the tegu simply does not feel secure, that's about it i think


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## GUSTAVO (Aug 31, 2008)

KoreanDeathKid said:


> no offence, but that's actually a "bad" enclosure habitat, i see no hides, i'm not sure how deep the substrate is, the humidy should at least be around 70%, and i also might recommand some fake plants to make the tegu feel much more secure
> the tegu simply does not feel secure, that's about it i think



yeah you are probably right.. i am moving him this week. this is just a temporary enclosure while his bigger cage is being built. the substrate is 4 inches deep and his hiding place was removed yesterday because he was jumping off and hitting his nose.


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## tegu1982 (Sep 1, 2008)

hey gustavo the other guys probably forgot to mention that most owners use cypress mulch instead or bark so that the tegu can burrow easier and its not as hard.


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## GUSTAVO (Sep 1, 2008)

thanks man, I'll give that a try..


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## Gx3 (Sep 1, 2008)

Yup the substrate is the problem. You can use bark but mulch works much better. But the likely reason he is "flipping out" is because he wants to burrow. I would recommend having at least 3" of substrate for a baby tegu. They like to be burrowed under the substrate most of the time so he is just really stressed out because he can't.


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## Gx3 (Sep 1, 2008)

Oh and like mentioned before...he has no hides!! Without hides he must be extremely stressed out, you need to correct this ASAP!


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## YorkOC (Sep 1, 2008)

I would say the same thing. I can not stress how important a good hide is.


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## VARNYARD (Sep 1, 2008)

I will also add the temps are too high with no way to escape the heat. The enclosure is too small to have a cool side. It is also hibernation time; many of mine have started hibernating.

And Douglas Firs are members of the family of Pinaceae; this is the same family as the Cedars. Cedars are toxic to reptiles, and this family of trees is not good for the bedding.


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## GUSTAVO (Sep 5, 2008)

I did every thing you guys sugested. he is now in a cage 3 times bigger with heat only on one side and cypres mulch. 4 in deep and a nice hiding place. humidity and temp all right.. I hope he eats better, so far he is still not eating.. maybe after hibernation. 
I sincerly appreciate all your help, thank you.


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## JohnMatthew (Sep 5, 2008)

You also might want to check the height on your uvb light. I know zoomed's reptisun says theirs penetrates up to 12 inches from the surface of the bulb. Some uvbs might be more or less, check the box/supplier. Good luck!


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## GUSTAVO (Sep 5, 2008)

JohnMatthew said:


> You also might want to check the height on your uvb light. I know zoomed's reptisun says theirs penetrates up to 12 inches from the surface of the bulb. Some uvbs might be more or less, check the box/supplier. Good luck!



you right ...I'll ...thank you john..


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