# when do tegu hibernate?



## Steven (Jan 7, 2015)

i was wondering when do tegu usually hibernate?


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## marydd (Jan 7, 2015)

I believe they brumate when the temps get cooler. If the temps do not drop they do not always hibernate. My tegu for example doesn't. Her temps and lighting times are pretty constant. I would imagine if one tried they could induce it by cooling temps and changing the lighting hours. I am not an expert in this area at all because mine doesn't. If you are referring to in the wild. ... I am not sure. 
They do not need to brumate unless you are breeding from research I have done.


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## Josh (Jan 9, 2015)

I'd say roughly between October and March. Hibernate is too strong of a word. They usually become slower, eat less, sleep more. Mine still comes out to drink water every week or so. Depends how warm it is.


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## Roadkill (Jan 9, 2015)

Actually, no, Josh, hibernation and brumation are basically interchangeable.
Here's a post written up from my Master's thesis on the subject:
http://www.thetegu.com/archive/index.php?t-9353.html
Or if you would rather the word of someone more "independent" on the matter, this individual wrote an article later that concurs:
http://theobligatescientist.blogspot.com/2010/11/do-reptiles-hibernate-or-brumate.html

As for the original question, tegus start preparing physiologically for hibernation/brumation long before temperatures are beginning to drop. Although I don't have any hard evidence to back this up, my inclination is to lean towards photoperiod changes as the zeitgeber. However, full on physiological change into the hibernation state seems to be an interplay between photoperiod and temperature.


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## Trede (Jan 29, 2015)

My tegu has been sleeping 20+ hours a day and eating very little since I got her...12 hours of light, temp gradient 110F - 75F...Daily routine:

4-5AM: Wake up and make noise so the human will turn on the lights; lay down and sleep in the warm
7-8AM: Meander around the bedroom for 10-30min, maybe eat a bite of fish or an egg (every 2-3 days). Pee somewhere. (Fecal matter has appeared three times in a month)
3-4PM: The human comes home and pets the lizard on the head. Maybe eat a bite of fish or an egg (if nothing was eaten in the morning)
Rest of the day/night: Curl up in a nice cool area (75-80) and sleep

Because there is some stuck shed, I try to make bath time happen three or four times a week. No complaints from being handled, carried, or made damp.

My question is this: With a 12hr photoperiod and any temp available somewhere (two hot spots: Under the light and away from the light on a thermostat-controlled pet bed), could the tegu still be in an "adjusting to new person/place" mode? Or is she doing some weird half-brumation? I'm not terribly worried about health, the vet said everything looks good and I'm not noticing weight loss...just wondering WHY I have a sleepy lizard. Is it maybe a reaction to the natural light cycle? She can see a window...

TL;DR: With a long photoperiod and appropriate temps, is sleepy tegu half-brumating? Or maybe just adjusting to new home?


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