# tegu lip biting



## yulyani (Jun 19, 2012)

[attachment=4470][attachment=4471][attachment=4472]
Dear friends,

I post the pictures of my tegu Gogon. He has the condition sometimes he bites the lower lip, especially if he is sleeping....

He doesn't have any wound or abnormality inside of the mouth, but I notice this lip biting is getting more and more as he ages.

He is about 8 years old, and now his appetite is not as good as when he was younger. His body is still muscular, but I can see that he is not too full like 1 year before...He lost about 1 kg weight from 6,7 now he is 5,7 kg. But last year he spent many times at the cages, now he has more exercises at he home garden.....

Any other signs are good, he is actives and always foraging at the garden, his response are good.

Do you have any experience about this condition? I see at the internet the tegu photo with the lips condition like gogon but I couldn't find the resourse.

many thanks, yuli


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## laurarfl (Jun 20, 2012)

I have seen that before, but have never heard of a definite cause. One theory I have heard is that it is from fatty deposits in the head region. That could go along with his appetite decrease. He doesn't look like he needs more food, so he is just slowing down. I wouldn't be worried about weight loss if he is active.


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## yulyani (Jun 20, 2012)

laurarfl said:


> I have seen that before, but have never heard of a definite cause. One theory I have heard is that it is from fatty deposits in the head region. That could go along with his appetite decrease. He doesn't look like he needs more food, so he is just slowing down. I wouldn't be worried about weight loss if he is active.



thank you Laurarfl i really appreciate your concern. I think also he is slowing down with ages..and I have the same thought that it is the fatty deposit in the head because his jowls is very big also...I will try to monitor him closely and I will let you know about his progress. thanks again and regards to all of your beloved pets


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## Renske (Jun 20, 2012)

Yeah, thats the problem with a lot of tegus. People give there tegu's to mutch food. If you realy want to feed them every day. Just give him smaller amounts of food. I don't want to offend you, but is is way to fat... Sorry...
Do you keep your tegu outside or in a enclosure? What uvb do you give him? It looks like is nose is to short, but I'm not realy sure becouse he has big jaws becouse of his fat..
I hope it gets better when he loses weight.
Good luck!


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## yulyani (Jun 20, 2012)

Renske said:


> Yeah, thats the problem with a lot of tegus. People give there tegu's to mutch food. If you realy want to feed them every day. Just give him smaller amounts of food. I don't want to offend you, but is is way to fat... Sorry...
> Do you keep your tegu outside or in a enclosure? What uvb do you give him? It looks like is nose is to short, but I'm not realy sure becouse he has big jaws becouse of his fat..
> I hope it gets better when he loses weight.
> Good luck!


thank you. You didn't offend me at all...my goal to join this forum is to discuss the best caring for lizards and I appreciate any inputs from friends. Gogon used to be bulkier than this photo, he joined many reptile competititon in the past and has won also many of them. At his shinning time, his appetite was very big, I fed him everyday day-every two days. But right now he eats every 4 days,...also I give him snack in between, like fruits and snails. He is outdoor free at the home garden mostly and get the unlimited sunshine everyday. But when it is rainy bad i put him into the terarium and using the Solar Glow containts UVB+ UVA. I bring him indoor every morning.Yes in my minds cross in case this condition is caused by the weak skull because of the low Ca, but I couldn't see any other signs


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## laurarfl (Jun 21, 2012)

His nose doesn't look shortened, in my very humble opinion . I think it is the proportion to his head size. But he is a bit overweight and could lose a bit. I'm not saying my tegus are perfect, but I keep them a bit more streamlined:


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## dragonmetalhead (Jun 21, 2012)

What type of reptile competitions was Gogon in?


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## Renske (Jun 21, 2012)

I'm glad you take it the good way. In the netherlands people can react very irritated some times... I don't think it is a uvb problem becouse you keep him outside. It could be a calcium problem, but maybe it looks like a short nose becouse of is big jaws.
But I still think he is realy to heavy. And laurarfl nice animals, but is it would be mine, I would put them on a short dieet. I think its better for them not to be to heavy.
But to make it fair. You guys can see may tegus. 
My female B/W tegu 1 meter long (3,3 feet)
















My male B/W tegu 1,5 meter (4,5 feet):

























My 2 blue tegus, but I don't have them very long:




female






male






male


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## Bubblz Calhoun (Jun 21, 2012)

_Is it like that more often than not or is it just when he's laying down in certain positions? The pressure on fat deposits from relaxing and laying his head on the ground can cause it, weight wise. If it's like that more often than not, laying down standing or what ever, then there maybe something else going on besides his weight. 

I saw it with Natsuki once while he was sleep, but when I tapped on the glass he woke up, moved his head and it went a way. But I also keep my pets on the slim side.

Too often people get caught up in the size and weight of their pets, they want them to be bigger than the next or someone elses. With out considering their health and the issues that come along with being over weight._[/size]


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## yulyani (Jun 21, 2012)

laurarfl said:


> His nose doesn't look shortened, in my very humble opinion . I think it is the proportion to his head size. But he is a bit overweight and could lose a bit. I'm not saying my tegus are perfect, but I keep them a bit more streamlined:



thank you Laura. Your tegu is excellent. He is young isn't he? I can see him very good muscular looks like gogon when he was younger. I will try to monitor him very2 closely and measure his weight regularly. Yes he was overweight before and my friend a Rusian judge told me about it also,...after that I reduce his meal portion...do you think 5,7 kg for him is too weight? He is 98 cm length ( before loosing tail he was 116 cm in length) thank you again



Bubblz Calhoun said:


> _Is it like that more often than not or is it just when he's laying down in certain positions? The pressure on fat deposits from relaxing and laying his head on the ground can cause it, weight wise. If it's like that more often than not, laying down standing or what ever, then there maybe something else going on besides his weight.
> 
> I saw it with Natsuki once while he was sleep, but when I tapped on the glass he woke up, moved his head and it went a way. But I also keep my pets on the slim side.
> 
> Too often people get caught up in the size and weight of their pets, they want them to be bigger than the next or someone elses. With out considering their health and the issues that come along with being over weight._[/size]



thank you....yes Gogon usually shows the lip biting when he is sleeping. But in the past months, it is still there when he is walking, but not as bad as when sleeping.....It's always at the right side, never at the left side.

I don't think he is very overweight now, but he used to about 1 year before. I am thinking in case it is the remainding of the condition add by the ages and the pressure of the jaw ligaments long terms



Renske said:


> I'm glad you take it the good way. In the netherlands people can react very irritated some times... I don't think it is a uvb problem becouse you keep him outside. It could be a calcium problem, but maybe it looks like a short nose becouse of is big jaws.
> But I still think he is realy to heavy. And laurarfl nice animals, but is it would be mine, I would put them on a short dieet. I think its better for them not to be to heavy.
> But to make it fair. You guys can see may tegus.
> My female B/W tegu 1 meter long (3,3 feet)
> ...



thank you, I love your tegus they are awesome! Do you think gogon weight 5,7 kg is too heavy for an old male? I am not sure if in reptiles there is chart of avarage ideal weight like dogs and cats but I am wondering how much is the ideal weight so I can move forward with adjusment...thanks again



dragonmetalhead said:


> What type of reptile competitions was Gogon in?



In Indonesia we like to have the reptile contest together with the exhibition. Gogon joined the 2008,2009,2010, and 2011 contest and one of them is judged by the well knowed reptile breeder Bob Clark...



dragonmetalhead said:


> What type of reptile competitions was Gogon in?



In Indonesia we like to have the reptile contest together with the exhibition. Gogon joined the 2008,2009,2010, and 2011 contest and one of them is judged by the well knowed reptile breeder Bob Clark...



laurarfl said:


> His nose doesn't look shortened, in my very humble opinion . I think it is the proportion to his head size. But he is a bit overweight and could lose a bit. I'm not saying my tegus are perfect, but I keep them a bit more streamlined:



Laura, when I see Gogon walking, his belly is very empty, the only one looks big to me is only his jowls. Even if we compare from the photo, your red tegu has the bigger base of tail from him. The jowls is very2 big from the beginning, even before he is a very little tegu..that's why I am wondering in case if I can reduce again his meal frequency. Do you think we can give the meal only once per week? I read at the medical book of reptile, they say the old omnivorous lizard like tegus and tiliqua, we can give only once perweek meal,...but is it enough? Because they don't drink much, and usually I give the fruits to ensure the hydration...thank you sorry too many questions hehehhe


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