# Tegu won't eat



## Johnny300 (Mar 27, 2013)

Can anyone help me please? I've had him/her for about 3 days now and he refuses everything I give him. If anyone has any helpful tips please share. Thanks


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## reptastic (Mar 27, 2013)

Give him time its only been 3 days, if his temps, lighting and humidity is good he'll eventually start eating once he's acclimated to his surrounding


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## Johnny300 (Mar 27, 2013)

Well thank you


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## BatGirl1 (Mar 27, 2013)

3 days is not bad. It takes some time to get used to the new home and you. Also, if he was hibernating before you got him they take awhile to get back into the routine. Things like temps and humidity can affect appetite I believe. Niles seems to really like to warm up before he gets hungry. Make sure plenty of fresh water is available. This is more important than the food. Things you can try, which I learned from dubya on this forum, are egg yolks at first, then chicken dipped in egg yolk. Make sure to put calcium on it too. Laura, a moderator on here, has been feeding a new aquisition of hers dusted pinkies. You can try either. Also, i have noticed since niles has come out of hibernation he won't eat from his dish. I have to put the dish of yolk right under his nose and actually hand feed the dipped chicken to him with tongs. Keep trying different things. And do not worry because even before niles went down for hibernation he was averaging a good meal every third day. He just didn't feel hungry every day. And that is fine. Each animal is different. Hope this helped and good luck


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## Johnny300 (Mar 27, 2013)

He might still be in brumation.. Hes been out once today cause I got him out to try and feed him and he ate one little ball of ground turkey


Another question I have is if my tegu IS hibernating, how long a day should I keep his basking light on?


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## laurarfl (Mar 27, 2013)

Do you have some more background about age, size, when you purchased, where, etc.


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## Johnny300 (Mar 27, 2013)

I can post a picture an I've had him for about 3 days now


This is the only one I have cause he's still sleepin


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## psychocircus91 (Mar 27, 2013)

If it is spring where you are and you purchased him from somewhere where it is spring, then I'd imagine you'd be safe leaving the basking lights on for a full cycle (10-14 hours), but perhaps someone else will chime in.


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## Johnny300 (Mar 27, 2013)

I'm hoping he's not gonna die ): that'd be terrible.


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## psychocircus91 (Mar 27, 2013)

Johnny300 said:


> I'm hoping he's not gonna die ): that'd be terrible.



what makes you think he's going to die? I've had mine or eight days now and he hasn't eaten.


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## Johnny300 (Mar 27, 2013)

He might still be hibernating like I said on a earlier post.


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## BatGirl1 (Mar 28, 2013)

Wait...that looks columbian, right? I thought columbians don't normally hibernate(?)


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## laurarfl (Mar 28, 2013)

That is a T teguixin (Colombian) and they do not hibernate. However, they are easily stressed by change. So if you just bought him, plus he was shipped because he's imported, etc, he has likely had a tough time. 

He looks pretty good. I would keep his temps consistently warm = cool side of >78, warm side 85-90, and a surface basking spot of 115ish. You can put two hides, one on the cool side and one on the warm side. They like it plenty humid, so that will help, too. If he is really nervous, cover three sides of his cage with some sort of paper so he isn't overwhelmed. I like to use black construction paper. You can gutload with greens and dust crickets with a good amount of calcium and see if he will eat them. He may be coming out when you are not around. And then just sort of avoid him for about a week and let him settle in. Some tegus you can handle right away, but if you have a nervous baby like that, let him adjust.

I don't think he's hibernating, but if the temps are too cold, he will be unnaturally inactive. And he doesn't look obviously sick. Keep us updated.


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## Johnny300 (Mar 28, 2013)

BatGirl1 said:


> Wait...that looks columbian, right? I thought columbians don't normally hibernate(?)



I wish I knew what kind of tegu he was.. Still kinda new to em. Did a lot of research though



laurarfl said:


> That is a T teguixin (Colombian) and they do not hibernate. However, they are easily stressed by change. So if you just bought him, plus he was shipped because he's imported, etc, he has likely had a tough time.
> 
> He looks pretty good. I would keep his temps consistently warm = cool side of >78, warm side 85-90, and a surface basking spot of 115ish. You can put two hides, one on the cool side and one on the warm side. They like it plenty humid, so that will help, too. If he is really nervous, cover three sides of his cage with some sort of paper so he isn't overwhelmed. I like to use black construction paper. You can gutload with greens and dust crickets with a good amount of calcium and see if he will eat them. He may be coming out when you are not around. And then just sort of avoid him for about a week and let him settle in. Some tegus you can handle right away, but if you have a nervous baby like that, let him adjust.
> 
> I don't think he's hibernating, but if the temps are too cold, he will be unnaturally inactive. And he doesn't look obviously sick. Keep us updated.




Is it good to feed him collard greens? I haven't tried yet.. Would reall like him to eat somethin. I bought crickets las night an didn't seem interested


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## BatGirl1 (Mar 28, 2013)

Feed the greens to the crickets then dust them with calcium powder she means. And yes. It is a columbian. So just keep temps up and yes they are more skittish and like to hide, so you need to be very patient.  i have an argentine and even he has been taking time to get used to his new big house. And laura is a smart girl, so everything she said...


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## Johnny300 (Mar 28, 2013)

Would it be alright to put him in a 30 gal? I'm not sure of any other dimensions but it IS NOT gonna be permanent. Just somethin bigger for now


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## BatGirl1 (Mar 28, 2013)

I kept niles in a 40gal breeder because they are wider. He was 16in at purchase and 18in when began hibernation. I had a 6ftx3ftx3ft enclosure built in the meantime. He hibernated from oct to just recently... i woke him and resumed heat/uvb. Then after he stopped being so groggy put him into his big enclosure. Yours is columbian so they are 'generally ' smaller and although this is the case I would still suggest a 40breeder because most tanks, even at larger volume, are still not wide, and this gives the animal less walking space. You 'could ' even go with a nice big plastic tub of some kind as long as you modify a secure lid for heat and uvb light placement. But again very temporary. As I said, niles is 18in and I have transferred him to a 6ft enclosure. And those dimensions are the minimum that experienced keepers advise for a tegu to live comfortably. Hope this helps.


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## Johnny300 (Mar 28, 2013)

Do you have any suggestions on makin a lid for a rubber bin? An what size? They aren't climbers correct? If they are please correct me!


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## BatGirl1 (Mar 28, 2013)

Yes they can climb and jump and pick locks ;p but seriously they are smart and agile and need a secure locking lid. Some larger bins have locking sides and you could cut the center and replace middle with strong screen so you can put lights on top.


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## Johnny300 (Mar 28, 2013)

BatGirl1 said:


> Yes they can climb and jump and pick locks ;p but seriously they are smart and agile and need a secure locking lid. Some larger bins have locking sides and you could cut the center and replace middle with strong screen so you can put lights on top.



If I got a reptisun bulb would that be the only lighting I need?


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## BatGirl1 (Mar 28, 2013)

Do you mean like a mercury vapor? If yes then yes because it has both heat and uvb. But if just a heat source or uvb bulb you need two seperate ones. Because uvb has no heat and a heat/basking bulb has no uvb.


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## Johnny300 (Mar 28, 2013)

Thanks a lot! I'll post more when he finally decides to eat!


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## Dubya (Mar 28, 2013)

D, I made an awesome temp tub cage for when I first got Gwangi. I will post pics.


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## Johnny300 (Mar 28, 2013)

Please share!


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## Johnny300 (Mar 28, 2013)

Where can I see this pics of the tub?


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## BatGirl1 (Mar 28, 2013)

I think dubya's had a long day... he'll probably post them tomorrow or sometime soon


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## Johnny300 (Mar 28, 2013)

Haha well thanks! Hope to hear from him soon. An I think he is startin his first shed as me owning him


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## Dubya (Mar 29, 2013)

[attachment=6729][attachment=6730][attachment=6731][attachment=6732]Here is the temporary tub cage I made for Gwangi when I got him. Cut the top two light cutouts to match the size of your lights. I cut them a bit too big and should have made them about an inch less each in diameter. the 1/2" mesh is fastened with zip ties with the female end on the outside so there is no points on the inside. The mesh is inside the lid. I used a deep dome reptile lamp in the smaller hole and a Home Depot brooder lamp with a 50w dark red night time spot bulb in the larger hole. The night lamp was used with an inline lamp dimmer to control temps. Big Apple Herp sells a 75w MVB that should be great for this size enclosure. Get the biggest clear storage tub with locking handles you can find. I also secured it across the middle with mini bungee cords. It did the job till I built his bigger cage. I now use it to put him in when I do cage maintenance.


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## Johnny300 (Mar 29, 2013)

Thank you so much! Now is it the powersun or reptisun that gives off both UVB an Heat?


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## Dubya (Mar 29, 2013)

Johnny300 said:


> Thank you so much! Now is it the powersun or reptisun that gives off both UVB an Heat?



Powersun. But for a small cage check out the 70w Sunforce MVB from Big Apple Herp.
http://www.bigappleherp.com/Sun-Force-Mercury-Vapor-Bulbs


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## Johnny300 (Mar 29, 2013)

Dubya said:


> Johnny300 said:
> 
> 
> > Thank you so much! Now is it the powersun or reptisun that gives off both UVB an Heat?
> ...



What if I can't find anyway to order that. I can only go to pet stores for now


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## Dubya (Mar 29, 2013)

Johnny300 said:


> Dubya said:
> 
> 
> > Johnny300 said:
> ...



Get a friend to order if you can. I used a 100w Powersun in a deep dome and it was still far enough from the tegu, but I would have preferred the 70w if I had known about it at the time. The 100w Powersun is ok if your room temperature is not too high.


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## Johnny300 (Mar 29, 2013)

Yeaa my room is always hot! Like I mean everywhere else is cold haha! An even with his lights on, I keep a under tank heater on all day/night anyway. So I'm sure the powersun would be fine?


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## Dubya (Mar 29, 2013)

Johnny300 said:


> Yeaa my room is always hot! Like I mean everywhere else is cold haha! An even with his lights on, I keep a under tank heater on all day/night anyway. So I'm sure the powersun would be fine?



I would ditch the under tank heater. They are not good with plastic cages. I hope there is an air space between your tank and whatever it sits on. I had a stick-on UTH cook my gecko and almost start a fire because there was no air space. A mistake I will never make again. The 100w Powersun will be enough by itself. just make sure the face of the bulb is the recommended distance from the lizard's BACK, not from the basking rock. I would use a night time spot bulb for night heat. If you insist on using an under tank heater, The Zoo Med stick on one is the one that fried my lizard. I like the Cobra heat mats. You tape them on and you can remove them easily. I never had a problem with them.


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## Johnny300 (Mar 29, 2013)

Or is there anyway to mount a UVB light strip on a tub like that? I'm just getting the whole light strip  but I only have tubs for my lizards!


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## Dubya (Mar 29, 2013)

Johnny300 said:


> Or is there anyway to mount a UVB light strip on a tub like that? I'm just getting the whole light strip  but I only have tubs for my lizards!



I think the light strip will be too close to the lizard if mounted on the side of the tub. You will need a basking light anyway. I did the tub the way I did because I was using an MVB. I have no experience with fluorescent UVB bulbs.


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## Johnny300 (Mar 29, 2013)

I'm gonna mount it on my wall an just cut a row on the top so the rays can get in. I hope that will work. Do you know how far away I should mount the uvb?


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## laurarfl (Mar 29, 2013)

I read this on the toroiseforum.org website (another one of Josh's sites btw....shameless plug haha)

"Rob, where did you hear bad reviews on the Sunforce? I had tried one and it lasted 2 months then blew. I have since gone back to Powersun, but I am curious as to the performance others have had with the sunforce, it is significantly cheaper.

I have heard it from a few local friends, that also tried the bulb out because it was cheaper. One is a bearded dragon breeder. He bought 4. Two blew out within a month, and the other 2 after a few months, he noticed his beardeds slowing down significantly.

The other times I heard it were on beardeddragonforum.org - So I just never bothered to even try one myself."

Don't mean to dis your recommendation, Dubya. I just try to stick with companies that produce for reptiles and put some research behind it specifically for reptiles. I like the powersun myself. try reptilesupply.com


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## Dubya (Mar 29, 2013)

Johnny300 said:


> I'm gonna mount it on my wall an just cut a row on the top so the rays can get in. I hope that will work. Do you know how far away I should mount the uvb?



Not sure but I think like 10 or 12 inches from the lizard. Glass or plastic will not let uvb through. Mounting it on the wall will not work. I think you should start a new thread about your UVB fluorescent idea. I cannot offer much on that. The thread has gone too far off topic.


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## BatGirl1 (Mar 29, 2013)

Uvb tube should be mounted no more than 12in from animal. It won't work well with the plastic tub idea. Mine is mounted on the back wall of my wood enclosure with no reflectors or anything obstructing the rays.


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## Johnny300 (Mar 29, 2013)

Thanks for the info!


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