# New tegu owner and my tegu won't eat



## Guest (Oct 29, 2010)

Can only get him to drink a little bit at a time and lick up some raw egg. I tried ground up turkey that everyone seems to like so much and nothing, scrambled eggs, banana, mango, apple, and he just doesn't seem interested. I've had him for 4 days now and I took him to the vet to make sure he wasn't sick and the vet gave him an x-ray and clean bill of health. I had suspected a respiratory infection so she gave him an antibiotic shot to kill it off. His burrow temp is 90-100 and his basking outside temp is 110. He is a little over a year old and a black and white and super active/curious when outside his cage and super nice. He spends most of the time in his burrow when he is in his cage (but that's normal I think because that is where the humidity is) and it is 5.5 ft by 5.5 foot.
I know he is stressed from moving homes but I just don't know how many days he can go without some real meat. I've been soaking him in the tub in warm water also. I don't know what I am doing wrong. I am kind of just a scared new mama also. Do you think he is just slowing down because it is winter? I just wish he would eat something

I left him alone with the ground up turkey today with raw egg drizzled on it but I left so he didn't feel like I was watching him and I didn't notice any turkey gone really but maybe he took a bite? =/ Any help is appreciated
The old owner fed him with tongs I know so I think he just really hates bowls but even if i hold the food up to his face it makes no difference


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## Guest (Oct 29, 2010)

From what it seems it could be a few things. First off he might be trying to get used to his new environment and trying to settle in. Alot of animals tend to not want to eat when they are brought to a new home or enclosure. It may also be the time of the year... Hibernation is a big thing this time of year so that can also be another reason he doesn't want to eat. I am having a bit of a problem getting my guy to eat even though he doesn't seem to be going into hibernation, im just really hoping he will soon and hes just not sick. Just try and keep the temps up and see how it goes.


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## Guest (Oct 29, 2010)

Ummmm... when you say his "burrow temp" is 90* to 100*, do you mean the "cool" end of his enclosure? As in the opposite of his basking end? Because if you do, you're cooking your poor guy. Your basking temps are fine, but your "cool" end temps need to be MUCH lower, like around 75* to 80*. He's probably hiding every single time he's in his home, because he's trying to escape the heat, and is much more active when he's out because he's away from the constant higher temps. When reptiles are constantly overheated, they can lose their appetite.


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## Guest (Oct 29, 2010)

Agreed.

It's also not a good idea to feed raw, unfertilized eggs. They carry a high risk of salmonella and contain an enzyme that can cause skin problems in reptiles (see the link to Bobby Hill's caresheet on the Tegutalk homepage).

Good luck!


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## Guest (Oct 29, 2010)

No I just have two lights on there there are plenty of shaded spots and cooler places in the enclosure for him to go to but he always picks the burrow or his hide away most


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