# Somethings Wrong?(Please Help)



## corruptphantasm (May 15, 2012)

Ok so My little gu being not even a year old (2011 Varnyard) just got up from hibernation a week or two ago. Everything has seemed fine eating good but seeming extra lazy but i figured that was from just wakeing up but recently (past couple days) he hasnt been eating as much and last night i noticed his toes are like sghaking/twitching and he's not very active he gets up late then just lays by the door of his cage all night. I know its not MBD he has a solar glow MVB and a reptisun and he's been fine. I noticed however he has some shed that looks like it might be stuck could that be it(bad shed) his humidity has been kinda low (having some trouble keeping it up rate now for some reason).
*Some info:*I dont have current Temps but usually his basking spot was 110 roughly And the cool side in the 80's 
He's on cypress mulch
Hasnt shed yet (sence he woke up)
ill post some pics or maybe upload a video when i get home later and ill get new temp readings

*So my questions are:*
1. Could a lack of variety in his food cause it
2. Could him haveing a bad shed cause the shaking and not moveing arount much i read somewhere about how if they have trouble shedding they will shake/twitch
3. is it just him being lazy coming out of hibernation?
4.could it be lack of calcium?


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## laurarfl (May 15, 2012)

1. yes
2. can't see the tegu, but shedding will not cause tremors like movements that arise from low calcium levels
3. prob not
4. most likely cause

Having a good UVB source is great, but if he is sleeping then he is not utilizing it. Plus, calcium is necessary from the diet. The UVB helps the body manufacture VitD which then helps the body metabolize calcium. Calcium is soooo important for muscle contraction and relaxation. If the circulating levels in the blood get too low, then a hormone is released that tells the bones to release calcium into the bloodstream so that important muscles such as the heart, other organs, and skeletal muscles can function.

If you cannot obtain oral gluconate, then give calcium powder and feed a meal of whole prey such as rodents, checks, etc. Even chopped up chicken necks would be awesome. Temps sound good, and maybe some natural sunlight for an hour a day while recovers. With calcium supplementation and a good source of UVB, he should recover within a few days. Then reassess the diet and supplementation. Sounds like he is growing and demanding more calcium. And of course, consult a vet if he gets worse, doesn't get better, or for medical attention.


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## corruptphantasm (May 15, 2012)

Ok thank you i think its the calcium too last night i got him to eat some ground turkey that i put some calcuim powder on should i keep giving him the calcium or vary it like every other day.

Also Another Question Does anyone have a food schedule? i dont know what all i should offer him and no one ever really says what all i should feed him i feed him ground turky crickets hard boiled eggs and some fruits


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## Orion (May 15, 2012)

I had the same issue and I did not have any luck with calcium powder or liquid under a vets care. She could not use her front feet by the end of the vets treatment. 
I went on travel for 30 days and left her in the care of a friend of mine , and at that point I had finished the vets regimen of powder and liquid calcium and given up on her getting any better. The vet had me feeding her mostly baby food and other soft foods, ground turkey, livers, egg and some fruits. I was just trying to provide as much comfort to her at that point. My friend decided to supplement the softer foods with baby mice every 3 days. After 2 weeks told me she was doing better, I was skeptical but told him to keep doing what he was doing. I got her back and noticed she was actually using her front legs a little and that she was livelier. I noticed she got better in the weeks to some and now she runs me down when she sees I have mice in the tongs. She eats 4 adult mice at a time. All this happened 2 years ago and she is doing great. I have 3 Tegus and I have not used calcium powder in 2 years. My large male is 20 pounds.


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## corruptphantasm (May 15, 2012)

Orion said:


> I had the same issue and I did not have any luck with calcium powder or liquid under a vets care. She could not use her front feet by the end of the vets treatment.
> I went on travel for 30 days and left her in the care of a friend of mine , and at that point I had finished the vets regimen of powder and liquid calcium and given up on her getting any better. The vet had me feeding her mostly baby food and other soft foods, ground turkey, livers, egg and some fruits. I was just trying to provide as much comfort to her at that point. My friend decided to supplement the softer foods with baby mice every 3 days. After 2 weeks told me she was doing better, I was skeptical but told him to keep doing what he was doing. I got her back and noticed she was actually using her front legs a little and that she was livelier. I noticed she got better in the weeks to some and now she runs me down when she sees I have mice in the tongs. She eats 4 adult mice at a time. All this happened 2 years ago and she is doing great. I have 3 Tegus and I have not used calcium powder in 2 years. My large male is 20 pounds.



Were the mice prekilled? I don't think Zeus could chase down a live mouse rate now.


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## laurarfl (May 16, 2012)

Definitely prekilled mice. You can get frozen mice at the pet store and defrost them. They will have a much better mineral balance. The body needs a ratio of calcium and phosphorous that is 2: 1. Those boneless foods like ground turkey and insects that are not gutloaded are not only opposite, but way off. The can be 1:33. Keep adding calcium on every meal that does not contain bones.


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## corruptphantasm (May 16, 2012)

Ok well last night i got him to eat a fuzzie but only one tonight I'm gonna offer him a variety of fruits and another fuzzie the ones i get at my pet store are a little on the small side so i was thinking if he wants another one today it would be ok with some fruits


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## laurarfl (May 16, 2012)

Hold off on the fruits until the calcium is built up. Fruits are high in phosphorous and low in calcium. The exception is papaya which you can find canned by ZooMed.

I was looking for something else and found this thread you started last year.
http://www.tegutalk.com/showthread.php?tid=9554#axzz1v5j4Mok4
The last post has some good info. Check your calcium source to make sure it is just calcium and doesn't have dicalcium phosphate. If this is a chronic issue, change the diet to include whole rodents with bones or other food items with bones three times a week and dust the food without bones at every feeding. Change the bulbs if they need changing. The long tubes aren't as effective unless they are placed inside the screen and less than 8-10" away from the lizard and changed every 6 months. The UVB needs to be next to a basking site of 110-115 degrees.


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## corruptphantasm (May 17, 2012)

laurarfl said:


> Hold off on the fruits until the calcium is built up. Fruits are high in phosphorous and low in calcium. The exception is papaya which you can find canned by ZooMed.
> 
> I was looking for something else and found this thread you started last year.
> http://www.tegutalk.com/showthread.php?tid=9554#axzz1v5j4Mok4
> The last post has some good info. Check your calcium source to make sure it is just calcium and doesn't have dicalcium phosphate. If this is a chronic issue, change the diet to include whole rodents with bones or other food items with bones three times a week and dust the food without bones at every feeding. Change the bulbs if they need changing. The long tubes aren't as effective unless they are placed inside the screen and less than 8-10" away from the lizard and changed every 6 months. The UVB needs to be next to a basking site of 110-115 degrees.



his Lights arent a problem his cage doesnt have a screen ist a custom built cage i spent months reasearching before i even preordered my gu i made sure his cage is perfect.

Ill check my supplement when i get home tonight ill even post a picture of the ingredients but as for the fruit he didnt want it anyway he ate one small fuzzie (offered 2 with the fruit)again last night how can i tell how big of a mouse he will be able to eat (it seems llike the fuzzies i get dont have a lot of bone)? 

and also The basking spot of 110-115 isnt the best thing for your tegus that actually can be too hot for your tegu they handle cold better than heat i keep mine at 100-110 

He actually seemed to be a little more active last night than the night before i think the fuzzies im giving him helped but tonight im gonna give him some ground turkey how should i go about dusting it ive never added supplement to the turkey before?


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## Orion (May 17, 2012)

Yes, prekilled. Dont ever risk your pets health.


Petco and Petsmart usually have frozen ( Mice on Ice ) , well in their freezers. I get mine cheaper from Rodentpro,com since I order mice,rats, and rabbits all at the same time.


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