# slowing down?



## jmulley6 (Nov 6, 2011)

Anyone else experiencing a slow down in their tegus eating, growth, and behavior this time of year? My black and white female is turning 2 she did the same thing last year.she never hibernated just slowed down eating and everything . She was just a tiny hatchling last winter and she would only eat once to twice a week. She is starting to do the same thing again now but not sure if she will hibernate this year yet. My male red is not slowing down at all so don't think he's gonna hibernate at all. Anyone else have a Tegu that just gets finicky all winter but wont go down?


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## Rhetoric (Nov 6, 2011)

All 3 of mine. They eat 2x a week (they refuse if I try to more often) and every now and then they will decide to stay in their hides for a few days, then come out, then repeat.


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## dragonmetalhead (Nov 6, 2011)

It's not unusual for reptiles to slow down a bit in the cooler winter months.


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## jmulley6 (Nov 6, 2011)

rhetoricx said:


> All 3 of mine. They eat 2x a week (they refuse if I try to more often) and every now and then they will decide to stay in their hides for a few days, then come out, then repeat.



Thanks I just worry when she doesn't eat . I believe that's why she is so small not enough food when she was a hatchling, it was always offered she just wouldn't eat it. 

Do you see some weight loss in your animals during this time? She's been looking thin recently not too bad though just less then when she was eating daily, and compaired to how fat my male has gotten. 

I know slowdowns are normal in reptiles but to see my male literally run circles around her is funny.


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## Rhetoric (Nov 6, 2011)

Guru seems a little bit more slim in his hips but the base of his tail is still pretty thick.


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## reptastic (Nov 7, 2011)

Same here storm has slowed down a bit he eats 3-4 x's a week, hasnt really slept in a lot though, rayne other hand is a bit wishy washy i didnt see her for over a month, she hasnt eaten, then bam she is up eating every few days and basking daily, she has lost a bit of weight but like alexi s guru her tail base is still thick, btw when they came out of hibernation they were only like 15" and they took off like 2 mos. later an at 1.5 y/o they are now 46 and 42" so dont worry


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## omgtaylorg (Nov 7, 2011)

Don't worry at all when they slow down eating or completely stop around this time. If yours are like mine during the winter time instead of hibernating completely they just brumate (mini form of hibernation) where they greatly slow down eating and slow down on activity (sleep for 2 days at a time). Just *listen* to the reptile and let it do what it wants to naturally do you will know if theres an actual problem. On that note, if your tegus do go down for more than a period of 4-7 days it is a good idea to completely shut off the lights and heat source to the cage as you do not want them to be down for the winter and still have their metabolism still active while they sleep which will cause them to starve to death while asleep literally. The heat being on will keep their metabolism going and they will either starve and die or wake up extremely skinny, both not good.


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