# hibernation



## boonman (Feb 18, 2010)

alright i got a baby bw about three or four weeks ago, and he is in hibernation. i know that hibernation isn't really necessary in captivity so i was wondering if i could try and get him out of his state. any suggestions?


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## Toby_H (Feb 18, 2010)

I'm sure you 'could'...

But it is in their nature to hibernate thus it is doing what is natural... I personally would le tit sleep...

I got a hatchling in the summer of '08 and she slept very solid the winter of '08/'09... this winter she slept for abotu a month and a half but has been quite active and eating almost daily for the last several weeks.

I know it's hard to let your precious new pet sleep for months on end (I went through it too!) but in my opinion it's inthe animals best interest to let it do what nature is tellign it to do...

Forcing it to do something besides what it's nature is tellign it to do is likely setting you up to have an angry Tegu...


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## isdrake (Feb 18, 2010)

I might sound like a complete noob now but does Columbians really hibernate? Doesn't they live in the tropics?


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## Toby_H (Feb 18, 2010)

oops!

I clicked on this thread at the scrolling thing on the main page and didn't even notice it was about a Columbian instead of an Argentinean...

You are correct Isdrake. Columbian Tegus, being from a warmer climate that doesn't have much of a "winter", do not hibernate. Or at least 'typically' do not. There may be rare or odd cases in which they do. 

Good catch Isdrake!

Therefore in conclusion, I would question whether Boonman's Tegu is actually a Columbian, or a mislabeled Argentinean.


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## boonman (Feb 20, 2010)

yea i accidentally posted it in the wrong forum my bad haha. well yea i was just wondering if anyone had gotten their tegu out of hibernation. 
ill just let him sleep


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## HorseCaak (Feb 20, 2010)

I'd cherish the hibernation. It won't last much longer. It's a nice break from daily care, feeding, and money on food and such. It sucks that you got yours and then immediate hibernation. In my opinion, I'd let him/her sleep til done. 

-BLAIR


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## Odin_the_tegu (Apr 14, 2010)

my tegu is doing the same thing, I have him in a pretty decent size aquarium (90g) and i can hardly find him some time i feel that he has completely disappeared. it has been kinda cold here in California and im wondering if it was just slightly to cold after receiving my new tegu would that put him into hibernation? If so could i reverse it by making it hotter and even more humid? Also has anyone seen there baby tegu shed while in hibernation?


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## Toby_H (Apr 14, 2010)

Hey Odin, in my opinion, if a Tegu is attempting to hibernate, we should let it. While I understand hibernation may not be "necessary", I believe that attempting to replicate a somewhat natural seasonal change could be beneficial to the Tegu. 

Mine went into a full deep long hibernation it's first winter, but even when offered "winter" conditions it's second winter he barely hibernated. But despite his lack of full fledge hibernation, I still let the enclosure remain cooler than the normal summer temps and reduced his feeding schedule. 

Mine slept long and deep it's first winter and I do not believe he shed at all, although I went quite a few months without ever seeing him so I am not completely sure about that. I do know that this winter, despite cool temps, reduced feeding and reduced activity, mine is still sheding once a month or so.


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## Guest (Sep 16, 2010)

if you feed a tegu while there trying to hibernate wont they be at risk of it just rotting in there stomach?because my understanding is that they do not go to the bathroom while there doing this so if u feed em while hibernating there is sa risk of this happening....i really hope i wrong.


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## JohnMatthew (Sep 16, 2010)

> if you feed a tegu while there trying to hibernate wont they be at risk of it just rotting in there stomach?because my understanding is that they do not go to the bathroom while there doing this so if u feed em while hibernating there is sa risk of this happening....i really hope i wrong.



I believe this is only a risk if you force hibernation by lowering the temps and photoperiods without giving them a chance to digest. I just keep my lights/heat running until my GU stop coming out to bask. They aren't dumb animals and unless their body is forced into hibernation prematurely I don't think there's a risk of this happening.


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## Guest (Sep 16, 2010)

ahh makes sense.


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## carcharios (Sep 16, 2010)

I don't give my guys a choice. Around October, once they stop coming outside of their dens (I keep my guys in an outside enclosure), I'll move them to their rubbermaid tubs and put them in the closet for the winter. The inside temp is about 74 degrees. I do check on them periodically. Sometimes they open their eyes but for the most part, they don't move around much once the lid is on since it's dark and triggers dormancy. Then, in late March, I'll put them back outside when the nighttime temps don't fall below 50. From thereon out, they'll spend their days outside until October again. I do stop feeding them about two weeks before bringing them in - but truth be told, they stop eating once the temps go down.


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