# SOOOO frusterated!! Not eating



## RunninRascal (Jan 2, 2013)

Hello all!

I am new to this forum as well as the world of Tegus!

I bought my captive bred Argentine B&W Tegu September 17th, he was born near the end of July (making him just over 5 months old). I keep reading that tegus are voracious eaters, etc etc however he has never really had much of an appetite. He used to eat about 3 mouth sized balls of food a day then it slowly went down to two and for the last 3 weeks he has not had a single bite to eat. I felt as if he is small for his age (he was only 163 grams) so I contacted the breeder and discovered that some of the other tegus from the same breeding were weighing in at around 190-205 grams. I sent the breeder some pictures and she didn't think that my tegu looked too skinny or malnourished so I eased up on the worrying however now he is 162 grams which means he is losing instead of gaining/maintaining. My concern was that he isn't hardy enough to hibernate this year and I was going to try to push him through it and hibernate him next year. During the last three weeks of not eating he also has not been venturing out to his warm side at all (he hasn't been coming out of hiding much anyways since I've had him but I used to occasionally see him basking). Is it possible he just wants to hibernate? Should I let him?
Also ever since I bought him he has had a brownish tinge to him - I expected it to be because he was about to shed but he has not shed so far - his belly is yellow as well. 

The facts: 
His enclosure is 4ft long and 2ft wide (this is just his starter enclosure and I am building a large custom enclosure next year) with cypress mulch and reptibark mixed at the moment.

The enclosure settings are around 80 degrees on the cool side and a hot spot of 105 as well as a UVB light and humidity is around 75 (I mist daily)

He has a moist hide box with sphagnum moss and coconut husk which he barely ever goes in - he likes hiding in a corner beside it. 

I am feeding ground turkey and chicken which I have frozen in portions and thaw as needed - adding calcium with d3 and herpvite as well as mixing some of the food with veggies and fruit (carrots, cantelope, melon, broccoli, occasional banana, pumpkin, etc). I have tried pinkie mice mashed up, eggs (scrambled and hard boiled), dipping food in egg yolk, super worms -- all of which he will not touch. 

I have attempted to feed on top of his hide as well as in an opaque feeding bin. 

Attached are pictures of his enclosure (the cool side isn't as dark as it looks) and him. Please let me know what you guys think I should do!!

[attachment=6057]
[attachment=6058]

Oops this is the picture of him


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## chitodadon (Jan 2, 2013)

Sounds like he is going to hibernation

from Samsung Galaxy S3


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## james.w (Jan 2, 2013)

It is possible he is brumating. Have you tried any live food, roaches or crickets?


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## Orion (Jan 2, 2013)

Your Tegu will make the decision. This sounds like normal behavior. It freaks most new owners out the first time it happens. Mine bask everyday but will not eat from November until March/April. My male had 4 little meat balls today....the first time hes eaten in a week. My females have not had anything to eat in weeks. They do drink water from time to time. After Easter its usually starts out slow then the next thing I know I have 3 Tegus eating 30 mice a week + fish + chicken + venison + fruits + vegetables. By the time July comes I am praying and begging for November so my wallet can get a break.


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## RunninRascal (Jan 2, 2013)

The only live food I have tried were super worms and he showed no interest what so ever. I was told crickets don't have much of a nutritional value it's just fun for them to catch? Someone told me today to try a live pinky mouse.. I have been mashing them up with ground turkey and making them into little meatballs, would he be large enough to eat a whole pinky mouse and does anyone suggest trying it?



Orion said:


> Your Tegu will make the decision. This sounds like normal behavior. It freaks most new owners out the first time it happens. Mine bask everyday but will not eat from November until March/April. My male had 4 little meat balls today....the first time hes eaten in a week. My females have not had anything to eat in weeks. They do drink water from time to time. After Easter its usually starts out slow then the next thing I know I have 3 Tegus eating 30 mice a week + fish + chicken + venison + fruits + vegetables. By the time July comes I am praying and begging for November so my wallet can get a break.



Do you turn the heat down/lights off and allow them to hibernate or just keep going with their normal routine and they just pick back up in April?


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## chitodadon (Jan 2, 2013)

He should be big eniugh to eat a fuzzy mouse Godzilla is 5 months and eats small mice if its to big cut it in half, but remember feed frozen no live food

from Samsung Galaxy S3


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## Teg (Jan 2, 2013)

He looks healthy enough although small !? He's very handsome ! In comparison - Teg's around 5 months and has grown 12inches in 10 weeks ! So he's a whopping 26inches now and on his third shed !! lol Friends and family think its spooky the rate that he grows !! No sign whatsoever of hibernating, just eating, shedding and shi... ! Non stop ! Wish I'd bought a larger enclosure then, knowing what i know now ! Good luck with him, all the best !


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## Orion (Jan 2, 2013)

Runnin Rascal-Yes I turn their heat down by using lower wattage bulbs, also its colder in the house so it makes it cooler too. All lights and heat come on at 0800 and turn off at 1600. I will gauge on when to add hours of heat/light as the months and Tegus activity progresses.


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## james.w (Jan 2, 2013)

Try dubia roaches or a LIVE fuzzy mouse.


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