# Tegu not eating



## Tegumum (Feb 9, 2012)

Can someone help please.
I have a 10 month old b & w tegu that I have had for about 3 weeks now. He/she was originally kept in a 3 foot viv. Once home he was in the same size viv temporarily for a few days whilst I had a 6 foot one custom built. He ate during this first week, some liver, eggs and a small rat pup but has hardly eaten now for over two weeks. He has a lovely viv with lots of substrate, bark and a huge branch, all of which is heated to the right temperature and the right humidity. Anyway Mr T is always hiding and now not eating hardly at all. I have tried everything.......minced turkey, minced beef, kidney, liver, fruit, veg, eggs raw and boiled, locusts, mice, rats, pasta, seafood, cooked meat etc etc, but the most he has had is a mouthful every couple of days. He has not been hibernated and I was given the impression that he was quite an aggressive eater. 

He is very clear eyed and not aggressive at all and when I do get him out for a wander around he's happy to climb over me and anything else. He will happily let me pick him up and have even had him on harness to get him used to it, with no problems. 

He did manage to eat two small meatballs (uncooked beef mince) taken from my hand tonight, but thats the most in days. 

I am pretty sure he is not ill (although I am no expert of course) but this not eating is causing me concern. Can anyone shed any light please? is this normal during the settling in period?

Thank you


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## reptastic (Feb 9, 2012)

Yes that is pretty normal for a tegu while they acclimate to a new unfamilar space, its also that time of year when a lot of tegus are either brumating or hibernating, with brumating the may eat very little or any at all, give him a lil time and he will come around


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## laurarfl (Feb 10, 2012)

Also, is he getting plenty of calcium supplements and does he have a UVB bulb? What exactly are his temps on basking, warm, and cool side. Is his hide on the warm or cool side?


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## omgtaylorg (Feb 10, 2012)

Tegus eat when they want to eat, it shouldnt concern you if your tegu isnt eating much during winter time as that is completely normal, you said hes not hibernating but hes obviously brumating(slowing down eating and activity). Its also still adjusting to the new surroundings im sure so a combination of those two things means its perfectly normal to not eat as much. Just give it time and he will come around. Trust me everyone has the same worries when they get their first tegu, im now on my 4th and realised a while back that you just have to "listen" to the tegu, its active when it wants to be and eats when it wants to eat, simple as that.


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## Tegumum (Feb 10, 2012)

Hi laurarfl,
His temps are 100/85/75, he has a four foot UVB bulb and he has one hide at cool end and one in the middle which is quite long so it is probably slightly different temps depending which end he is at. He comes out from the hide to bask then tends to go in the middle of the large hidey. I haven't been able to get much supplement down him as he's not eating, but I did add to the food which he did have. His substrate is misted every day and I have added another substrate (can't remember the name of it) which was recommended to me as it holds the moisture very well. It's very cold here at the moment in the uk, but the room which Mr T is in never gets that cold and my heating is on a lot. He also has a thermostat connected to his heat source, to keep it at the right temperature.

He is in a room with other reptiles/parrot and dog, although cannot see the python or chameleon as they are above his viv. But in his previous home he had LOADS of reptiles, dogs and 4 small kids running around the same room and all within his sight. Hope this info gives you a bit more of an idea!

Thank you reptastic & omgtaylorg, that has put my mind at ease! I tried to read as much as possible before getting Mr T as I have done with all new additions to the home. It seems I never go for the easy ones, even my woofers are great big oafs (3 x neapolitan mastiffs, one english mastiff and a boxer) that are hard work, but to me very worth it. I just want to make sure Mr T has the best possible home that I can give him.


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## George hanakis (Jan 5, 2014)

I am having the same issue. I am also worried as well. But from reading all these post I guess I will have to be patient. I bought my tegu from tegu terea and he was brumating.


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