# 1 year old tegu laying eggs?



## Mayapapaya (Dec 29, 2015)

I'd really be happy if I could get any advice..at all..I've become so desperate, I actually broke down in tears the other day. Beginning of nov my 3ft female Black and white Argentina that I got end of june(was told she was 6-7months, she was only about 8inches at that time), started eating less sleeping more. Seeming like she was going to hibernate, then about 2 weeks or so ago she scrapped her nose and tore off a scale. Brought her to the vet, told me to remove all substrate, wounds healing up fine(couldn't find anything sharp or even with a sharp corner in the enclosure). Well after taking out the substrate she became to get very agitated, constantly wanting out of her enclosure, and still not eating much. 

Finally this Saturday was able to put substrate back in, thought that would calm her down. Found nothing, now we're at 5 days of not eating. I've gone everywhere, asked everyone, forums, vet techs, vets, other owners, breeders, everyone says my setup is fine. Was asking another vet tech who also works professional with herps today and he said her attempt to hibernate may have been disturbed leading to her thinking it's spring. The reasoning why he's so frantic to get out of her enclosure could be she's looking to lay some dud eggs, which needless to say has me a bit panicked. 

Is this possible? what should I look for? Just....someone who knows something please help...none of my other posts have been answered. Now I'm looking at having xrays done of a previously extremely healthy and happy lizard..Sinking money into herp vets is doing nothing but running up a bill of no answers, no one seems to have any advice or anything.

Setup:
6x2x2 custom enclosure
110-115F basking spot
80F cool side
I use a tegu food list from the forum, she gets a big variety(list is long..)
humidity 50-60%
Substrate: forest floor mulch mixed with eco earth
Drinking fine, constant fresh water, dechlorinated
soaks every other day
Have an office she gets out in 5-6days a week for 2-4hours, weekends tend to get more time out. separate basking spot for office she can lay under.


----------



## Walter1 (Dec 29, 2015)

No. It's the opposite. She wants substrate/ hide for darkness and coolness - mid 70s or lower on cool side to overwinter. Offer her food weekly. She may or may not eat. Water bowl always full.


----------



## Ashley Bridges (Dec 29, 2015)

Opposite of what? The enclosure hasn't changed since when she I suppose you could call it semi hibernated for 2-3weeks. 

The substrates deep enough that she can completely burrow under. I actually dropped down the temps for a few days to see if that's help and ran it 75cool and basking spot, but no difference in behavior. She's fully awake and hard pressed to get her back to sleeping. She's gone a few weeks not eating much now and being very agitated, she was plump and while not scrawny, definitely trimmed down visibly. Shel'll spend hours scratching, and even when she's out of very frantic, not her normal self or behavior


----------



## Walter1 (Dec 29, 2015)

I think opposite of wanting to be active and lay dud eggs. A gravid tegu looks like it'll bust and its tail goes skinny to make eggs. To be certain not just a small clutch, feel her belly lower half deeply as she sits relaxed on fingers. Eggs feel like ping pong balls. 

You say she eats some. I'd definitely lower the temp on the cool end with a hide to mid 70s. And watch to see if she goes semi-torpid or decides it's activity time. Could you post a full body pic of her please?


----------



## Ashley Bridges (Dec 29, 2015)

Well it's 80amient on the cool side, if I dig into the substrate deep in there it's 73-75f depending on the area. Also she has some hides, I was advised to put a big "lay box" In her enclosure, worst case it's an extra huge hide she may enjoy. But do you mean to force her into a hibernation?

I tried to Attach 2 pics, the first is the one on the brown blanket, which I just took. The second was Saturday when she was at the vet(sprawled and napping). Driving me crazy the past few weeks but when I bring her out and expect her to be stressed she was fine..


----------



## Ashley Bridges (Dec 29, 2015)

(Ok sorry looks like the full body pic at the vet didn't get attached in the last one so here it is, hope it helps!)


----------



## Walter1 (Dec 29, 2015)

Cool end always good and provides her option to sleep and not burn much energy. 

Perhaps, she's just out of sorts from the vet activity. The brown blanket picture shows a healthy bright-eyed tegu. Let her figure things out. 

I am no veterinarian but that's what experience leads me to think.


----------



## Ashley Bridges (Dec 29, 2015)

Just concerned with the lack of eating especially. That and her claws are so worn down, but I have tomorrow off as well as fri-sun so I'll try and try to keep an eye on how many hours she's doing what activity. The vet said she looked fine and not to worry, and if she just slept I wouldn't worry as much. But she's burning so much energy and eating so little to replenish it. 

That said if I curl up on the sofa with her in a blanket and just pat her she generally calms down and sleeps, but if I get up she gets a bit antsy again. I've heard at one year old they can go through a "rebellious" phase but most people refer to it as almost seeing my heightened aggression. When I got her she tail whipped and hissed but after a month of working with her never had much of a problem. No aggression what so ever, sweet as can be.


----------



## Walter1 (Dec 29, 2015)

Cool end will reduce burning energy. Perhaps put her and blanket in a pile in a cool hide. She wants something that so far is not to her liking. I think it is a comfortable retreat.


----------



## Ashley Bridges (Dec 29, 2015)

Well I dropped it to 75 on the cool side for 5 days or so and saw no difference, you mean lower temp then that? Her enclosure is on a cement floor so I get hesitant about dropping it to much since under the substrate can get pretty chilly(the floor around the enclosure is 68f. I did try blankets, towels and even a little kitty bed in there that she could curl up in


----------



## Walter1 (Dec 29, 2015)

No lower. Sounds like that's fine. Give her a shirt you wore that day in a retreat. I believe that the rest is up to her. In some ways, they're very tough and seems like you're doing things properly. Unless she drastically loses weight, I have to think she just needs time. Again, based on what we've discussed. Give her a day or so alone. See what happens.


----------



## Ashley Bridges (Dec 29, 2015)

Kk I didn't do anything with her Sunday or Monday in hopes she'd calm down. Did snuggle up with her tonight, was hoping I could coax her into eating since she sometimes likes to beg for my dinner  but did get her a little tote hide/lay box/cool hide that I'm hoping she likes. Maybe a mini enclosed burrow type setup in her enclosure will help (added pic of her exploring her little tote)


----------



## Walter1 (Dec 30, 2015)

Encouraging.


----------



## Ashley Bridges (Dec 31, 2015)

So, little update, she's got into what I'm going to refer to as "tegu attack mode" she has never been anything other than sweet as pie other than the first two weeks where I got a few tail whips and a threat to bite but when given the chance never did. After those couple weeks never again..until tonight. Super cranky but she needed a soak so put her in for a soak, as I was filling the tub puffed up arched back and walked around me like "wanna go flesh beast?" Was able to get her in..but getting her it was..an interesting challenge. Also noted, getting some heavy duty gloves tomorrow. This is the first in the time Ives owner her that I ever thought she'd actually bite me. But she hard tail whipped and even leap to tear the towel out of my hands. Snuggle beast the other day, murder Beast today. 

That said, she was in he new hide box which was all sorts of dug around in, this is the first day she was in it. All day. Very quiet and suspicious. So hurray that the frantic wanting it stopped but, interesting turn of events..also from what I've read this is kind of typical of an egg laying female? I'm starting to wonder if the guy I picked her up from lied about her age..she was 8inches on June 21st, but he was only feeding her scrambled eggs and pinkies. That would then put her hatch date sometime in January, which I've heard is a weird time for tegus to be hatching? So I'm just all sorts of baffled. That said, her having the energy to tear me a new one and wanting something ther than to franticly escape was kind of a relief


----------



## Walter1 (Dec 31, 2015)

Odd, for sure. Lot of unknowns with her, and I agree with your last sentence.


----------



## Ashley Bridges (Dec 31, 2015)

If anything new happens I'll update, she got a good soak so I'll be aiming leaving her alone again for a few days with the exception of (hopefully) getting her medicine on her scale. Fun fact, those head scale plates grow back! I was worried the scale plate wouldn't grow back but seems it's dojng just fine


----------

