# Waffles updated



## BillieJeAn (Dec 5, 2011)

here are a few updated pictures of Waffles, she has grown, but not THAT much. (about three inches since October 9th)
i see other gu's her age that are twice the size  
and she is still having problems shedding, she has a super SUPER humid hide box (it's like a large tubber wear container with a small hole, with cypress mulch that i let soak for a bit. i sat it above the under tank heater and it keeps it very warm and humid in there, that is also where she stays most of the time) 
the overall humidity in the enclosure is about 50-60% and only goes up for a bit after misting.
her warm side is 85 and the cool side 70 basking spot is 115 
I feed her Ground turkey, tilapia , the occasional grapes and greens, shrimp, grass hoppers, crickets occasionally, and one pinky last month and i have a fuzzy for her this month. 
i use calcuim supplements and cod liver oil, along with a vitamin supplement. 
she eats almost everyday, but somedays (and sometimes for a few days at a time) i dont see her, because she stays hidden. 
everyday that she is out she gets a bath (LOVES IT) 
-also, since she has trouble shedding i bathe her in shed-ease
any advice/corrections/constructive critism?


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## kellen.watkins (Dec 5, 2011)

Nice looking gu. She might not have grown that much cause of the time of year don't sweat it too much.


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## BillieJeAn (Dec 5, 2011)

I hope it's just the time of year and not me doing something wrong.


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## Aardbark (Dec 5, 2011)

Waffles is looking good. I woudlnt worry about her growing.


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## BillieJeAn (Dec 5, 2011)

Thanks!!


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## CrankbaitJedi (Dec 5, 2011)

I remember when I got my first gu. And all my other reptiles... sometimes it seems like they don't grow ever! Then, it is like a blink and you have a 4-5 five foot behemoth. Molloch seemed to explode overnight into a 4 footer. It is truly amazing what these creatures can do when it is 'go time'.


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## omgtaylorg (Dec 5, 2011)

How much and how often are you attempting to feed, and how often is he/she actually eating the food. I feed as often and as much as they will eat when they are growing, my 2011 red has shed twice now in the past week or so and growing extremely fast. Not saying that theres a problem with your growing slow since they are all different, just curious on the diet and how often/how much its eating


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## CrankbaitJedi (Dec 5, 2011)

Solid point. I fooled myself into thinking I was giving my lizards enough food. My budget convinced me I was right. Then I simply let the animals show me how much they would eat. Big difference. If the enclosure is adequate and they have enough usable heat, these guys will put down a TON of food and grow like weeds. Of course, they crap a lot too. Boy, do they crap A LOT!!!


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## BillieJeAn (Dec 6, 2011)

omgtaylorg said:


> How much and how often are you attempting to feed, and how often is he/she actually eating the food. I feed as often and as much as they will eat when they are growing, my 2011 red has shed twice now in the past week or so and growing extremely fast. Not saying that theres a problem with your growing slow since they are all different, just curious on the diet and how often/how much its eating



I feed her once a day, all she will eat. I give her more than she will eat. 
I would feed her more than once but she isn't out that much. She hides a lot, and sleeps a lot. I guess because of the time of year.
I listed what I usually feed her in my original post


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## martinreptiles_3 (Dec 7, 2011)

Love the name! Great looking Tegu you have there


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## chelvis (Dec 7, 2011)

This time of year alot of tegus are slowing down. Trust me next spring you will see a big change in appitite and growth. I have seen animals that are no bigger than hatchlings hibernate and you see them in July the next year and they look adult size. 

As for the shedding, reds can be a bit tricky with that. I remember hearing that adding more fruits to the diets will help with that.


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## BillieJeAn (Dec 8, 2011)

chelvis said:


> This time of year alot of tegus are slowing down. Trust me next spring you will see a big change in appitite and growth. I have seen animals that are no bigger than hatchlings hibernate and you see them in July the next year and they look adult size.
> 
> As for the shedding, reds can be a bit tricky with that. I remember hearing that adding more fruits to the diets will help with that.



I definitely can't wait for that size change! Her being so small worries me a bit. 

I will start adding more fruits then!! 
Thanks


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## TeguBuzz (Dec 8, 2011)

Chelvis is correct. Reds needs fruits, I use to feed my reds a fruit dominant diet but with meats with each feeding of course, they go nuts over strawberries.


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## Sirhc401 (Dec 8, 2011)

Reds need and love the fruits. We give Odin assorted fruits with his turkey balls. Blueberries, blackberries, strawberries, mango. He is actually not too keen on strawberries. I'm telling you this lizard likes to be the stereotype opposite. He does not poop in water ever either. And despite being terrestrial, Odin thinks he is arboreal. And he is not slowing down. Haha


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## kellen.watkins (Dec 8, 2011)

Enjoy her while she is small it won't last long  at one point vanilla was bigger than eli and could eat him. Then got nikkitine and eli can eat her and they are all only a month apart in age. My nikkitine is still 10" maybe 11" she was up today and I held her up to eli while he was in the bin and he could eat 2 or 3 of her lol


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## Sirhc401 (Dec 8, 2011)

Considering that some tegus slow down, hibernate, or do not do either. It is not surprising that babies born in the same year all have different growth rates


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## BillieJeAn (Dec 9, 2011)

kellen.watkins said:


> Enjoy her while she is small it won't last long  at one point vanilla was bigger than eli and could eat him. Then got nikkitine and eli can eat her and they are all only a month apart in age. My nikkitine is still 10" maybe 11" she was up today and I held her up to eli while he was in the bin and he could eat 2 or 3 of her lol



Wow! That's awesome. 
I do enjoy her small size in some ways, and the fact that she's so easy to handle, but like i stated above, I was just worried something was wrong. 
I feel better now 


Sirhc401 said:


> Considering that some tegus slow down, hibernate, or do not do either. It is not surprising that babies born in the same year all have different growth rates



She isn't exactly hibernating. But she does stay burrowed for a few days in a row and even when she's out it's only to eat and bask for about an hour. Them its back to sleep for her!
So I guess that's what it is 
Although, I notice if she stays hidden for a while when she comes back up she ses mich bigger


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## Sirhc401 (Dec 9, 2011)

Then she is probably just slowing down for the winter months. Nothing to be worried about. Just keep an eye on her and it should be all good


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## BillieJeAn (Dec 9, 2011)

Sirhc401 said:


> Then she is probably just slowing down for the winter months. Nothing to be worried about. Just keep an eye on her and it should be all good



Okay, sounds good to me 
She always drinks A LOT when she comes out. I'm always afraid she's going to get dehydrated


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