So last year, we didn't let our tegu hibernate, being the nervous pet owners that we were. THis year, we've been letting her do what she wants. For the last month, she's been hiding. She claimed a closet for her own, and she stays burrowed in the depths of a pile of blankets for days on end. She stopped eating a few weeks ago, refusing to touch any sort of ground up food, no chicken, no tuna, nothing. She drinks a lot of water when she emerges, but like I said, no food.
I recently had to leave for about a week and a half, and my neighbor told me that she didn't emerge at all during that time as well. Last night she came out when I got home, laid under the lamp for about an hour, drank water, wouldn't touch the fresh tuna I laid out for her, then she went back to her nest.
I"m wondering if this is how hibernation works? She was really really sleepy and lazy (AND COLD) when I went to pet her while she was basking, she just kinda laid there quietly, and this morning, she's in her hiding place again.
Is it okay to let her hibernate like that, in a closet under blankets? The entire room is her 'territory' now, so I don't mind if that's what she wants to do, I'm just not sure if I'm doing everything right. Keeping fresh water out, keeping the heat lamp on...not sure if I need to do anything else.
I'm going to miss my girl though if she's headed to hibernate now.
I recently had to leave for about a week and a half, and my neighbor told me that she didn't emerge at all during that time as well. Last night she came out when I got home, laid under the lamp for about an hour, drank water, wouldn't touch the fresh tuna I laid out for her, then she went back to her nest.
I"m wondering if this is how hibernation works? She was really really sleepy and lazy (AND COLD) when I went to pet her while she was basking, she just kinda laid there quietly, and this morning, she's in her hiding place again.
Is it okay to let her hibernate like that, in a closet under blankets? The entire room is her 'territory' now, so I don't mind if that's what she wants to do, I'm just not sure if I'm doing everything right. Keeping fresh water out, keeping the heat lamp on...not sure if I need to do anything else.
I'm going to miss my girl though if she's headed to hibernate now.
