My tegu comes out every 4/5 days for an hour or so,I make sure he has fresh water.Should I be offering him some food ?He ate 1 mouse last week and defecated.I just don't want any food rotting away if he is going to stay under for long periods of time.Thanks in advance
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A little help please
- Thread starter aj12790
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What are the temps inside the enclosure? Also if he is only coming out every five days, I would hold off on feeding him, it sounds like he is trying to hibernate.
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Our Red is doing the same thing. I leave a bowl in there with some fruit (which he doesn't eat) but I won't offer him a rat unless he's been up a couple of days.
During the day the hot side is about 92 on a slate basking area with a temp gun and cool side is about 73.At night I have about a steady 70 with a heat panel that comes on at 68.Should I elminate the basking area,maybe only let the basking bulb come on for a few hours or leave everything the way it is.Any help would be great.
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My night time temps are about 75 on the cool side and 85 or so on the warmer end. My tegu has no interest in hibernating. Daytime I am running 105 F in his basking spot and a gradient of mid 90s down to 80 F. I wouldn't eliminate the basking area, after all he is out and may want to get some sun. You can try shortening your days. Maybe 10 hours light on and 14 hours off. With temps between 92 and 70 it's probably confusing your guy on whether he should hibernate or not.
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PuffDragon said:
I dropped at 8 on and 16 off, and exactly like Puff said, he went in for 5 days, and I just shut off all of his heat. I keep it between 63-70 degrees with no light and he's brumating. I check on him every couple of days. He doesn't come out and he seems to have figured it out.
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My lil guy has been doing something similar but is there a certain size a tegu should be before they hibernate my guy is only 10 -12 inches at most would it be safe for him to hibernate?Is this the right time of year it still summer here all though it it isnt exactly warm(im in ireland)I havnt altered temps(I know hibernating isnt about temps rather it about lighting and their internal clock)should I lower the light cycle?
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Why would you want him to hibernate so soon?
Ours slowed down in November but never fully hibernated. They would sleep for 2 or 3 days and be up for a day or 2.
Wait until October or November when the days are getting shorter.
Ours slowed down in November but never fully hibernated. They would sleep for 2 or 3 days and be up for a day or 2.
Wait until October or November when the days are getting shorter.
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Dave cooli is from Ireland, they might have different seasons than us, like in South America it is now winter. The temps there in Ireland are in the 50s:
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Cooli, what is the season there now? Is it fall?
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Cooli, what is the season there now? Is it fall?
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Well its summer but the hottest temp this week was 14C! or 57F also its getting dark at bout 8 o clock at night now
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cooli said:
Is this the hot season for you, or is it the start of winter?
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Its the height of the hot season now its starting to come into fall Id say in about 4 weeks we will be into the fall
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I never realized Ireland is that much farther north than Connecticut. About 55 degrees north latitude vs. 41 degrees. Their summer is much shorter than ours. I'd think you'd want to artificially extend the season for them with having their lights on a 12 hour timer. Then reduce it to 10 hours in October and see what happens.
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Cheers dave again thanks but what if he decides he is going to hibernate anyyway will I let him or do my best to stop him without stressing him?
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Let him do what he wants. I'm sure you've read the Sticky on hibernation. I'd hate to not see our Tegu's for 9 months out of the year! Our youngest didn't hibernate her first year. She'd sleep for a day, eat & bask, and sleep for another day.
Has he stopped eating? If his eating slows dramatically or stops, he's ready. It wouldn't hurt to have a fecal test done to be sure it isn't parasites causing him to stop eating at a young age. Just to be sure.
Has he stopped eating? If his eating slows dramatically or stops, he's ready. It wouldn't hurt to have a fecal test done to be sure it isn't parasites causing him to stop eating at a young age. Just to be sure.
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Well he has pretty much stopped eating all together but I will sip lock some of his poop and bring it down to the vet for a look just in case.I read the sticky I havnt stoped reading it today just checked on him there and he looks fine and healthy looks to have a good weight and I dont mid not seeing him just want him to be happy and healthy!
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That sounds about right, winter comes a little earlier for you, mine start hibernating in August and September, by the end of September they are all down.
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Well I will see if the little guy is active over the next few days if he isnt then I will knock off his heating do you think I should leave him a basking spot just in case?and use a low wattage bulb?
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cooli said:
I would leave it a few days, you need to just cut back the time a little each week or two, or until he does not come out at all.
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He has been very active today he even escaped on me! :shock: so I fixed the problem with the viv(there was a loose vent that he climbed out)and put him back in he went straight for the hide on the cool side and hasnt come out since though every time I go into the room I can hear him huffing and puffing??He was VERY flighty when I found him outside his viv and It took me quite a while to catch him without grabbing him!
