• Hello guest! Are you a Tegu enthusiast? If so, we invite you to join our community! Our site is specifically designed for you and it's a great place for Tegu enthusiasts to meet online. Once you join you'll be able to post messages, upload pictures of your Tegu and enclosure and have a great time with other Tegu fans. Sign up today! If you have any questions, problems, or other concerns email [email protected]!

Big belly, Skinny hips

Eric B

New Member
Messages
2
Hi everyone :) I have a question regarding an 7-9 year old female black and white that is under my care. I have four black and white all together (seperate enclosures) and Sammy is the oldest of them. I don't have an exact age for her as she's a rescue who came from less than ideal husbandry circumstances, but she was allegedly 5ish when I got her. The other three (1.2) are all a pretty healthy weight, thick base of tail with a lateral fold present prior to feeding and absent after a big meal. Sammy on the other hand is strait up a lardass, she's got a big belly that drags and no lateral fold present. She's the most exercised of the three having 2-3 hrs free roam in 900sqft every other day with swimming, climbing, and toy tug-o-war to try lose weight. Thing is, her tail/hip bones are thinner than the other three to the point of being visible. She been treated for parasites and get food grade DE in her food once a month. Is this just a common physique seen in older tegus?
Temps are 120-130f hot 75-80f cold via radiant heat panel and two par35 bulbs during day and 85 hot/70 cold at night. UVB is zoo med 36" T5HO 10.0 3 months along, humidity 50-70 hot side 75 cold side 85-95 humid box. Enclosure is 7' by 4 1/2' by 2 1/2' tall. Fed twice weekly mixed leafy greens, pumpkin/squash, fresh parsley, oregano, carrot, bell pepper 70% and tilapia/salmon/octopus/shrimp/oyster/clam/ground turkey/chicken hearts/livers/gizzards/hardboiled chicken/quail eggs 30 percent (not everytime, it shuffles) 30%. Calcium without D3 every feeding, multivitamin with D3 once a week
 

Eric B

New Member
Messages
2
Could be she's just getting old? Have you tried higher fat diet?
I have been offering her more egg and whole prey lately to try get her tail plumped up but it's just gets thinner and her belly stays the same. I had a vet take a look at her but he didn't even know that tegus existed and he's allegedly our best reptile vet in the province. Now that he emptied out my bank account and gave me no useful information whatsoever I'm getting concerned about the weight loss near her tail end. He ran a fecal which came back clear so there is that at least. Is this a common physique seen in older tegus? Her hips and tail are more thin then I am comfortable with at this point and unfortunately I can't afford another vet trip after the first one or me and the tegus are gonna be on the streets. But at this point I'll do whatever I can to get her back in shape, she means the world.
 

Members online

No members online now.

Forum statistics

Threads
20,149
Messages
177,950
Members
10,405
Latest member
tiff
Top