Breathing real hard

[nepoez]

Hi all,

Is it normal that a Juvenile Tegu breathes real hard? Not sure if I paid attention the past few days, but today I noticed that after eating a few crickets he seems to breathe real hard like he's just been chased by a serial killer or something, then closes his eyes a little like he's real tired. Anyone know if this is normal?

 

[Teg]

I think that sounds quite normal, Teg was the same and he's still with us ... lol ! You do tend to worry a lot about them, but that's how they are !! If there's a second life then I want to come back as a Tegu !! :0)

 

[frost]

yeah it normal, when i feed chicks to my tegus they do the same thing.

 

[nepoez]

thx! Glad to hear it's nothing out of the ordinary.

 

[Roadkill]

Reptiles in general take longer to recover after exerting themselves than do mammals, but the other thing I think often happens is that lizards have a slightly different breathing cycle than we do, and therefore when people pay particular attention to the breathing, it seems a bit laboured. When we breathe, our "rest" period of the cycle is with deflated lungs, so from rest we breathe in and unless we are breath-holding, we immediately exhale, pause, repeat cycle. With lizards, the "rest" period of the cycle is with inflated lungs, so from rest they push the air out, inhale (sometimes followed by a little exhale), pause, repeat cycle. Beings as this is not how we are familiar with the breathing cycle, to many this gives the impression of laboured breathing or that the animal is in pain.

 

[nepoez]

thx for the explanations!