Brumation Concerns

[Sean Garrity]

Hi, I’m a new tegu owner and am concerned about my tegu’s heath. I brought him home early in October and he was very healthy and was eating well. He has been in brumation since about mid-November only getting up for a drink about once every week or two and refusing any kind of food. I’ve been keeping the substrate damp around where he is resting and leaving his lights on for 10 hours a day. I brought him to the vet about a week ago and they told me that he seemed healthy overall but were concerned about his lack of eating. He said that he had never dealt with a tegu this small trying to brumate and that I should try to feed him some baby food, but he is refusing that too and I don’t want to force feed him unless it’s absolutely necessary. He is currently 16 ½ in. from nose to tail and 132 grams. The pictures and his measurements are from the day this was posted. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Zyn]

Looks fine let him sleep if he wants to sleep he'll go through one hell of a growth spurt when he's comes out of it

 

[Walter1]

What Zyn said.

Make sure that his hide is 60-65 F. In April bump it up to mid-70s. He'll begin basking more and marching around, then increase food and temp.

Brumation is necessary for a tegu's longterm health. Only to be avoided if it is sick.

 

[AlphaAlpha]

I agree with Zyn and Walter ,believing no tegu will starve its self to death and as long as the temps and humidity is correct I'd just leave him be