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Brumation question

BIgjimmy

New Member
Messages
14
Hello all. I am fairly new to the Tegu game, but not reptiles. I just got my first Blue a few days ago, he is about 16inches long, maybe 3 months old. He has eaten some scrambled eggs, and a few superworms so far. My question is should I bring him out of his hide to feed him everyday, or just wait until he makes an appearance on his own then feed him? He really is very mellow and handles very well, but usually we get him out of his hide to handle him. How do I know when he is heading towards brumation?

I had a Red 2 years ago that i think went into brumation. I never could get him to eat after that and he eventually died. I even at a vet's advice started tube feeding him carnivore protein blend. I really don't want that to happen again. Any advice would be appreciated.
 

Nicodemus

New Member
Messages
4
I’d never recommend taking the tegu out of the hide. It’s important for the Tegu to have a safe space in the cage it can feel protected when it doesn’t want to interact. As for feeding, hopefully by now it has learned that you are it’s source for food and therefore if it wants food it should come out on its own. My Argentine b&w Tegu is brumating right now and even though it seems wrong because it’s not getting any food, brumating is a very important part of their life and is very healthy. Just offer it food when it comes out of the hide and you should be fine
 

BIgjimmy

New Member
Messages
14
I’d never recommend taking the tegu out of the hide. It’s important for the Tegu to have a safe space in the cage it can feel protected when it doesn’t want to interact. As for feeding, hopefully by now it has learned that you are it’s source for food and therefore if it wants food it should come out on its own. My Argentine b&w Tegu is brumating right now and even though it seems wrong because it’s not getting any food, brumating is a very important part of their life and is very healthy. Just offer it food when it comes out of the hide and you should be fine
That makes sense. I will do my best to let him be. My concern is I only had him for about 4 or 5 days before he stopped coming out. He only are 2 or 3 times with me so I don't know if he knows I am the grocery store or not. I will just keep an eye on him.
 
Last edited:

BIgjimmy

New Member
Messages
14
Pure blues will rarely brumate he’s probably just hiding and adjusting
I will keep that in mind. He did come out for a little while today and ate a few superworms and crickets, so maybe you're right. He really likes being handled so he seems very comfortable. In fact, if I put my hand in his enclosure, he comes over to me and climbs up my arm. Never seen one quite this mellow so quickly.
 

Cookie

New Member
Messages
15
That is so helpful! I have a blue who is about 4 yrs. and he has never burmated. It has always worried me. I also have red and this her second winter. She has started burmating. I am worried about her as she was going into a shed right before she started burmating. she's always had a hard time shedding? Any thoughts on if she will be okay?
 

Shasta1979

New Member
Messages
7
That is so helpful! I have a blue who is about 4 yrs. and he has never burmated. It has always worried me. I also have red and this her second winter. She has started burmating. I am worried about her as she was going into a shed right before she started burmating. she's always had a hard time shedding? Any thoughts on if she will be okay?
Yes your tegu will be fine matter fact they put on a winter shed that's really thick and anything to do with biology you domt have to worry about nature has a way of taking care of itself and theres really nothing you can do. Shell be fine
 

Glostik Willy

New Member
Messages
20
Hello all. I am fairly new to the Tegu game, but not reptiles. I just got my first Blue a few days ago, he is about 16inches long, maybe 3 months old. He has eaten some scrambled eggs, and a few superworms so far. My question is should I bring him out of his hide to feed him everyday, or just wait until he makes an appearance on his own then feed him? He really is very mellow and handles very well, but usually we get him out of his hide to handle him. How do I know when he is heading towards brumation?

I had a Red 2 years ago that i think went into brumation. I never could get him to eat after that and he eventually died. I even at a vet's advice started tube feeding him carnivore protein blend. I really don't want that to happen again. Any advice would be appreciated.
A 3 month old tegu should not brumate in my opinion maybe after a years old. basking temp at 120 and cool side at 78 to 80 humidity around 70 or 80 have your tried dusted crickets? I grind up turkey super lean hamburger eggs fish shrimp chicken heart. And brought small ice tray with lids i fill them up and thaw them out each night. They love it and if your won't eat he may be ready to shed so keep it humid for him.
 

Espg714

New Member
Messages
12
That makes sense. I will do my best to let him be. My concern is I only had him for about 4 or 5 days before he stopped coming out. He only are 2 or 3 times with me so I don't know if he knows I am the grocery store or not. I will just keep an eye on him.
I understand your concern.
I just received a B&W 3 months old on the 8th of Dec and i spent little time with him. He ate 1 cricket and then burrowed and has been down since. Im trying to understand this brumation thing too.
 

Glostik Willy

New Member
Messages
20
I understand your concern.
I just received a B&W 3 months old on the 8th of Dec and i spent little time with him. He ate 1 cricket and then burrowed and has been down since. Im trying to understand this brumation thing too.
to each there own I have a new baby high white blue was trying to hide all the time. I take him out everyday and hold him. its been 3 weeks straight. he now comes out and climbs up my arm ready to he handled
 

LizardStudent

Active Member
Messages
118
Location
Nashville, TN
A 3 month old tegu should not brumate in my opinion maybe after a years old. basking temp at 120 and cool side at 78 to 80 humidity around 70 or 80 have your tried dusted crickets? I grind up turkey super lean hamburger eggs fish shrimp chicken heart. And brought small ice tray with lids i fill them up and thaw them out each night. They love it and if your won't eat he may be ready to shed so keep it humid for him.
In this Rose City Reptiles video, he discusses that it is not unusual for tegus younger than a year to go into brumation. Usually while that young, they can go into a sort of mini version of brumation where they sleep more, eat less, and may go down for a few weeks but not months long as the adults will. He also discusses how some young tegus under a year simply will not brumate! It just depends on the animal, and if they arrive through the mail the stress of this event can also seem to cause one of these mini brumations to kick in. I highly recommend watching if you have brumation question concerns

Also for a baby teg, the basking temp should be around 110 :) when they're a bit older go towards 120
 

Glostik Willy

New Member
Messages
20
In this Rose City Reptiles video, he discusses that it is not unusual for tegus younger than a year to go into brumation. Usually while that young, they can go into a sort of mini version of brumation where they sleep more, eat less, and may go down for a few weeks but not months long as the adults will. He also discusses how some young tegus under a year simply will not brumate! It just depends on the animal, and if they arrive through the mail the stress of this event can also seem to cause one of these mini brumations to kick in. I highly recommend watching if you have brumation question concerns

Also for a baby teg, the basking temp should be around 110 :) when they're a bit older go towards 120
That is mkre or less what I said ty
 

Espg714

New Member
Messages
12
to each there own I have a new baby high white blue was trying to hide all the time. I take him out everyday and hold him. its been 3 weeks straight. he now comes out and climbs up my arm ready to he handled
Interesting. Its like the opposite of what i read. Im no expert but not my first monitor type animal.
Do you mind if i ask your climate? Are you in a tropical area?
I just made a new lid today im going to put on to raise the humidity up a bit more.
Im a little concerned about digging him up. He's 3 months or so they said he was hatched july-august
 

Debita

Well-Known Member
1,000+ Post Club
Messages
1,218
Location
Prescott, AZ
That is so helpful! I have a blue who is about 4 yrs. and he has never burmated. It has always worried me. I also have red and this her second winter. She has started burmating. I am worried about her as she was going into a shed right before she started burmating. she's always had a hard time shedding? Any thoughts on if she will be okay?
I have an adult (almost 4yr old) male that hasn't brumated much yet, so I'm lowering his temps and cutting the lights now to induce his natural instincts. I know that brumation is healthy for them, and so I'm trying a different approach so he goes down.
 

Espg714

New Member
Messages
12
He ate a cricket 2 days ago before burrowing. Im a wee bit concerned about that but ill wait him out. He just arrived 3 days ago so he might be a bit stressed.
I put the new lid on his tank and the humidity imediately got better. Im looking for signs of him coming out while im at work but nothing yet camera might be a good idea haha

Anyone can tell me how long a little one like that may be burrowed before any concern?
He looked healthy when he arrived. Not skinny or starved.
 

Debita

Well-Known Member
1,000+ Post Club
Messages
1,218
Location
Prescott, AZ
Espg - I think your new 3 month old is just "settling". They really don't like change, and will take their own sweet time when you first get them. It scares everybody, and some think they should get an I.V. jk ...best to leave him alone while he's still scared and getting used to you. That doesn't mean not to interact, just be patient, keep supplying fresh water, and food, even if he's having none of it. They're so individual, my young female didn't brumate more than 10 days, but she clearly was brumating.

No worries - I think the settling will go on as long as he/she wants it to - "usually" no more than 2 weeks, but if you have a male like mine...10 months was his norm.
 

Glostik Willy

New Member
Messages
20
Interesting. Its like the opposite of what i read. Im no expert but not my first monitor type animal.
Do you mind if i ask your climate? Are you in a tropical area?
I just made a new lid today im going to put on to raise the humidity up a bit more.
Im a little concerned about digging him up. He's 3 months or so they said he was hatched july-august
I live in Ohio I keep my room at 70 all year around.
 

Roadkill

Active Member
5 Year Member
Messages
497
Location
Earth
A 3 month old tegu should not brumate in my opinion maybe after a years old. basking temp at 120 and cool side at 78 to 80 humidity around 70 or 80 have your tried dusted crickets? I grind up turkey super lean hamburger eggs fish shrimp chicken heart. And brought small ice tray with lids i fill them up and thaw them out each night. They love it and if your won't eat he may be ready to shed so keep it humid for him
I'm curious what you think happens in the wild? After the adults come out of brumation, there's a month or two before copulation, the eggs incubate, eventually hatch...and then there's only a few months before "winter" hits and they have no choice but to enter brumation....which, considering that their physiology has to prep for brumation to begin with, means the process is likely already underway within weeks of hatching.
 

Glostik Willy

New Member
Messages
20
I'm curious what you think happens in the wild? After the adults come out of brumation, there's a month or two before copulation, the eggs incubate, eventually hatch...and then there's only a few months before "winter" hits and they have no choice but to enter brumation....which, considering that their physiology has to prep for brumation to begin with, means the process is likely already underway within weeks of hatching.
do what you will I just
don't agree
 

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