Do Tegus need to brumate?

[AJ Kelly]

so if I get a tegu but keep the temprature the sameyear round will the tegu brumate? if not is it healthy for them to not brumate as long as they are not breeding?

Thanks!

 

[rantology]

Yes, you can keep the parameters the exact same and they will still brumate. It is healthy and natural for them breeding or not - you can of course turn heating and lights off just to save power though. Brumation habits do vary from animal to animal, some go down for many months, some for just a couple and a rare few not at all... but it's generally not something you should try to control

 

[AJ Kelly]

ok that makes sense

 

[Roadkill]

Yes, you can keep the parameters the exact same and they will still brumate. It is healthy and natural for them breeding or not - you can of course turn heating and lights off just to save power though. Brumation habits do vary from animal to animal, some go down for many months, some for just a couple and a rare few not at all... but it's generally not something you should try to control

Sorry, but this is simply not true (the parameters and brumating, that is). If you actually control all the parameters and keep them constant, a tegu will not brumate. Problem is, most people do not understand all the parameters and think they are controlling them when the animals actually are using cues that are not being controlled. There are two basic types of hibernators/brumators, obligate and facultative. Obligative hibernators hibernate every year at the same time regardless of environmental cues (zeitgebers). Facultative hibernators/brumators will have their dormancy influenced and adjusted by the environment. We know tegus are facultative hibernators because when we transplant them from the southern hemisphere to the northern hemisphere, their brumation period aligns to their new environment. Otherwise, they'd still go into brumation every May-August.

Temperature alone is not what is responsible for brumation, although this being said it certainly influences it. As for whether it is healthy to not brumate, the fact of the matter is both brumation and not brumating have their issues. With NOT brumating, there is the thought that it could potentially shorten the lifespan (beings as brumation is almost pushing a "pause" button for them) and there has been recent evidence that (although in other species) the prevention or deliberate shortening of the hibernation period does have some stress factors involved.

 

[rantology]

Sorry, but this is simply not true (the parameters and brumating, that is). If you actually control all the parameters and keep them constant, a tegu will not brumate. Problem is, most people do not understand all the parameters and think they are controlling them when the animals actually are using cues that are not being controlled. There are two basic types of hibernators/brumators, obligate and facultative. Obligative hibernators hibernate every year at the same time regardless of environmental cues (zeitgebers). Facultative hibernators/brumators will have their dormancy influenced and adjusted by the environment. We know tegus are facultative hibernators because when we transplant them from the southern hemisphere to the northern hemisphere, their brumation period aligns to their new environment. Otherwise, they'd still go into brumation every May-August.

Temperature alone is not what is responsible for brumation, although this being said it certainly influences it. As for whether it is healthy to not brumate, the fact of the matter is both brumation and not brumating have their issues. With NOT brumating, there is the thought that it could potentially shorten the lifespan (beings as brumation is almost pushing a "pause" button for them) and there has been recent evidence that (although in other species) the prevention or deliberate shortening of the hibernation period does have some stress factors involved.

Ah true enough - I do keep my dude's lights on a natural cycle (and he gets some natural outdoor light)

 

[rats]

Ah true enough - I do keep my dude's lights on a natural cycle (and he gets some natural outdoor light)

My tegu has never brumated, he's always been awake (and hungry) during the winter months. He has a heat and light controlled environment; we don't chill him down to make him brumate. He's over 10 years old now, and I don't think lack of brumation has materially affected him....

 

[Dylan koch]

I have mine on timers for different seasons n look up what time of that season it goes from sun up to sun down even in these warmer months when we have a week where it gets rainy and cold they will go down for that week refuse food they can sense their environment plus I take mine out twice a day before I broke my heal during warmer months waiting on it to heal just acquired a albino pure blue n looking to get rid of 2 red males ready to breed

 

[Dylan koch]

but they usually go by the sense of weather and day light hour changes! Also can help with them being able to see outside world through windows and wct but doesn't always help. Mine only go down for a few months if that here in Tucson AZ due to it not getting too cold here

 

[Roadkill]

My tegu has never brumated, he's always been awake (and hungry) during the winter months. He has a heat and light controlled environment; we don't chill him down to make him brumate. He's over 10 years old now, and I don't think lack of brumation has materially affected him....

Problem is and I have to keep explaining to people, everyone thinks brumation is defined by behaviour - it is not, it is defined by physiology. A tegu to be awake every day and still be brumating. The fact yours was still hungry (and assumed eating) means your assumption is likely correct and he wasn't brumating. Brumation isn't the cessation of activity, it is a reduction in activity (so that reduction could be a little, could be a lot) but what really determines whether the tegu is in a physiological state of brumation is if their metabolism is being suppressed (ie. lower than what would be expected due to other conditions: temperature, activity, etc.).

 

[Debita]

My 4 yr old Tegu has never appeared to brumate until this year, where he has intermittently gone into his "reduction" of activity for a couple - to a few weeks at a time. It's clear his metabolism is suppressed. He seems somewhat hungry, but only eats a few pieces of something. Mice are unacceptable and too much to handle for now - but he can't resist a good piece of Salmon. This is clearly brumation to me. He even seems somewhat uncoordinated, but comes up for a bite to eat and although he's lost a small amount of weight, looks very healthy.

I enjoy your information Roadkill, but as most of us aren't Herpetologists, we explain and define things the best we can, on a layman's level. No need for frustration, just patience.

 

[Pruark]

So i have a tegu his name is midas he aprox a two yearling he was wild caught in the florida everglades . The guy i got him from said he went down into a light brumation from dec to first of march .now midas lives in memphis tn and he lives indoors and gets twice a day walks outside so i dont really know what to expect from him he changes so much . I got him in march of 2021 he was 20 inches and < 1lb he ate everyday like he was starving in august he has tripled in size to 35 inches and 5½ lbs he started eating half of what he wanted before and only wanted food every 2-3 days currently mid nov hes 7lbs and 40 inches long and hes slowing down slithers instead of strolling sleeps most of the day instead of climbing all over my room several times a day and hes turning down food 4-5 days at a time . I figure its that time of year this is my first reptile and my first tegu and brumation im trying to just be aware of his needs and keep him as active as he wants to be on sunny days but tips on what to expect to prepare me for brumation will be gladly excepted

 

[Crazy4Reptiles]

My baby tegu went down the day after I got her. I took her to the vet for a "healthy baby check up" and when I asked this question the vet laughed and said "trust the tegu. She knows her people have done this for a million years..... she knows when to sleep and when to wake up and eat." This is the hardest thing - not being able to play and get to know her. BUT I trust the vet. I recommend see a good exotics vet so you know everyone is healthy then let nature do it's thing.