HELP! Is my tegu sick?

[Angel Almada]

Hello everyone, I’m new to this family. Let’s start with the problem. I’ve had a 12 inch BW Tegu for 2 weeks, he was eating well, with a nice belly with him and a good looking tail, he likes to burrow in the dirt SO MUCH, he is all day making burrows in his enclosure. BUT, he has been burrowed for the past 2 days, and when he came out, his belly looked SUPER sunken, like if it was 100% empty, it was scary to look at, looked kinda sick to me. I’m confused because he is active, he has been making burrows as usual and hunting his crickets, but his stomach looks so bad. I’m scared that he goes to sleep other 2 or 3 days with that belly, I think that he could die. Should I wake him up if that happens? Can someone tell if he has sympthoms of illness or parasytes?

 

[Walter1]

Hello everyone, I’m new to this family. Let’s start with the problem. I’ve had a 12 inch BW Tegu for 2 weeks, he was eating well, with a nice belly with him and a good looking tail, he likes to burrow in the dirt SO MUCH, he is all day making burrows in his enclosure. BUT, he has been burrowed for the past 2 days, and when he came out, his belly looked SUPER sunken, like if it was 100% empty, it was scary to look at, looked kinda sick to me. I’m confused because he is active, he has been making burrows as usual and hunting his crickets, but his stomach looks so bad. I’m scared that he goes to sleep other 2 or 3 days with that belly, I think that he could die. Should I wake him up if that happens? Can someone tell if he has sympthoms of illness or parasytes?

Hi and welcome. A vet check with new herp is always a good starting point regardless, and I encourage it. If he eats his fill and poops it out, you're probably ok. He is growing. If he's eating his fill but hips are showing, thighs and tail are thinning, either not feeding him well or parasites.

 

[Zyn]

Are you feeding more than just crickets ? They have little nutritional value

 

[Angel Almada]

Are you feeding more than just crickets ? They have little nutritional value

Yes, I’m feeding my gu with Ground Turkey (sometimes i’ll give him lean beef), Banana, Kiwis, grapes, boiled or scrambled eggs, chicken hearts and canteloupe. Sometimes he will not eat fruit at all, he goes straight for the crickets or the meat.

 

[Walter1]

Whole food (ground or intact), followed by organ meat and high quality wer dog food.

 

[Zyn]

Whole rodents is a must at any age. Start with pinky’s then fuzzes and judge from there. At least once a week I’m currently feeding sev whole rodent prey three+ times a week

 

[Guman]

Make sure you take all the recommendations and then dust,dust,dust the calcium. I can not stress how important whole prey is for your gu!!! You can take the experianced advice of Walter1 and Zyn or you can put the lizard through suboptimal conditions which only leads to HEALTHY VET BILLS. Our family learned an expensive lesson back in January. We had not fed any meat that included nuscel, bone, and organs in his first year. At the middle of January we had two recral prolapse. Finally, on the 20th of January he had a major prolaps and we ended up driving in a snow storm with white out conditions for 5 hours to bring him to a 24 hr. Herp. Specialist. The cost if I remember correct was around $2000-2500 he received anaesthesia, a minor procedure to reduce the rectum, xrays, medications, and several days in their ICU. He treatment was NOT over when he came home due to twice daily force feeds, antibiotic injections, pain injections, warm soaks with each feeding, and diligant love and rehabilitation. He suffered the prolaps, broken wrists, and MBBD. It has been just over 5 months and we are just now starting to see transformational progress. I fear his growth is stunted, he will never have a normal gait do to fractured front limbs, and I know our ignorance reduced his quality of life. Please I implore you feed whole prey. Go to the pet store get mice and find other options such as haretoday and reptilinks.