help with my gu!

[mattison187]

Ok so I'm a new owner. And I have a varnyarn b&w hatchling. For an enclosure I have a standard 180 gal.(6x2x2) with cyprecc mulch aprox 6" deep for substrate. For lighting I have a 4ft dual strip setup with reptisun 5.0 uvb's and a 100w floodlight for a heat lamp. Anyway I'm having trouble getting him to eat since he's come out of hibernation. I keep trying the method of taking him out and bringing him to the food but it becomes such a hassle getting him out that I end up removing all the hides and everything trying to get ahold of him. He's verry finicky and anytime anyone even walks by the enclosure he darts into one of the hides. I know your not suppose to remove the hides to get the gu out. But its eather that or he doesn't eat.. Last night I put some food into the hide he's usually in during the day and it was nibbled at tonight when I removed it. I'm getting worried. He's been out of hibernation for atleast 2.5 weeks and has barely eaten or drank anything.. Help me out guys please!

 

[reptastic]

just let him be. a healthy tegu will not starve himself! chasing him around the enclosure and taking him out of his hide(were he feels secure) will only make things worst.

 

[mis jaksin]

have you given him a bath at all? my gu didn't hibernate, but i've read that they need to be hydrated before they will have an appetite... maybe try giving your gu a nice relaxing bath?... just a thought, good luck

 

[HorseCaak]

just let him be. a healthy tegu will not starve himself! chasing him around the enclosure and taking him out of his hide(were he feels secure) will only make things worst.

That is if it's healthy... If you are extremely worried, take him to the vet for a check up. Oterwise provide water and warm bath. Don't stress him out. Mine didn't eat for 10 days. I just put food in her cage until she chose to start eating, then when she did, I went back to bin feeds. Mine would only drink water for those 10 days before eating. Make sure fresh water daily.

 

[wyattroa]

I would put the gu in a smaller cage. 6x2x2 is a big cage. It will also help with the bonding process of levaing your hand in there too. I put my girl in a big cage right from the start and wish I would not have. It is so much hard to try and bond with her when she knows she can run to the other side of the cage and be 3 feet away..lol

 

[TEGU_JAKE]

im with wyattroa i think a smaller cage would be better and alot easier to get your tegu out lol

 

[HorseCaak]

im with wyattroa i think a smaller cage would be better and alot easier to get your tegu out lol

I concur.

 

[mattison187]

Yea u guys make a good point about the enclosure size. Instead of chasing him around, the last couple nights before bed I've been putting his meals in the enclosure for him to find the fallowing day and he seems to be feeding more. I have also started the leaving a shirt in there routine, and sitting for a while each day with my arm in there. Hopefully all will go smooth here soon.

 

[HorseCaak]

Yea u guys make a good point about the enclosure size. Instead of chasing him around, the last couple nights before bed I've been putting his meals in the enclosure for him to find the fallowing day and he seems to be feeding more. I have also started the leaving a shirt in there routine, and sitting for a while each day with my arm in there. Hopefully all will go smooth here soon.

Try putting the food in there in the morning before he wakes up. All night will make the food go bad, cause smells, attract bugs...Good start though!

A good trick to get your Tegu used to you is lay in an empty bath tub, bring a book or laptop/movie, and let him crawl around. He'll adjust to being around your strange species known as, Human.
:-D

BTW, I noticed you only have 7 posts so far = Welcome to the Forum!
:bud

Cheers,
-BLAIR

 

[mattison187]

Haha thanks for the welcome! And you make a good point about leaving it over night. Ill be sure to put it in in the a.m. Rather then tonight.