hibernation habbits

[j.sawyer48]

okay so I was pretty sur kamanchii was down for hibernation didn't see him ina a week but dismornin when I woke up for work he was out so I fed him then had to go.. My question is when they hibernating do they come out some times or stay sleeping I don't want food to rot in his stomach while he sleeping but I felt he needed to eat??

 

[jdpFL]

My opinion based on what I've read....offer food, if they're trying to go down they won't eat. If they DO eat, as long as you keep temp and basking consistent for a couple of weeks, they will come out to digest and warm up before they go down completely. Again, this is based on research only, ours is slowing down....coming up to eat every couple days instead of daily....but apparently not fully hibernating yet. Still learning here too! But the most important thing: if you don't see your tegu for a couple days, DON'T shut heat and lights off....because if he needs to warm up and digest food, they'll need the heat.

 

[j.sawyer48]

okay it's just really hard to tell wat he's doin lol I had his lights on the hole week he was sleepin was gunna keep em on for 2 to 3 weeks and if after that I didn't see him was gunna turn them off but I was told by someone else that his red died in hibernation due to food that rotted in his stomach and I don't want that to happen but he hasn't eatin for a week so I hadd to feed him.

 

[jdpFL]

Yeah, I agree....it's hard to tell and it's nerve wracking thinking you could make a mistake that can be fatal to your tegu. From what I've read, the ones who die in hibernation were ones who were put down to 60 degree temps and they weren't finished digesting, then they don't wake up and get warm, and the food will rot in there and kill them. I think if you do exactly what you're doing, you'll be okay. And I'm with you, if mine is up looking around, I gotta feed him, at least offer it....ya know? Don't want him to be hungry!

 

[j.sawyer48]

I feel yea he was looking skinny not as beefy as usually does and right when I put the food down bamm he was stuffin his face lol

 

[j.sawyer48]

so once again I do not know wat kamanchii is doing he only comes out for like 10 mins sometimes a hr but rarly a hr then is gone for the rest of the day I just don't know if he is goin into hibernation he's been doing this for a month now and when he eats he eats alot soo he's not slowing down appitite wise anyone have any insite?

 

[jdpFL]

Severus does that too, will stay under for a day or two, then be out all day, and eat like crazy. Will be glad when we've had him thru a hibernation cycle so we know what to expect, what is normal, etc. Crazy tegu. Don't know what he's doing next!

 

[kellen.watkins]

Yeah my extreme is confusing me, she's eating a lot less was coming out for maybe an hour a day and since last weekend is now coming out for 5 or 6 hours a day, very confusing

 

[j.sawyer48]

it's been a hole month and I feel bad cause I don't get to spend time wit him my girl feeds him cause I work and he only comes out at 10 for a hr or less I hope he just goes into hibernation so he will wake up in a few months and be out like he used to do