Hibernation, help??

[mushiix0]

So, I got my tegu about a week ago, he's four months old from what the guy we got him from said, but he burrows a lot and we hardly ever see him, but we see the tank is a mess. So he had to be out and about, still keeping all temps the same basking and all, I'm scared we are starving him. I've read a lot on them, but there's not much on hibernation, can someone please explain, do I leave him alone and not wake him up? Change temps? Keep feeding? PLEASE HELP.

 

[N8bub]

If he's out and about he's not fully down so I don't see anything wrong with offering food. Is it possible your gu is on a separate schedule from you? My boy wakes at 5 to 6 am and goes down around noon. Partly I believe this is a winter time behavior, a proto hibernation so to speak,and tegus don't follow daylight savings time. I lost an hour with my boy when the clock went back. I offer food every other day now that he has scaled back his activity. If you offer food and he eats it good. I know there can be issues with undigested food if temps are cool and the tegu is truly hibernating. But at the end of the day they know there bodies better than we. If he wants to eat , feed him.

 

[khris1972]

well this post is 12 days old is there any updates on his behavior ? but going off when it was posted, he has only been there a week so he probably just wasn't comfy with his new surroundings yet, so felt like hiding. To answer your question on hibernation "hopefully". if you want or seems like he wants to hibernate you drop his temp in the enclosure to 65 degrees and do not feed him right before. They will not poop in hibernation and it will cause health issues or it could kill him, feed him three to four days before hand and make sure he poops what he can before you let him start or you start him, don't worry about starving him they do this naturally, but if you can see him during his hibernation feel free to check in with him time to time without disturbing him if possible. Once the temps rise he well come out of hibernation on his own, but if you see him come out here and there say hello and see if he wants to come out and eat or whatever but make sure he poops if you feed him, mine is at this stage right now. He comes out every few days it seems so i just treat it as a normal visit and offer food but i don't force it. I hope this helps!


P.S Obviously hibernation happens in colder months so hibernate accordingly