How long is hibernation limbo usually?

[Blue Crab of PAIN!!!]

My Tegu (Taco) has really slowed down in behavior ever since he developed PKC
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Since then he's completely healed, although he still is only active for a few hours of the day. I'd normally be more concerned about this given how both the PKC and behavior slowdown happened at the same time, but it seems like many other tegus are slowing down right now too.
What I want to know is; how long do tegus usually stay in this "slow" mode before actually hibernating? It's been about three weeks now, and Taco really hasn't eaten ANYTHING since last Sunday, in spite of being continually offered food.

The only thing he even bothers to look at now is egg and pinkies; anything lower in fat it seems he just gives the cold shoulder. Even then he doesn't eat anywhere near as much egg as he used to. Never the less he still comes out of his burrow every day for a little bit, and whenever I'm around (which isn't every day given his short schedule) and I take him out, he seems perfectly active, even jump after being put back in (trying to jump out of the cage etc) but still doesn't develop an appetite.

How much longer do you think this little tegu will be active?

 

[JohnMatthew]

Every tegu is different, and even individual tegus don't always follow the same hibernation patterns. If he's still taking food he'll be coming up to bask, at least occasionally, until his system is cleared before going into full blown hibernation(if he even hibernates). Your best bet is to play it by ear and see what your GU decides.

 

[Blue Crab of PAIN!!!]

, until his system is cleared before going into full blown hibernation(if he even hibernates). Your best bet is to play it by ear and see what your GU decides.

After I read that I came to the conclusion that Taco may not hibernate as long as I keep offering him food; somewhere I read that if a tegu hibernates with food/feces in his system it will kill him. So for over a week now I haven't offered him food and he's still in limbo. In fact, he just shed the other day. I don't know how long a tegu can actually go without eating like this so I caved in and offered him a little bit of turkey. He doesn't seem to be going for it though.

When in "limbo" like this are you even supposed to offer a tegu any food at all? Will he never go into hibernation as long as there is food in front of him? This limbo really isn't working out; I have classes from 8am-3pm and he's only really active from about 11am-1pm these days; so from Mon-Thursday I don't see him AT ALL. Now when I do see him he's almost as friendly as ever unless I make sudden movements; where's before he was completely laid back. I'd like for him to either completely hibernate or snap out of it.

If I'm not supposed to feed him at all then I won't give him anything. If he is in fact supposed to eat something once in a while then I'll give him eggs tomorrow. When I let him free roam today he seemed a bit thinner and slower than usual; although that might be my imagination given how this is the first i've seen of him all week.

 

[Toby_H]

If your Tegu has food/waste in his system... and the temperatures drop so low their metabolism drastically slows down, then they will likely fall asleep and the food/waste will rot in their gut...

If your Tegu has food/waste in his system... and your Tegu is readying himself for hibernation with adequate temperatures for his metabolism/digestion, then he will come out to relieve himself...

My suggestion is to ensure that for at least a few hours a day you are providing "summer time" light/heat to prevent the metabolism from stopping until you are confident your Tegu's system is empty...

A warm bath is a simple trick to trigger your Tegu to relieve himself...

 

[Blue Crab of PAIN!!!]

The temps in his cage have been constant and are still high during the daytime. Whenever he does eat anything he successfully defecates it the following day or two. It's just that after he does that he continues to not eat for another five days and still doesn't go down. I don't know if I should keep attempting to feed him fatty foods like eggs or pinkies, or if I should simply wait and see if he goes asleep on his own. It's been about 11 days since he's eaten anything; he turned down the turkey I offered him yesterday. He did rip off a pitcher from an N. ampullaria but I don't know if that was the result if him trying to taste it or just his rambunctious behavior.

I thought this was just normal activity and I just cut off his food access... but the time that this has been dragging on worries me a little. The caresheet here says just to not feed them when they slow down like this but this nevertheless still seems like a long time.

 

[Toby_H]

Since it sounds like he is 'empty' at this time... I would try reducing his heat to household room temperatures and see if he just goes down for the winter...

Some will hibernate while others only brumate. Some slow down drastically for the majority of the winter while some only slow down slightly. There is no hard and fast formula of what they will do or what we 'should' offer them. My approach is to try a little bit of everything and give them what they seem to want the most.

Since yours is not eating and is sleeping a lot, try giving him the conditions to sleep.


I wouldn't worry about him 'starving'. Mine had a rough interstate traveling expereince and didn't eat at all for two weeks and he did just fine. He started the trip at 11 lbs and lost 1 lb while fasting, but once he started eating again he regained the pound he lost and has put on another one since then (currently 12 lbs).


I commend you for your concern as it shows you care and are doing your best. But I truely feel the animals we are dealing with are very hardy and can not only survive but can thrive through much 'harsher' conditions than we are giving them.

Keep up the good work... keep trying to read your Tegu... keep trying to give him what it seems he wants...

...At least that's my $.02

 

[Blue Crab of PAIN!!!]

Thank you for your help! I will update further if there are any more developments.

 

[Blue Crab of PAIN!!!]

About a month later and I finally have a somewhat worthy update. Taco has not eaten in two weeks... and has not come out in one week. I guess now he is finally in full hibernation (even with the heat on). I'm happy that things seem to be going normal, but now I miss him. It's not even winter yet and I already can't wait for spring!