I believe hibernation has started

[CharliesMomnDad]

Well hello everyone!

First, we gotta say thanks to everyone that helped us out in the beginning. Charlie is a pretty awesome little guy. We are definitely in love with Tegus overall. We promised pictures, and you can see them on our thread in the welcome room.

So we noticed about 4-5 days ago, Charlie comfortably burrowed. He hasn't resurfaced... and he was a little chunky. Especially around the base of his tail. After searching through multiple threads, I think it may be safe to say he's entered a nap or hibernation. There were a few threads where some of you said your tegu would disappear a few days at a time or longer (hibernate).

So I guess I'm wondering, will a tegu hibernate at a young age? The pet store owner guessed he was no older than 3 months. Charlie from tip of his nose to tail is about two feet, maybe less. I will not disturb him or uncover him as you all have strongly suggested against that in many threads I read. I have however knocked the temps down to about 80 on the hot side and 70 on the cool side. We are using the night bulb to maintain temps. The substrate is fairly deep (6-10 inches depending on where you are in the enclosure), so depending on where he is, I'm sure his metabolism has slowed due to it being colder.

Any suggestions, tips, opinions... Thanks guys!

 

[Dana C]

My Red has done much the same. I got her / him in October. She became very tame and we spent many hours together on the bathroom floor. In mid December she would disappear in the substrate for a couple of days. As January came she was out only occasionally and since the first week in January, I haven't seen her at all. She is about six months old or so now. I don't know exactly as she was a CB import, (my guess). I keep the basking light on for 10 hours daily and the ceramic heat emmiter on all the time. My temps are 104 basking and 68 on the cool end.

 

[james.w]

At 2' it is quite a bit older than 3 months. I would guess closer to a year.

 

[omgtaylorg]

Possibly meant 3 months when they bought him. Anyways, to answer your question some tegus hibernate as early as 2-3 weeks after hatching so yes they can and will definately hibernate at a young age, just seems a little late in the winter to just now go down, but at the same time thats nothing to worry about. Also I'd recommend just killing all heat sources in the cage unless your house drops below 60 at night, you dont want there to be heat in the cage causing their metabolism to maintain even while they sleep, thats how they will lose weight while hibernating. As long as your house isnt in the 50's (assuming its not) then your guu will be fine with no heat, even at those temps some tegus have woken up from hibernation with ice on them in the wild. He also might just be brumating as well (mini form of hibernation), where they just sleep alot more and eat alot less, so keep an eye out, if you see him up at all flip the lights back on, also keep water in there at all times. Any more questions just ask.

 

[CharliesMomnDad]

Thank you guys! Awesome.

omgtaylorg, thank you so much. Pretty much put all my worries to rest. I will drop the heat then. No sign of him, but we keep fresh water in there for him.

Again thank you so much!

 

[CharliesMomnDad]

So we found that Charlie moved substrate around, but he has burrowed himself again. Neither my girlfriend or I have seen him. Is this enough movement to bring the lights and heat back on? Or do they sometimes come up for a little bit and go back?

 

[laurarfl]

Young tegus can hibernate, but it seems late in the season for hibernation to begin as most are waking up now. I would use appetite as a clue for hibernation. Tegus that are going into hibernation mode will naturally stop eating. If your guy is still eating, then he is not settling in for a long nap.

It could be cooler temps that are keeping him slow and the stress of a new home. I'd keep his daytime lights on a 10hr cycle, ready to bump up to 12hrs when the time changes. I'd keep him at 110-115 on the basking side, 90 on the hot side, and 75 or so on the cool side. You can put his hide in the middle so that he isn't too hot or cold. Of course, he'll choose to bury wherever he likes.

He may not be in a true brumation, but still wintery sleepy and just basking less. He may be up and basking for a couple of hours while you guys are out. Then he's going back to hiding where he feels secure.

I don't mean to sound contradictory to omgtaylorg, it's just that different owners may have different ways of doing things. One owner may prefer to turn lights off and another to turn lights on. Sometimes there isn't a clear answer.

 

[omgtaylorg]

Well if the tegu goes down for almost a week without coming up at all thats usuall a good sign of hibernation, sometimes during brumation they will go down 2-3 days and come up eat something and then repeat, but 5+ days of going down with no signs of coming up is when I would kill the lights, leaving them on just has them maintain metabolism causing them to lose weight, if you saw some substrate moved around and hes now back under, he possibly came up to get a drink(which they also do during hibernation)...like I said it does seem late to go down but all tegus are different, and if the only activity you have seen in a full week is some moved around substrate and havent even seen a glimpse of your tegu, its pretty much safe to say its possibly hibernating for a little bit, that could be 2-3 weeks or 2-3 months, you just never know. Just keep a close watch and if you ever see him up sitting in his basking spot then thats when I would flip the lights back on, but thats just how I do it and Ive been through a few winters now with several tegus. Let me know if you have anymore questions

 

[CharliesMomnDad]

Thank you guys, you rock! Happy Friday!