Is His Size Normal???

[sclevenger08]

Okay, my tegu just turned a year old this month. And he(thinkin actually a she) is only maybe 15 inchs long, my adult beardie is bigger than he is.

I got him in December and he went pretty much right back into hibernation. He came outta hibernation around April and it took him awhile to start eating but he never really had a huge appitie, not like ive heard people talk they do. But he always ate until his little belly was nice and full and big. lol. He just never grew hardly at all.

So, is he sick or something? I noticed a couple weeks outta hibernaiton his front foot was kinda twisted like a U. I got a new UVB light and some calicum and stuff but nothing helped, don't even know what thats from. So any information on that would be good too.

Other than that he gets around good, he basks, sleeps, drinks, and uses the bathroom good. So any thoughts would be great.

Thanks.

 

[Guest]

Well, I can't say anything on the "U-shaped" foot (do you have a pic?), but I wouldn't worry too much about the size. It most likely has to do with his hibernating. As long as he eats healthy, poops healthy, basks, and moves around without difficulty, then I wouldn't worry.

 

[Toby_H]

My '08 male hibernated DEEP his first winter. He slept from late October until early May without waking once.

His second summer ('09) He grew astonishingly fast.

It sounds like yours hasn't grown much at all during it's second summer. This does seem odd to me based on my experience as well as the experiences we commonly see shared here.

Do keep i mind mine is a male and yours may be female, which I'm sure will make a difference...

I would still suspect yours is growing abnormally slow. This could be due to one (or more) of dozens of reasons. I would simply ensure you are offering it proper care (which it sounds like you are) and accept it may have a natural (likely genetic) reason why it is slow or small growing.

 

[Guest]

I've chatted with someone who owns two All Americans that she got as hatchlings. They basically showed up in the mail, and went right into hibernation all Winter. They're both a year old now, healthy as all get-up, have great appetites, are active and loving... and under 20 inches.

 

[sclevenger08]

Thanks guys. I was worrying about it badly. But, maybe there is no need. I'll just continue to watch him and make sure he/she is doing his/her little tegu things properly, haha. Well thanks again.

<3