Just got a B&W and have a few ???

[littlelizard]

Hi everyone,

I just got a 2 1/2' female (or so I'm told) B&W Tegu on Saturday. I've had other reptiles, but this is my first tegu.

She is not eating much. She ate 2 adult F/T mice on Sunday, nothing Monday and 1 adult mouse Tues. The guy I got her from said she was eating 1 mouse + fruit daily. I offered her ground beef, a cooked egg and various fruits and she doesn't seem interested. I've not seen her drink either. Nor have I seen any poop. She seems like she's losing a bit of weight and I am getting worried.

She came with a 4'x 2' enclosure (too small, I know. I'm meeting a guy tomorrow to have one custom built)
I have about 6" of pure hemlock mulch, it's slightly damp I'd say.
Lighting is a 160w T-rex active heat MVB, brand new.
I've been using the bathtub as her 'feeding tub'
I also put one of my shirts in with her, so she'd get used to my smell.

She spends a fair bit of time buried, comes out and basks/explores her cage for about half the day.

Sorry this is so long, I'm wondering if I should be worried or maybe she is just stressed from the move??

Any input would be much appreciated!

 

[PinkPunisher]

You've only had her for 5 days and two of those days shes eaten. I would only start to worry about her not eating after at least a week. On a side note though a mouse a day to my understand isn't very healthy for reptiles. I would try to vary the diet more as I see you are. Mice are more of a twice a week thing I think. There is a food list in the tegu care section that you might find useful if you haven't already seen it.

Spencer

 

[Tux]

Step 1, where did she come from?

 

[littlelizard]

Thanks, yes I have been researching the diet. When she didn't go for the other offerings, I thawed a mouse.

I got her from a kid that'd only had her for a few months, said his mom was terrified of her and wanted her gone. He got her from some guy that was selling her for rent money?! So, basically I have no idea where she came from.

 

[DaveDragon]

If she was kept in substandard condition she could have parasites. If she doesn't start eating in the next few days you should try to collect a fecal sample and get it to a vet and get it checked. Parasites can take a lot out of them and cause them to lose a lot of weight.

We got our male Red Tegu from a guy who had just had him treated for a bad case of pinworms. He was only 4.25 lbs. in less than 6 months we got him back to a normal weight of 9 lbs.

 

[littlelizard]

Well, she ate some ground beef today. :-D Hasn't touched the fruit. I haven't seen her drink or poop yet either. I'll have a good poke around in the substrate once she's up tomorrow . maybe she pooped but it got buried? One would think I'd smell it though.

She seems a bit bent out of shape about the feeding in a separate bin though and often just tries to scramble out right away. I'm having a strong urge to put food in her enclosure.....must resist.......

 

[Red Earth Exotics]

patience, young grasshopper!

 

[littlelizard]

Ok, she ate again today. What a relief! I guess she is finally settling in. And no, I didn't cave and put food in her cage.

I've been letting her wander a bit in the living room. Just leaving the cage door open and let her come out. She is super cute. She makes the rounds, explores a bit, comes over and takes a sniff at me and when she's done she just climbs back into her cage to bask for a bit. She's still a bit jumpy about any sudden movements but she lets me pet her in her cage and will come over and sniff my hand. Good signs, I think.