Patience is a virtue...but advice is golden :-) new tegu

[summbear48]

Hey all! Was going to post this on my "introduction" page but thought I would benefit more from lots of people perusing in the general section.
I purchased a scratch and dent tegu from Rod Irwin. Shipping didnt go as planned and USPS didnt make the 24 hour priority express guaranteed time so "Buddy" sat in his shipping box for almost 3 days. Rod said he was approaching brumation so was probably just sleeping anyhow.
Unpacked him and after he warmed up he was pretty active. Decided to give him some space as his clock was probably way off coming from florida to california. IF he was out roaming his tank, then I would be in there with it open allowing him to walk out if he wanted. He is pretty chill so far.
Hasnt eaten much but HAS eaten. Hasnt popped, even after some warm soaks.
Hiding/sleeping most of the time lately, which is fine with me.
humidity around 70%, basking about 95, cool side high 70s, low 80s'. It naturally gets a little colder/warmer with the seasons in the room he is in so who knows if that will continue his internal clock to brumate if thats his thing at the moment.

So here is the rub.
I REALLY want to bond but trying to be patient. REALLY want him to brumate if that is what he is naturally doing. So if he is out, I will visit, if he is hiding I wont take him out.
Should I keep offering food on a daily basis or scale him back in case he continues brumation?
He is about 15-18 inches (with missing a bit of tail, but not much) and looks to be healthy. I will post pictures.
Besides patience I would love some advice. Slightly worried about the timing/shipping and brumation but you all may have had similar experiences.
Thanks All!

Oh, Someone mentioned getting a fecal sample, I have a great local herp vet, but should I bother at this point if he seems to be acting "normal"?

 

[summbear48]

It seems there is a lot of (past?) beef (at least in the reading of many other threads) with Irwin, but that aside, please help me offer a fantastic home to my boy. You all are fantastic so wont disappoint! Just wanted to throw that disclaimer out there...

 

[Zyn]

The only thing I'd offer up is to increase the temps of his basking spot to 110ish and I don't know anything about any beef with Rodney.

 

[Walter1]

You’re doing fine. I agree with Zyn on basking temps. Make sure hide on other end is in mis-upper 70s for relief. Add shirt you just wore in it. When lights cut off at night, so can basking light. Offer a lttle food every few days. Brumation or not, tegus take 2-3 weeks to adjust to new suroundings.

All four of my tegus cone from Rodney. No complaints here!

 

[summbear48]

awesome, thanks guys!
Should I do a regular soaking so he poops?

 

[Zyn]

Soaking will help you two get to know each other but its not a must for dropping a number 2 if he does it's just a bonus for easy clean up

 

[summbear48]

deuces wild...LOL

 

[summbear48]

 

[Walter1]

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Beautiful. I see hints of firebelly as well.

 

[Zyn]

And pretty tame already I know Rodney works pretty hands on with his rescues

 

[Walter1]

And pretty tame already I know Rodney works pretty hands on with his rescues

You are correct. I know that from firsthand experience with Rodney.

The ones he catches are beautiful. I’ve posted pics of mine somewhere here. I’m looking forward to seeing pics of yours next fall.

 

[summbear48]

I have NOT been disappointed, has been really chill, very inquisitive and is a kick. Beautiful fire belly. From the size would you guys guess under a year?

 

[Zyn]

I'd say maybe a year and half not totally sure on this because mines only about 5 months and has been down for the winter for the last month so his growing has stopped for now. But based on what I've seen and ready I'd say little over a year.

 

[Walter1]

Understanding that genetics, diet, length of brumation all affect growth, my guess is just under to just over one year of age. Not more than that.

 

[summbear48]

awesome, thank you.

 

[summbear48]

Buddy, I believe, started brumating, and has not come out of his hide for about 2 weeks. Today he strolls out and starts basking.
1. I assume this is just normal and that he may just come out a few times during brumation?
2. should I offer any food?
3. Any other advice?

Thank you!

 

[Walter1]

Buddy, I believe, started brumating, and has not come out of his hide for about 2 weeks. Today he strolls out and starts basking.
1. I assume this is just normal and that he may just come out a few times during brumation?
2. should I offer any food?
3. Any other advice?

Thank you!

If basking area is hot enough for him to digest with a very cool hide on the other side, you can offer food sometimes. Otherwise, lower basking temp to 85 or so and let him sleep. He'll come out some but not much.

 

[summbear48]

THank you. With temp gun, it says around 100 or so on rock at basking spot. Humidity around 60-80.

 

[Moody]

My tegu I got from Rodney in April of last year. Take an old t-shirt sleep in it for 2 nights then put it where he sleeps.. He will associate your smell with safety. I heard all this hoopla you have to feed them every day when they are juveniles blah... They like what the like. Mine refuses to eat daily I put the food in there he will literally turn his head up and go bury himself. Then the food smells and is bad and he won't eat it either so then I have to make more. I feed him every other day and that is way he likes it. They are like people they have their own little quirks and prefereces. HE wont eat uncooked eggs they have to be soft boiled with the shell still on. I make his food every to the Sunday night. I cruise through the deli at the grocery and find meats that are about to go bad pork, salmon, chicken, turkey, livers, then I get organic frozen kale, 2 bags of tropical medley fruit, eggs, last week I found blueberries on sale he liked those, put the raw meat in my ninja chopper that is just for his food.. Sprinkle with vitamins Mix it all up and store it in the fridge in a contaner.. Sometimes when i make too much and I am feeling froggy i will put it in individual zip lock bags and freeze.. When it is feeding day I take the bag out of the freezer and soak in hot water like you do a frozen rat for a snake. Again you will have to experiment and see what he or she prefers.. He has grown from 22 inches when I got him to nearly 40, and he refuses brumation, I think he' is too nosy and might miss something. Lol. Good luck.. As far as rodney goes I would never get a tegu from anyone else.. Ever... Peiple are intimidated cause he knows his stuff.. And he can feed then all the beef and avacadoes he wants they are basically in the wild at his place in their natural habitat.. Here I am in KY trying to reproduce the Florida everglades in my guest bedroom.. Bulbs are great and they do they job but it ain't the sun. If he was doing something wrong how in the world is he so successful at it? Hmmmm

 

[summbear48]

My tegu I got from Rodney in April of last year. Take an old t-shirt sleep in it for 2 nights then put it where he sleeps.. He will associate your smell with safety. I heard all this hoopla you have to feed them every day when they are juveniles blah... They like what the like. Mine refuses to eat daily I put the food in there he will literally turn his head up and go bury himself. Then the food smells and is bad and he won't eat it either so then I have to make more. I feed him every other day and that is way he likes it. They are like people they have their own little quirks and prefereces. HE wont eat uncooked eggs they have to be soft boiled with the shell still on. I make his food every to the Sunday night. I cruise through the deli at the grocery and find meats that are about to go bad pork, salmon, chicken, turkey, livers, then I get organic frozen kale, 2 bags of tropical medley fruit, eggs, last week I found blueberries on sale he liked those, put the raw meat in my ninja chopper that is just for his food.. Sprinkle with vitamins Mix it all up and store it in the fridge in a contaner.. Sometimes when i make too much and I am feeling froggy i will put it in individual zip lock bags and freeze.. When it is feeding day I take the bag out of the freezer and soak in hot water like you do a frozen rat for a snake. Again you will have to experiment and see what he or she prefers.. He has grown from 22 inches when I got him to nearly 40, and he refuses brumation, I think he' is too nosy and might miss something. Lol. Good luck.. As far as rodney goes I would never get a tegu from anyone else.. Ever... Peiple are intimidated cause he knows his stuff.. And he can feed then all the beef and avacadoes he wants they are basically in the wild at his place in their natural habitat.. Here I am in KY trying to reproduce the Florida everglades in my guest bedroom.. Bulbs are great and they do they job but it ain't the sun. If he was doing something wrong how in the world is he so successful at it? Hmmmm

so far "buddy" has been awesome. he has been brumating for 2 months so hopefully he will get up here soon, missing him!