Question

[jdpFL]

Hoping someone out there can help out... As I've mentioned, our B&W is a rescue of sorts. He was very cage aggressive, poor husbandry and feeding, has slight MBD issues, and is only 24"even though he is supposedly 3 years old. He had been a doll since we brought him home, zero sign of any aggressive behavior (besides opening his mouth if you take him away from a favorite activity!)

My question is: he stays buried a LOT. He does come out most days, on his own, at random times but usually in the afternoon. Since I'm learning that August is typically when tegus slow down and want to hibernate...how do we tell if tours the case, our if it's stress from being in a new place, etc? Temps, enclosure, uv, etc are all on the money. We dig him out every evening, if he isn't already up, and fed him. He kind of yawns and stretches and digs into his dinner every time. Eats well. If he were trying to hibernate, would he refuse to eat? Is it bad to keep waking him up? He seems to enjoy it...walks around checking everyone out...alert, active. And then always basks for awhile after dinner, before he buries again.

Thoughts, experiences, advice?

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Argh! Typos galore, stupid smartphone. Sorry, hope it made a little sense.

 

[james.w]

What are your temps, humidity and what are you using for UVB?

 

[Joshjack90]

i wouldnt recommend digging him up.. It can stress them out and make them lose trust with you. If he is eating im guessing he is just stressed. Give him some time to warm up to the new enclosure and new owners Good luck! Tegus are awesome pets!

 

[jdpFL]

I guess then the next question is: how does a tegu show stress? He is very active when he's up...not aggressive...but wandering around flicking his tongue and all. Based on my experience with other reptiles, I'd think he seems content and healthy. Is the sleeping all day a sign that something isn't right...or due to time of year?

And James...humidity, temps correct, but for uv he goes outside for an hour or more a day as we have yet to decide on the best bulb.

 

[tora]

If you leave him be does he stay buried for multiple days? Or have you not tried? Normally when they're getting into hibernation mode they get very selective. Maybe he just hasn't been able to establish a schedule?

 

[jdpFL]

Tora....no, he does get up...daily....it's just sometimes it's at 5pm....usually. Earliest he got up was two....and we try to get his food to him before he burrows again...but if we wait too long he goes back under. Will hang out, bask awhile....really interested in whoever happens by, coming over to say hi....but then goes back under the mulch. Weird. From every one elses posts, it looks like they are up all day and go to bed when the lights go off...so I'm a little concerned.
And ty for the reply!

 

[Draco D Tegu]

JD....they need more than an hour or two under UVB when they're not hibernating. Any UVB in his enclosure is better than none, while you decide on the right bulb. IMHO>

This could be why he's slowing down and staying burried a bit. His metabolism may be a little off.

 

[tora]

Yeah I can see your problem, I have a baby red that's only up for an hour or two, usually before I get home from work. Sometimes I have no choice but to bug him though because I need to change his water, and under the bowl is his favorite place to burrow. He doesn't seem to have any issues though. His breathing doesn't increase, he doesn't dart, bite or whip or huff. He just kinda looks at me, I go clean his bowl, and he basks in the meantime. I think you'll know what's best for your particular friend, especially since you've observed reptile behaviour before.

Draco does make a good point, but it depends on where you live also. Some places the uv is a lot stronger.

 

[jdpFL]

Thanks so much....Draco and Tora...
I'm in central FL....and take him out in full sun. But yes, need a bulb fast, or build an enclosure outside for him like we want, so he can stay out longer but be safe. We have cats outside, so we have to be right there with him just in case. And while he looooves the hundred degree ninety percent humidity out there, we humans get uncomfortable fast!

 

[tora]

Ha! I took my tegu out when it was close to 100 and she ran back inside!

 

[jdpFL]

Lol tora, that's hilarious! Ours loves out and opens his mouth at you when you pick him up to bring him inside.
And, btw, at exactly 5pm today, as usual, he woke up....is right now basking, wandering around, waiting for dinner. Weird. Maybe he just has a backward schedule?

 

[herpgirl2510]

Right now my tegus are very randon with their schedule they come out for maybe 2-3 hours a day now. I would not unbury your tegu I used to mist over the area or russle the mulch that would sometimes lure them out. How long have you had the tegu chevy stayed buried alot the fits 3 weeks I had him.

 

[JohnMatthew]

I'd offer food whenever he is up and make sure you keep your light/heat cycle going so he can metabolize properly. When people have problems during hibernation it's usually because they cut off the power too soon and the GU has no chance to fully digest their last meal. I'd try to give him more outside, natural sun time until you pick out an alternative UVB source. Best of luck to you and keep us updated.

 

[jdpFL]

Thanks herpgirl....that makes me feel better. And that's what I meant by digging him out, should have clarified...my husband will start messing with the mulch and he wakes up. But lately he gets up on his own, its just that it's always at 5pm. We've had him only about three weeks. I got worried when I saw that others seem to stick to being up when the lights are on. He does seem to come out more the longer we have him.

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And thanks John...that makes a lot of sense. Will get the bulb or get outside more for sure.

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And thanks John...that makes a lot of sense. Will get the bulb or get outside more for sure.

 

[jtpowers]

And back to the UVB bulb doubting Thomas that I am...is an hour or two outside in direct sunlight (assuming it has a high mw/cm2 as a subtropical arts like FL usually does) just as good or better than several hours of low to negligible mw/cm2 that most bulbs provide? Although I know that extremely high intensity for very short duration is no substitute for proper UVB, how in hades do we know that a bulb is providing "proper" UV in the first place? Even with a solarmeter, we can't measure the ratio of harmful UVC that some bulbs are known to produce, and Rob_K had a nice recent post showing ridiculously low UVB even from Powersun MVB's.

So, assuming at least 100 to 150 mw/cm2 from direct sunlight for an hour or so with perfect UVC ratio, and an unknown quantity perhaps less than 25 mw/cm2 from a bulb going several hours, with an unknown ratio of UVC, does anyone have any data as to which is preferable?

I've even heard such estimates as "an hour of sunlight is worth x hours under the best bulbs," which, although I'm inclined to believe it, there is little to no hard data to support it or quantify it. As james.w is fond of pointing out here, we don't know our tegus' requirements, we just know what happens when there is NO decent UVB source, and it isn't good news.
I think a bulb manufacturer who produced reliable, reproducible, detailed, and honest data on their products, combined with funding some quality research into wild and captive UV exposures by a reputable (maybe university?) source with good
methodology, could corner the market and truly improve animal health. Until then, we're all just guessing based on our own anecdotal experiences.