red tegu

[tora]

If you don't see him for a week you can go ahead and turn his lights off. Mist occasionally but not enough to disturb him.

 

[j.sawyer48]

wat about him eating or anything do I need to put food out

 

[james.w]

You can put food out if you suspect he is coming out when you aren't around. Once he is hibernating, he won't need heat, light or food. You will want to keep the humidity up though.

 

[kellen.watkins]

No I wouldn't if he is down for sure say he gets up eats and goes back to sleep the food will rot in his stomach as he won't be able to digest it, be sure to always check to see if he is out, my last tegu died during hibernation :-(

 

[j.sawyer48]

I don't want that to happen but I'll see wats up it's only been 2 days.. I don't think he is gettin aclimated to his home james.w I've had for 2 months now unsless he still is

 

[james.w]

I would cut down the length of time you have on your heat and light if you feel he is hibernating. You can go to 10 hrs on, 14 off for a few days, and reduce it from there. It is kind of hard to determine unless you are home for a better part of the day, he could be coming out when you aren' there.

 

[j.sawyer48]

I got my girl there most of the day watching him I just don't want him to die it's like how would I no... I just get nervouse about it you know.

 

[herpgirl2510]

My extreme hid for alost three weeks he was adjusting to his new home. I would just keep doing what you are doing and not jump the gun that he is hibernating. He seems very small to be a yearling. My first B&W I bought was maybe 3-4 months at that size. Also I believe reds tend to be shier than B&W just don't pull him out of his hide let him do his thing and see what happens.

 

[j.sawyer48]

so I guess he came out and is alil sleepy.. Hopefully he stays out I don't want him to hibernate to pravent this wat kind of substrate should use I got jungle mix which is very easy to burrow in do all you guys use cypresss mulch??

 

[herpgirl2510]

Let's not give the new guy an a coronary.

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I use hemlock and on the cool side dirt/sand holds burrow better than mulch.

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I am planning on experimenting by keeping my lighs and temps the same year round see if that keeps them up. If they go down I won't stop them but I at least want to give it a shot. There are quite a few people who do this.

 

[j.sawyer48]

yea I've read that keeping a steady temp and lights all yr will prevent hibernation but ima use ur idea by putting the jungle mix on the cool side and the other half mulch sounds like a great idea thank you herpgirl

 

[james.w]

When I had 2 tegus in one enclosure, my red went down and I kept the heat and lights on for my other one. In my opinion you can't stop hibernation.

 

[herpgirl2510]

I agree if they are going to do it they will anyways but it doesn't hurt to try. I am hoping chevy does not hibernate from sept to end of may again he was outside year round.

 

[j.sawyer48]

well hes out walkin around and been out sense 10 this morning he might have been really tired lol

 

[j.sawyer48]

cypress mulch

just recantly switched to cypress muclh and it does wonders for myy lil gu shedding