Sleeping in the water?

[bubbategu2]

I'm a little concerned. My Columbian has been soaking in his water bowl for the last couple of days which I was ok with since he's starting a shed but tonight I looked in his cage and his head was under water!! WTF!!! I got him out and he went right back in-UNDER water!! Eyes closed - trying to go to sleep!! Is this normal? Does anybody else have a tegu that sleeps underwater? I have to admit, considering my Bubba drowned, Sal's behavior is making me pretty nervous. (I got him so his head is propped out of the dish now but he's still soaking)

 

[Richard21]

How hot is it in the enclosure? It may be to hot for the little guy and he is trying to escape the heat by going to his water dish. Check the temps.

 

[bubbategu2]

Good call- but it's not that hot, maybe 79-80 degrees

 

[Richard21]

Hum. Then that is weird. Maybe offer a smaller water dish. One he cant get in but one he can drink from well.

 

[Bubblz Calhoun]

I don't know about the whole under water thing,..is his whole head completely under water or is it just to where his nose is sticking out and he can still breath? They can hold their breath but I don't know for how long, try watching him for a while to make sure he's coming up for air. You said he's been soaking for the last few days,...has he actually shed or started to shed yet?

My Columbian went through a few days of soaking when I first got her also but that was just her tail. When I moved her and changed the water she always went back to it but she repositioned herself so that only her tail was in the water. Come to find out a few days later she had quite a bit of retained shed on her tail. It came off quite thick and even after all that soaking I still had to help her get it off. After that, I couldn't get her to soak or take a bath unless I let her lay on my arm under running water.

If he's completely submerging hisself head and all,..I would reduce the amount of water in his bowl. So that he can still soak but not to where he's completely under. Or make sure there's something in his bowl that he can prop his head up on. If he continues to do this after he sheds then I would try dropping the temps a couple degrees 77-79 and see if that helps. You never know,..he may not like the 79-80 range.

I hope this helps.

 

[lazyjr52]

My Green Igunna used to do the same thing when I soaked her in the tub. She used to stay under and close her eyes for like 30 seconds and then come back up. I think she was trying to hide under water though.

 

[bubbategu2]

I had this guy for a while-at least six or more sheds. This is the first time he's gone under water. And he is under water-his head is completely under water. I guess I will take some water out of his dish but there is only about two inches of water in it-enough to get his head totally submerged, thou. I was just wondering if anybody else has had this happen?

 

[VARNYARD]

Check him for mites, reptiles often soak a bunch if they have mites.

 

[bubbategu2]

Eewww! He absolutely doesn't have mites!