Tegu hasn't been eating much lately?

[Chris23039]

My tegu hasn't been eating much lately, been offering food every day, cold side is 80-85 and the baking surface temp is 115-120ish. Humidity is also kept in the 80% range. Offering turkey salmon both supplemented with calcium, mice and chicks.

I'm going to try and get some fruit and veg into his diet aswell but he doesn't seem interested in anything at the moment

Thanksn

 

[Josh]

How long has it been since he's eaten? Do you have cause for worry yet? What's his absolute favorite food? Will he eat any of that?

 

[Chris23039]

Well he last ate salmon just over a week ago, I'm going to try salmon again tomorrow and see if he has any

 

[Chris23039]

Didn't eat again today, doesn't seem interested

 

[Chris23039]

Offered egg and some salad today, he walked over had a look but didn't eat, I've also noticed he's just about to start shedding, could that affect his appetite?

 

[Chris23039]

Anyone?

 

[TeguBuzz]

Shedding could be it. Bare in mind - some tegus do slow down, even this late in the year (or early, however you want to think of it). Apart from that, is all else looking normal?

 

[Chris23039]

Yea I mean he looks ok physically, still runs around when he comes out in my room, basks in the morning still. I read on another thread, think you wrote it actually, that they like to be around 37 so I thought id check and he was 34 so that seems normal aswell

Thanks

 

[TeguBuzz]

37, 34 - what are you referring to? If those are basking temps in celsius, they are too low as 37 degrees celsius only equates to about 100 F. Basking temps should be upwards of 120ish F. So if that is the case, you'd need to raise up your temps to 49 or 50 C.

 

[Chris23039]

Yea the surface temps of the rocks he basks on is 115-120 but I pointed the laser surface temperature thing at my tegu and it said 34 c

 

[Chris23039]

Sorry my mistake it was road kill, he said "Tegus like to regulate their body temperatures around the same temperature as mammals (37C) so see if your tegu is actually getting up to this temperature.