IM A NEWBIE!!Kinda need some help

[Greblhad]

Hello everyone! I just recently bought my first Tegu off of someone who wasn't taking very good care of him. They said they have had him for about two years but he is only around 2.5 ft long. Is this normal? He also seems to be walking rather sluggishly and sometimes drags his body. The previous owner had him in a 40 gal breeder his whole life with only one uvb bulb (that probably ran out of UV within the first 6 months). His name is Thanos and he is really nice and loves to explore my room, but sometimes he just plops and lays down. I would just like some opinions from those of you with more experience with tegus, is he sick? can he overcome this and become stronger? please let me know what you all think. Thanks!

 

[babyyitslove]

Do you know anything about his diet from his previous owner?
He could be deficient in vitamins or just slowing down for hibernation.

It all depends on his past... but in order to ensure he's at his best, what you do from here on out is even more important.

Pictures?

 

[james.w]

Could possibly have MBD. What is the enclosure like now? What bulbs are you using and what do you plan on feeding? Any pics of him and the cage?

 

[Greblhad]

Well I have him in a 4x2x2 cage right now and he seems to enjoy it. I have a basking light and and uv florescent tube in his cage along with a big water bowl and some logs and a bark substrate. the previous owner said he was feeding him f/t and live mice along with some fruits here and there and yogurt or something.. but he said he only fed once or twice a week. I plan on feeding her ground turkey with some cod liver oil and f/t mice and roaches along with fruits here and there. (rotating in some other meats as well) and I have only a few pictures of him. Id take some right now but he is burrowed and sleeping.


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[james.w]

How far away is the UVB bulb? You may want to try and get some chicken necks to feed, from what I hear they are very beneficial for calcium deficient tegus. Also maybe get him outside for some sunlight if possible.

 

[Greblhad]

Alright I will look into getting some chicken necks. Any idea on where to find them? haha. And the UV is about 10" away from the ground. I am also dusting the food with repcal calcium dust w/o d3. And I have taken him outside for the passed few days every day for about an hour of natural sunlight. Is he small for being two years old?

 

[babyyitslove]

He's very cute! Just remember to offer him food everyday and try a rodent at least once a week.
Let him out to wander as much as you can. It will encourage him to be more active and allow you to observe what, if anything at all, may be bothering him.

My girl has slowed down tremendously and is only waking up for about 30 minutes a day and only eating every other day, and I still offer her food daily. Its getting to be that time for hibernation, and if your Guy hibernates, its important that he fattens up before the big sleep.

 

[james.w]

I haven't used chicken necks, I keep forgetting to go look for them. I am going to try a butcher shop. He does seem a little small for his age.

Sounds like you are doing everything right, keep it up and I'm sure he will do great.

 

[babyyitslove]

If you use the search function, someone photo documented their tegu's growth. That may help you scale his size in comparison to another like him.

My girl is 3 and she's significantly larger. But these guys are known for growth spurts, so not every tegu is the same.

If you care for him properly and he begins to grow like a weed, then he was just underfed and improperly cared for.

We got a columbian 3 weeks ago and today he will have gone into his FOURTH shed and has DOUBLED in size. He was eating weekly before we got him... now he eats daily.

 

[Greblhad]

WOW! 4 sheds in 3 weeks? and doubled in size? from what size to what size? that is pretty cool. I am feeding mine daily as well so we will see if he decides to grow or not. hopefully he will! thanks for your input

 

[james.w]

Another question.. What are your temps, basking and ambient?

 

[Greblhad]

basking spot is a little over 100 degrees and the cool side of the cage is around 85 and around 90 in the middle. and I have been misting twice a day which keeps the humidity around 70%. from what I have read, these reading should be ok. Do they seem correct? keep in mind I have only had him for a few days now as well.

 

[james.w]

The main reason I ask is because to get him some good calcium I would feed a majority whole prey diet, mice/rats/chicks and the chicken necks. If you can get the basking spot up to about 110 it will ensure proper digestion of these food items and prevent impaction. Also try getting the cool side down to at the most 80, 78-80 is a good cool side temp in my opinion.

 

[Greblhad]

ok I will try feeding things high in calcium and give him as much natural sunlight as I possibly can. and I am not sure how to lower the cool side when my room is that hot as well. We are just now starting to feel the summer heat here in San Diego haha.

 

[james.w]

Not much you can do if the ambient temps in the room are that high. But a simple way to raise basking temps is to raise the basking spot towards the bulb.

 

[Greblhad]

alright thanks man. I am thinking of getting a large rock and placing it under the basking light so he can grind down his crazy sharp claws everytime he climbs up there haha. My wrists look like i got in a fight with a thornbush.

 

[babyyitslove]

I've been trying to post progression pics of my columbian to demonstrate a growth spurt from proper feeding but my new phone is garbage and keeps shutting down my browser.

Ill post them from my husbands phone tomorrow.