Keeping A Non-Brumating Tegu - Questions

[HeatherN]

Hello all, ill be getting my first tegu, a 2012 varnyard extreme giant, and I've done so much research that i dream the information. the only thing i can't seem to find is how to keep a tegu OUT of hibernation/brumation. Tegus can hibernate for over half a year in some cases, and my preference would be to keep a hibernation-free tegu, since i have no intention to breed - he will be strictly a companion animal. I live in southern california, so weather here is mild, and i keep all my reptiles on a 12 hour on/ 12 hour off schedule usually.

In short, how to keep them from hibernating is my question. From what I've gathered, keep the lighting consistent, the temps high, and the food flowing - am i missing anything or is it really that simple? :huh: (that technique never seems to work for my other reptiles that brumate)

Thanks all!!

 

[tommyboy]

Hello Heather and welcome to the forum! Waiting for your new extreme is a very exciting time. I know it was for me. The reality is that there is nothing you can do to keep him/her from hibernating. If they want to , they will. It does not matter how much you play with lighting, temps, or food. It is a natural thing for them and it's in your new friends best interest to let them do what they do. You may just luck out and get one that doesn't go down. Best of luck with your new extreme and I hope the time passes quickly for you!

 

[HeatherN]

curses! lol, but thanks! i just know I'm a worrier when it comes to my pets. i still remember the first time my bearded dragons went into brumation, i knew what was going on but i kept worrying about their shedding, possibility of rotting food in the intestines, all that junk. i keep thinking, if only i could turn that stuff off!

 

[tommyboy]

Haha! Two out of three of mine went down this year and I missed them a ton. It's really exciting waiting for them to come out of their winter slumber. Some owners actually look forward to it every year because they are able to save money on food and electricity. I was really bummed out last year. My 2011 extreme went into hibernation after only having him for 3 months! He has been up for a while now and Im finally getting to enjoy him.

 

[m3s4]

Actually, you can keep them from going down.

It's as simple as staying with their normal routine, every day.

I've kept my b&w out of hibernation and my colombian out of hibernation.

When winter hits here in Colorado, they can't bask out in natural sunlight, so I adjust our schedules accordingly and make sure to get them up everyday and put them under their heat/UVB lamp.

Nothing changes - except for my caging - I don't have substrate and I don't cage them. They free-roam and I keep them in portable hides for sleeping. No digging = +++ for keeping them out of hibernation.

Kind of hard for them to hibernate if A) they can't burrow and B) they are forced to wake up and bask everyday.

 

[reptastic]

M3s4 what you reccomend is vey stressful to tegus, I wouldn't want to deprive my tegus of smething they love to do, it really stresses them out when they can't dig and burrow, I would reccomend letting your tegu decide what it wants to do and follow accordingly, I'm sure we all love out tegus but there health and wellbeing should come before what we want

 

[tommyboy]

^^^ 100% agree. Why force them out of something that they do naturally?

 

[HeatherN]

Well, tegus being creatures of habit, schedule-loving, little geniuses they are, in theory shouldn't you be able to gently continue them on their normal routine? I.e waking them up gently, bathing them, feeding them, free roam.. All while maintaining consistent temps and lighting? I imagine it couldn't be too bad to change absolutely nothing about their routine.

 

[m3s4]

Well, tegus being creatures of habit, schedule-loving, little geniuses they are, in theory shouldn't you be able to gently continue them on their normal routine? I.e waking them up gently, bathing them, feeding them, free roam.. All while maintaining consistent temps and lighting? I imagine it couldn't be too bad to change absolutely nothing about their routine.

Exactly. You just hit the nail on the head.

There's plenty of reports around that confirm that tegus that do not hibernate are no more stressed then those that do.

I've read, and seen, no indicative proof that tegus who don't hibernate are in some way more stressed or harmed in any way. As well, no reports indicate a tegu that hibernates is better off then one that doesn't.

If you want your tegu to hibernate, that's perfectly fine.

If you don't, that's perfectly fine as well.

There's no clear advantages for your tegu to hibernate in captivity. In the wild, they do it because winter months in South America are too cold for them to effectively bask, hunt, feed and digest any food that's eaten.

Stating that it's stressful or in someway harmful to tegus that don't hibernate in captivity, imo, is inaccurate.

It's merely a choice to either let them, or allow then to stay up.

 

[HeatherN]

that was the way i always assumed it to be. majoring in biology, i can't find any physiological reason for them to hibernate if the weather does not cool and food does not become scare (unless they plan to breed). however, I'm no herpetologist, and i have no experience with these lizards in particular, so i'm just seeking the advice of experienced owners with happy, healthy tegus!

 

[Bubblz Calhoun]

Whatever happens happens,.. and adjust to what they require accordingly. Why try and force it one way or the other. I don't see how forcing the opposite of what their body and instincts are telling them to do, wouldn't be stressful. But they don't show it the same way we do so who knows.

Keeping the temps high and waking them up everyday when they maybe prepping to hibernate. Or dropping the temps and cutting back food when they're staying up. Just let it be,.. and give them what they need to do so which ever way they decide to go.

It's different for each some hibernate some don't, you might get lucky and yours actually stays up.

 

[m3s4]

Whatever happens happens,.. and adjust to what they require accordingly. Why try and force it one way or the other. I don't see how forcing the opposite of what their body and instincts are telling them to do, wouldn't be stressful. But they don't show it the same way we do so who knows.

Keeping the temps high and waking them up everyday when they maybe prepping to hibernate. Or dropping the temps and cutting back food when they're staying up. Just let it be,.. and give them what they need to do so which ever way they decide to go.

It's different for each some hibernate some don't, you might get lucky and yours actually stays up.

Well said.

When it comes to my own personal experience, mine never hibernate because again, they can't burrow due to their captive habitat - and the fact they're free-roaming + set on a 24/7 365 schedule.

Their routine is mirrored by my own because every day, come 3 pm, I get them from out of their sleepers and place them under their lamps.

The basking temps stay up, they stay fed, they get baths, they nap then they go to sleep again. I see no change in them during winter - including their appetite.

It's become so much of a routine that I don't think they ever fully "try" and hibernate anymore. Up, bask, potty, eat, sleep x 365.

I see it like this: if you want a break from the daily routine of tegu life, let them hibernate. You save money, they hibernate, everyone profits.

If you want them to stay up, you don't need to force them, you just stick to a routine that get's them up every day and mimics a natural, warmer climate.

****However**** if your tegu stops eating, stops drinking and just won't act normal during their hibernation period(s) and you're trying to keep them up regardless - I'd definitely encourage hibernation at that point because that's obviously a very clear sign they're trying very hard to hibernate.

Mine don't do this but I could see it happening and if it does I'd do the above.

 

[Muhlny]

New tegu owner here. I have had one for about 3 weeks. He was a rescue from Florida. Not sure of age or sex. Over the past week I has been hiding more and eating less. Wanted to know if it is ok to take it out of his borrow in the morning so it can bask, or should I let it sleep? If I move the substrate (which is Cypress mulch and reptisoil around it will let me know if I get close. What is everyones opinion on this? Do it let it hibernate or do I make it get up. I live in .Erie PA and it just starting to warm up.

 

[RomanPort]

Hey there.

Personally, I'd let him do what he would like to do right now. I'm not entirely sure, but is there a chance he's stressed out by the new environment instead of brumating? If you're taming him right now, as I imagine you are, I wouldn't force him out of his hide. That's his space and trust is a big priority.

That being said, interaction is important right now. You should try to interact with him now, but don't force him out of his hide. I'm not experienced enough to tell you what to do if he refuses to come out, but I've heard that their curiosity will get the best of them.