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New baby Tegu (potential hibernation and bonding problems?)

Asheya

New Member
Messages
10
Hi guys.
Worried new Tegu mama. I've worked with adult Tegus for a long time, but this baby business is a whole new experience.

Long story short, I've had my little B&W for around a month. He's alright with me touching him, but will scamper under his hides and not come out when I'm around. The two times I took him out, we stayed in the bathroom and he hid, wanting nothing to do with me. I was trying to mist his hut substrate once, not realizing he was under it, and he charged to bite me. I can hold him need be, but it's clear he's not fond of it so I avoid it.

I've realized for now it's probably better not to take him out, but the second issue is I can't tell if he's slowing down to hibernate or if he's too stressed to come out and eat. He'll eat max 10 meal worms every couple of days, and refuses anything else. Took a bit of salmon, turkey and some Repashy, but nothing substantial. Spends most the day hiding. His cool end is 75ish, mid is 85-95 and his basking is 115-120. If he's hibernating I'd rather not bother him and wait until he's more active to interact with him and bond...

I'm not sure if there's anything more I can do for him, or just observe the next coming weeks until he either hibernates (if I sense this is the case I'll probably dock down the temp a bit/ his lights on shorter intervals), and I slowly try to bond again, or he grows and calms down. Has anyone had a particularly aggressive/ skittish baby they managed to calm down? Any tricks you can impart with me? He has one of my shirts in the tank and I'll spend time with my hand just in the enclosure for him to get used to it, but he really doesn't come out when I'm near.
 

Asheya

New Member
Messages
10
Sounds like normal hatchling behavior
That's reassuring. A colleague of mine had a baby that was tame from the get go so I worried I had done something to spook it.
Do you have an opinion on bathtub bonding? I was going to leave him alone for another week to determine if he's going into hibernation or not and then go from there.

Thanks for the reply
 

Zyn

Well-Known Member
Messages
609
My blue is nearly one and a few months and I still spend most of our bonding time giving him a bath 2-3 times a week. I don’t see a problem with it.
 

AlphaAlpha

Well-Known Member
1,000+ Post Club
5 Year Member
Messages
1,022
All sounds normal these animals take patience, patience and more patience..... Alpha at a few months over 1 is only now just feeling comfortable freely walking on a daily basis around my appartment at bonding /exercise time and doesn't freak at the smallest noise or movement.
 

Trizz1964

New Member
Messages
20
That's reassuring. A colleague of mine had a baby that was tame from the get go so I worried I had done something to spook it.
Do you have an opinion on bathtub bonding? I was going to leave him alone for another week to determine if he's going into hibernation or not and then go from there.

Thanks for the reply
bonding with him in the tub is a easy deal, put the water just about neck hight wear his feet touch the bottom of the tub, let him sit in the water for a few minutes like a soak, the just put your hand in front of him, he will climb on your hand to get out of the water, do this about 15 to 20 times then he'll realize your not a threat but the solution to getting out of the water and it will build the trust bond strong with him...
 

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