wake up!

[Jensen]

[attachment=3788]My 2011 Varnyard giant "Littlefoot" decided he was going to get up.this morning. I saw him just sitting on his basking spot waiting for his light to turn on(guess he didn't know I shut it off lol)and has been basking for about 30min. I imagine he doesn't think its spring time however it got me thinking how do I wake.him.up or prepare for him to come out of hibernation: Feed anything special, change the lighting cycle over a couple week time period, ect....? Thanks, Jensen

 

[Piercedcub32]

I was wondering if anyone's went down this year (2011's) mine is still as lively as ever, 31 inches measured today.

 

[JohnMatthew]

I'd kick the lights back on tomorrow and the next day. If he is up again for any extended period of time over the next few days I'd probably offer a bit of food then go from there. You definitely want to make sure there's fresh water available for him to drink though, sometimes they just come up for some basking and a drink then go back down. Other times they can wake up entirely and get an early start on a long growing year.

 

[Jensen]

Pierced cub32: ha that's sick! Never really know how quickly these guys grew. Maybe you could give me the run down on how you take care of yours so I can compare with what I am doing.

Johnmatthew: I had heard that so I put fresh water in every day, and I just set up his timer for the heat and lights(I'm still wondering about getting a 24hr heat source; when his lights are off the room temp is between 70-75F). I woke him up twice to check on him (im kinda new to the let a sleeping dog lie thing ha) i offered food because i thought his tail looked to skinny at the base; but that was a no go. Today i didnt offer he didnt seem to mind just went back to sleep, if he gets up again tomorrow what should i offer him I've, will anything do? Also i wonder if there is a way to maybe provoke an early spring so he has a longer growing year??

 

[JohnMatthew]

If a GU wants to hibernate there's really not much you can do to stop it. I've had them go down with days still getting into the mid 90s and not seeing them for 6+ months.. I guess it's not so much a temperature thing, maybe it has more to do with the photoperiod and food availability?? Just offer a small portion of some of his favorite food next time he's up, maybe he'll eat, maybe he won't.. Remember to keep the lights/heat going if he does eat so he can bask/thermoregulate and get that meal digested properly should he decide to go back down.

 

[Dana C]

Just a thought....pushing growth in most animals, mammals and reptiles is not always a good thing. They should be allowed to grow at a rate dictated by their biological clock and individual genetics.

I hate to be a contrarian but it seems like many people think that having the largest Tegu is some sort of contest. My late August AA is about 17" last time I looked, (sleeping now) and will get as large as his parentage and genetics will allow provided he is fed well, which he is.
He will be what he will be.

 

[JohnMatthew]

Just a thought....pushing growth in most animals, mammals and reptiles is not always a good thing. They should be allowed to grow at a rate dictated by their biological clock and individual genetics.

I hate to be a contrarian but it seems like many people think that having the largest Tegu is some sort of contest. My late August AA is about 17" last time I looked, (sleeping now) and will get as large as his parentage and genetics will allow provided he is fed well, which he is.
He will be what he will be.

I don't think it's really possible to push growth on a healthy, growing tegu. You can mess around with temps, light cycles, and food intake but in the end, they're going to do what they're going to do regardless of your efforts. I don't advocate trying to keep a tegu bent on hibernating awake, but if mine were up and active for consecutive days, I'd offer a bit of food then go from there.

---

I should add, it is possibly to push growth but not if you're providing proper environment and diet. If you're not doing this, we probably are no longer talking about a "healthy" growing tegu anyway..

Tegus do grow in spurts though with high variability in size(even with same clutch offspring). You can raise 2 brothers from the same clutch, exactly the same way and they will often leapfrog each other in size until their 2nd year. In the end it's as you said though, they will be what they will be.

 

[Jensen]

Thanks for you're input guys, it is appreciated. It is by no means a contest to have the largest animal, having a healthy tegu is my main concern. I got the last of all of bobby's 2011 tegus. Seeing as he's a little guy I wanted to pay attention and make sure things were alright. about two.weeks after in his new home he started getting ready to go down(eating and coming out less), thought because he went down so soon giving him an opportunity for an early start would be beneficial to him. Sometimes I feel a little encouragement is all that is needed. I understand these guys are going to do what they will, my Columbian always wiped his mouth when finished eating and that was that ha

Never will i say perfect, but he has a healthy enviorment: Eco earth, multiple hides(hot end cool end) water dish big enough to soak in, 24inch T8 5.0 uvb, basking spot 106F(will be going up) day time ambient 80F. As for the diet there is not a pattern but is fed turkey, mice, hard boiled eggs, cod liver oil(i use Reptivite without D3) please feel free if you have any input or good ideas about either subject.

Does anybody have a good idea of what actually "sets off" the biological clock in their heads?