young tegus 1st hibernation

[axeslinger39]

Hello folks! I have been reading a few of the post regarding hibernation.Having said that I feel good about my young female.Her name is Lucy.I bought her in Sept oif this year at the sacramento reptile show.She is now about 3 months old and roughly a foot long.She ate good the 1st few weeks when I got her.Pinkys and scrambled eggs.In the last month she shows the signs of hibernating and not eating at all.Her temps are mid to high 80's in the day and 70ish at night.She may be out for a few hours a day.Sometimes I don't see her for a few days.
My question is this..Is her not eating at all and still staying somewhat visable normal for this semi hibernating time?And is proper hibernating a constant sleep till spring?? any info will be great...Axe

 

[Harveysherps]

Yes it is pretty much constant. Make sure she doesn't have any food in her when she does. Or she will rot during her sleep and be no more. My Tegus were already out by this time. Seems seems to be on track for hibernating though. From the way you describe it. She is doing well with things. Just go ahead and let here cool down gradually. Keep her temps around 60. Let her have natural light cycles. And she will take care of the rest. When she pops out this spring. You will be amazed to see it has grown. Very cool to see. I used peat moss and leaves from the yard mixed in a tub for mine to sleep the winter in. Make sure it's moist but not wet. I hope this help. Maybe if I messed up or missed something. Someone else will chime in .

 

[axeslinger39]

Thanks!! I have her actually next to my bedroom window so she does get some light during the day.I do have peat moss in her cage and keeping it moist around 70% humid.If having her in the window is a bad idea lemme know.Thanks for your help..Bryan

 

[Harveysherps]

It's fine as long as the sun doesn't make the temps too hot. I would move it to a dark and quite location. That way it can sleep undisturbed. I used to put mine in rubbermaid tubs and put them in the bottom of my closet.

 

[axeslinger39]

I will move her in a dark spot! Thanks...Axe

 

[Harveysherps]

Your Welcome

 

[axeslinger39]

Hey there!Back again.I have the tegus in the closet with no light.I notice she comes out now and then and is still not in full hibernation..I have heard of people with bearded dragons have a simalr problem and they give them a soak to make sure they are digesting ok.Then put them back and they go down.Mine had not eaten in over a month.Would taking her out when she is up and soaking be a good idea??Thanks again...Bryan

 

[Harveysherps]

I would just let them be. They will come out every so often. Your temps may be too warm for them to fully go down. I kept mine in the coolest room of the house. Temps were around 70. Mine would move around every so often at first but by this time they were down for the winter. But as far as doing what beardie people do. A tegu is nothing like a beardie. So don't try to apply beardie care to your tegu. You will be looking for trouble if you do.

 

[mistah_kurtz]

more hibernation questions

hey guys, I have a similar situation with my ~3 month old, ~18" long tegu. since she came in the mail about a month ago she has shown signs of going into hibernation, eating very rarely and sleeping a whole lot. she's got plenty of room in her 3.5'x3' cage, and sleeps under the 2-3" of cypress mulch. however she has eaten recently and therefore i have been waking her up almost every day to make sure she gets some time under the lamps to digest. i'm wondering if waking her up on a daily basis is bad for her in any way (though its obviously necessary until she empties her digestive tract). is it okay to wake her like this? will it prevent her from hibernating? or should i just stop feeding her completely and eventually let her sleep for a couple of months? thanks guys.

PS - one more question: if she's been in hibernation mode for the last month but hasn't slept for more than a couple days at a time, will she still go down for a full 3 months once I stop feeding her, or will the last month count as part of the hibernation period?

 

[Harveysherps]

I can't answer all your questions. But waking them isn't good. You should have known to prepare her . ( not trying to be an a hole) She may go ahead with no problems and she may already have emptied on her own. They tend to bury the dumps. So everything may be fine. But you must remember to stop feeding . Right before the time for hibernation. Here in Al its around August. It's up to you to know what to do. Unless you keep an outdoors set up. Then they do it pretty much on their own. You've gotta know when to do the things nature does to make them do it. I'm not trying to be hard on you. Just trying to make a point. Please don't take this as I'm flaming you. I've just learned a lot from some one who bred them for years. I had a good teacher. This site is full of info. Sometimes you have to do your homework and this is one of those times. You are doing the best that can be done . But if you plan on breeding her. Then your gonna have to get her to sleep. Some say you don't. I've never bred them. So I can't say either way. It all depends on what your plans are with her. I'll be happy to try and help answer any questions you have.

 

[mistah_kurtz]

Thanks for the reply, and don't worry, I know it's constructive criticism. I've gotten the impression that a)hibernation is not required to maintain the animal's health, b)it is possible (though not necessarily easy) to prevent your tegu from hibernating, and c)it is not necessary to completely stop feeding if the animal still shows some level of activity.
See, for example, this thread:
<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.tegutalk.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=1814&highlight=hibernating">http://www.tegutalk.com/forum/viewtopic ... ibernating</a><!-- m -->

Though I've come to understand that hibernating is not necessary and can be prevented, I guess one thing that I'm still unclear on is whether it can (or should) be prevented if the earlier stages have already begun(reduced feeding and activity, but still somewhat active).

 

[Harveysherps]

If your not going to breed it. The it's really not gonna matter. Most times their biological clock kicks in and they will hibernate anyway. Whether to keep them from it is up to you. Hibernating with food in the belly. Is for sure a slow death and not good for them. She will soon more than likely go on out. They move around some at first but they will continue to move. Until you drop the temps and let them have natural light. Some used tubs and black them out. Once they go down. How you do it is your choice.

 

[mistah_kurtz]

Thanks Wes!

 

[Harveysherps]

Your very welcome.

 

[Deafbum]

That is strange, I thought tegus do not grow during hybernation because there metabolism slows down and they do not feed.

 

[Harveysherps]

Mine grew during hibernation. I mean a lot. You would have thought they were awake.

 

[axeslinger39]

I quite frankly don't like this time.I miss Lucy!!I am not breeding her.But I am going to listen to Wes and turn the heater way down and let her be..Axe

 

[axeslinger39]

Heres a few more...

 

[Harveysherps]

Room temps should be fine. Just don't go lower than 60. Just to be on the safe side. I know they can take it cooler. But it's no sense in it.