Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I have had my new Argentine B&W Tegu for almost a week now. He is about 2-3 months old. When he's in his enclosure he pretty much stays under the substrate. I usually take him out and let him bask when I'm home. Is it odd that he hasn't been basking in his enclosure. I like removing him to bask, though...it's kind of our "bonding time".

YES ITS NARMAL FOR TEGUS TO BURROW, AND YOU SHOULD NOT BE WAKING HIM UP, JUST LET HIM SLEEP AND HE WILL GET UP BY HIMSELF. THATS WHAT I DO WITH MY TEGU HES AN ARG BLACK AND WHITE. IS YOUR TEGU EATING ALOT.

I don't believe I am. He usually stops eating after 1 pinkie and 3 superworms. I have tried to feet him banana and strawberry, but he shows no interest. He isn't hungry every day...he's been eating every other day. IF it were up to him he would just sleep all the time. If he is in his enclosure...he's underneath the substrate. He is never out and about.

He's probably trying to hibernate, its that time of year (in my part of the world anyway). Don't bother him if he is under the substrate. IF he is trying to hibernate, he will not be eating, and will warm up and burn lots of calories that won't be replaced any time soon. Check out www.agamainternational.com and bluetegu.com for some good hibernation info. Also check the past posts to see some good advice. Best bet is to let them do what they gotta do, and they'll turn out to be a happy tegu.
-----
-Bill

1.0.0 Albino California Kingsnake
0.1.0 Colombian Red Tail Boa
0.1.0 Leucistic Patternless Leopard Gecko
0.0.1 Red Flame Crested Gecko
0.1.0 Orange Crested Gecko
1.0.0 Jackson's Chameleon
0.0.1 Argentine Black and White Tegu

My Home Page

BoidsNTegus@insightbb.com

Why would he be hibernating now that he's indoors, warm, and being fed? He seems to really enjoy the basking, but he just won't do it inside his enclosure. Should I just leave him in there and see if he does decide to hibernate??? I haven't a clue about letting him hibernate. All of my animals are indoors and don't hibernate...I guess until now.

These guys will hibernate whenever they want. At agama international, where they live outdoors all year, they stop eating and begin to make their burrows in August, when it is still very hot. Sometimes they will hibernate indoors no matter what, sometimes they never hibernate indoors. Check previous posts, search " hibernation hibernate" and you will see tons of threads on this issue.
-----
-Bill

1.0.0 Albino California Kingsnake
0.1.0 Colombian Red Tail Boa
0.1.0 Leucistic Patternless Leopard Gecko
0.0.1 Red Flame Crested Gecko
0.1.0 Orange Crested Gecko
1.0.0 Jackson's Chameleon
0.0.1 Argentine Black and White Tegu

My Home Page

BoidsNTegus@insightbb.com

I think you are suffering from the same thing we all did on our first hibernation. When I first got my little guy in December, he was already mid hibernation, and I was SO tempted to dig him up. But this is very bad for them. Even if your guy is eating a little, let him sleep. If he is not coming out on his own, then so be it, but don't dig him up. This is terrible for their physical AND mental condition. He is woken up from what he planned on being a several month nap, so he feels very vulnerable as he is cold and cannot react to danger, so he goes to warm up. Warming up and moving around takes alot of energy (energy he is not replacing because he is not eating/eating very little). So, for the sake of your tegu, just let him sleep and be patient. He will wake up happy and refreshed and ready to party for the summer.

In nature they hibernate each year in most parts, so they are biologically programmed to follow their instincts to hibernate. They will never breed if they miss even 1 year hibernation, its that important to them. They also detect things like light cycles=outdoor temps, and possibly even barometric pressures/weather patterns even if kept indoors and warm. Remember these are creatures of instinct, and each is an individual. Vito, my 3'4" Arg BW was hibernating when I got him, woke up in late February, and has been very active ever since. It is pretty cold here in KY right now, but he shows no signs of slowing down. Many people have tegus that hibernate each and every year at the same times each year, then some have tegus who hibernate every 3rd or 4th year. They are all different, and each will do whatever it feels like doing.

Sorry to post such a long one, but I already answered this kind of question twice, so I am just going to refer this post to any other questions about hibernation. It seems like a lot of the experienced people, people I learned alot from, no longer post here. So for the sake of the tegus, I am still hanging around and putting in my 2 cents. But I wish these guys would come back so you can hear this from them. Please do a search (the link is right above the Post New Message link) or scroll through the past posts and archives and look for the following names (I am sure I forgot alot of good folks, but these guys respond to a lot of the same threads)

Rollin
RussXXXX (XXXX is some number I don't remember)
BeardieDragon
AsiaXXX (another series of numbers I don't remember)
KingOfSeattle
BeuesBlue
BlueTegu
Stella St. Pierre (her husband posts also, they own BlueTegu.Com/AlbinoTegu.Com and are pioneers with tegus)

And plenty more who you'll no doubt notice. I am sure I drove some of these guys crazy with some of my questions, but they were always helpful and stern when necessary. Anyway, I hope this helps.

-----
-Bill

1.0.0 Albino California Kingsnake
0.1.0 Colombian Red Tail Boa
0.1.0 Leucistic Patternless Leopard Gecko
0.0.1 Red Flame Crested Gecko
0.1.0 Orange Crested Gecko
1.0.0 Jackson's Chameleon
0.0.1 Argentine Black and White Tegu

My Home Page

BoidsNTegus@insightbb.com

Thanks for your help...I will just leave him be until he comes out on his own...Although I am kind of sad because I JUST bought him and I can't spend any time with him. But I want to do what is best for him...THANKS again.

I feel for you. I brought mine home while they were supposedly just out of hibernation. Both of them decided to go back down to sleep, and I think I drove everyone on this site crazy whining about it whenever someone else's tegu woke up before mine!

I don't know what the St.Pierres will say is best re: temps when hibernating, but I just left mine where they were. Tegus seem to be able to decide when they need to hibernate, regardless of what the temps are or the lights. Just be patient, and you're new friend will come out eventually. Yeah, listen to me...telling somene else to be patient....Ha!

Leslie

Should I turn off his heat sources and just put him in a quiet spot in the house to hibernate??? I still keep his basking lamp and heat mat on. What is the best thing to do?

Go ahead and leave all the heat sources on for a few weeks. He will need to completely digest everything in his belly before going under for the winter. If you see him out on his own, you can offer food, but don't be suprised if he doesn't eat. Just make sure that while he still has food in his gut, leave the heat on.
-----
-Bill

1.0.0 Albino California Kingsnake
0.1.0 Colombian Red Tail Boa
0.1.0 Leucistic Patternless Leopard Gecko
0.0.1 Red Flame Crested Gecko
0.1.0 Orange Crested Gecko
1.0.0 Jackson's Chameleon
0.0.1 Argentine Black and White Tegu

My Home Page

BoidsNTegus@insightbb.com

Guess what??? He was out basking this morning!! He was also being VERY active...running around and acting like a nut. I fed him and he was HUNGRY. I've never seen him run around like he was doing this morning...maybe he decided to come out of hibernation mode???