Is he hibernating or just scared?

theblueplatypus · Valued Member Joined: May 01, 2007 Posts: 110

I have just recently gotten Dozer, about two years old and two and a half feet long red tegu. He really loves his burrows. He will disappear for days on end unless i dig in there to wake him, however when i do wake him he will walk around and bask and eat and generally stay out for the rest of the day. Now i know about where he came from and i had a chance to live with him before i even thought to take him in. The owners found him too defensive and neither had the patience or money to properly care for him. He was in a too small of a tank with too small of a hide-box. He ate well and had a very bad attitude. I would see him come out in the mid-day and he would frantically search for a way out of the tank and then supper time he would go back to bed. Then, i moved out of this place and didn’t get to see him as often. Soon after he got downgraded to an even smaller tank, with no hide-box and no substrate. Now, every time i saw him he was sleeping. Voices in the room wouldn’t wake him up; the owners told me once they checked to make sure he wasn’t dead and he stirred then went back to sleep. I always thought that this was from depression, and i thought that he was hiding because of fear. i have only actually recently learned that tegu’s do in fact hibernate. Should i be leaving him alone? Or should i be waking him to help him get used to me?

Also, i am new to this and any advice on developing a good pet-owner relationship would be excellent.

P.s. His attitude has improved and he shows signs of curiosity towards us...when he can see us.

VARNYARD · Posted: Tue May 01, 2007 9:45 pm Post subject:

Let me first say, welcome to theTegu community theblueplatypus, glad to have you join us!!

As for the question, I would not disturb him, he will come out when he is ready. As long as he has good weight he will be fine. Tegus can hibernate up to seven months, they will come out when they are ready.

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theblueplatypus · Valued Member Joined: May 01, 2007 Posts: 110

The last time that i tried to feed him i gave him a plate full of worms and apple pieces. he was attracted to the worms and ran over and attacked one, then he tried and apple slice and he spit it out then he seemed as if he was pissed off and he jumped onto the plate and kicked the food everywhere. Do they do that a lot? I realized too that the time i fed him before i offered him two thawed fuzzies and he took them but since has not pooed their waste back up. He took a small one in his water dish but it didn't look mouse related. should i check the substrate to see if it's underneath somewhere? i can't smell anything. and i haven't seen him since the day he scattered the worms all over his cage.

jabbadaslut · New Member Joined: Apr 26, 2007 Posts: 3

you probabley wont be able to identify it as mouse related. especially if its a pinky, itll all get absorbed

theblueplatypus · Valued Member Joined: May 01, 2007 Posts: 110

Oh, i thought that they couldn't digest the fur and bones and what not...

He's awake though! he came out today on his own and he seems far more relaxed. and hungry! He's never gotten excited while i cook supper before but i was frying up some chicken and he said to me 'feed me'. (not literally of course)

Hip hip Hooray for happy pets!

theblueplatypus · Valued Member Joined: May 01, 2007 Posts: 110

No hip hip hooray?

VARNYARD · Posted: Mon May 07, 2007 11:58 pm Post subject:

You bet ya, somehow I missed this!!

Glad to hear he is doing better!!

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