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View Full Version : juv tegu wont eat



mike
12-01-2006, 04:19 AM
i got my argentine b and w tegu a week ago, when I first got him he ate right away, 2 pinkies and crix. since then, i havent witnessed him eating. He has defecated twice, but i haven't actually seen him eating. He has also spent almost all his time under the substrate. What could be wrong? I have taken him out of the substrate a few times, could that stress him? any help would b appriceated :?

mike
12-01-2006, 04:21 AM
oh yea he is 16 inches st. His temps are 85-90 in the day, 75 at night with a heat pad. I am keeping him on bed a beast, sphagnum moss and cypress. He also has no UV, is UV completely neccesary?

RehabRalphy
12-01-2006, 05:02 AM
Sounds like hes going down for the winter :)

Nothing to worry about buddy. Those are signs of him wanting to hibernate to me. I wouldnt offer anymore food. Keep the lights on for another week. DONT mess with him anymore. Leave him be under the mulch. Like I said, he needs to have the lights on for another week so the rest of teh food he ate can be digested. Then turn the lights off. Hes wanting to brumate, which is a good thing. Most of my tegus are doing the same right now.

RehabRalphy
12-01-2006, 05:04 AM
He needs light, no heat pad. Only time when you need a heat pad is if the lights arent hot enough.

UVA AND UVB IS NEEDED! Go out and buy a good flouresent bulb or a good mercury vapor bulb. They'll run you about $20-$40 for the bulb, but its completely needed! This will work for the UVB.

For the UVA, just use a regular white bulb that you use for your house lamps. Find the right wattage of bulb (40,60,75 or 100) and use it. This will also be the heat source.

Oh, and welcome to thetegu

mike
12-01-2006, 02:26 PM
thanks so much! will he come out at all? and how long will this last? ive heard 5-7 months?

TheNero
12-01-2006, 03:38 PM
UVB is a must, Tegu's arent gecko's they don't need belly heat, they need basking heat, so a UVB spot light would do him wonders, this could be why he isn't eating, or he wants to hibernate, and it can last a long time, and if hes in his hide don't take him out, thats his safty zone, and if you keep taking him out hes never gonne feel safe in his home.

mike
12-02-2006, 12:50 AM
o yea i keep him with a 100 watt bulb i didnt want u to think i was just keeping him on a heat pad. Thanks for all the info, hes fine, just brumnating.

ownage_man
07-05-2009, 08:00 PM
uv is necessairy but i have a juz tegu eating prob also =( only eats crix and eggs rejects the pinkies and mealies