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Hockeymom
09-09-2005, 04:40 AM
Hi Guys-
Well Deuce is doing well and is growing, but I do have a couple questions.
He wakes up about 8 am, warms up till about 9:30 or 10:00 and eats. By 3 or 4 in the afternoon he has buried himself and sleeps until 8 or so the next morning. I don't get to see him a lot. I have time to spend with him in the evening but mornings and afternoons are very busy. Is there a way I can change his schedule so he's up later in the evening? Will he sleep less as he grows? Could he beginning to prepare for hibernation all ready?
My second question is I never see Deuce drink water from his water bowl, and when I mist his cage he starts drinking the water off the rock or the substrate. How can I make sure he is getting enough H2O?
Thanks for your help.
Becky

Teiidae
09-09-2005, 12:18 PM
Hi Guys-
Well Deuce is doing well and is growing, but I do have a couple questions.
He wakes up about 8 am, warms up till about 9:30 or 10:00 and eats. By 3 or 4 in the afternoon he has buried himself and sleeps until 8 or so the next morning. I don't get to see him a lot. I have time to spend with him in the evening but mornings and afternoons are very busy. Is there a way I can change his schedule so he's up later in the evening? Will he sleep less as he grows? Could he beginning to prepare for hibernation all ready?
My second question is I never see Deuce drink water from his water bowl, and when I mist his cage he starts drinking the water off the rock or the substrate. How can I make sure he is getting enough H2O?
Thanks for your help.
Becky

I believe his daily routine or pattern, seems typical and nothing wrong with it - To change it you may have to wake him at night, however I am not reccomending you wake a sleeping Tegu - I highly doubt your Tegu will hibernate unless you are inducing or stimulating a hibernating environment.

As far as the water is concerned, he probably is drinking from the bowl, however you just have not caught him - To re-assure yourself, I would stick him in front of the bowl, and maybe give a little splash letting him know it is there - I'm generally home when my Tegu's are up and maybe see them drinking and hanging around the water bowl maybe for a minute out of their day - If he is thirsty, he will seek water and you are providing it ...

If it's any consequence, I have not seen my beardie drink water in the last 4 months 8O

Rick
09-09-2005, 02:46 PM
Thee01Edge posted pretty much what I would have posted. :)

Rick

Hockeymom
09-09-2005, 02:55 PM
Wow I didn't realize Tegu's sleep so much. I guess I will have to rearrange my schedule, my boys will sure be disappointed they just don't get to see him at all. He's already buried himself by the time they get home from school. Thanks for the help.
Becky

arf-man
09-09-2005, 05:22 PM
Question from me seeing's how I know very little about this, is it possible, using lights and timers, to alter the day cycle so the Tegu would be awake and active when you wanted it to? What would the challenges or problems be? Would you have to make sure if you wanted the Tegu asleep during the day to darken the room from ambient light, and if so how dark?

Johelian
09-09-2005, 05:41 PM
Yeah, using timers you could have your tegu awake at practically any time of day - which is how many people keep them from hibernating. My tegu will begin to stir as soon as the room is "naturally" lit in the mornings by the sun, and will actually come out and be active when his own lights come on a short time later. Therefore, I would say that you probably need to have a room in pretty dim light to let your animal know that its time to sleep. That being said, both of my lizards will automatically bed down for the night when their cage lights go out now regardless of whether the room light is on, so.... :)

I guess that just confused things further. Sorry!

Hockeymom
09-09-2005, 05:50 PM
I have Deuces lights and heat lamp come on at 7 am and go off at 7pm. He is still going to bed by 3-4 pm. Maybe I should have his lights come on a couple hours later in the morning, like 9 am and see if that helps him stay up an hour or two later in the afternoon.
Also, how in the world are you suppose to get those harnesses on them? He's too squirmy, just about the time I get one foot in and I start working on the other he pulls his first foot out. He won't let me hold him still to get him in it.

Englishtegu
09-10-2005, 01:20 PM
I'm still learning about tegus myself, but I have my lights on a timer 10am to 10pm. The tegus will go to 'bed' by burrowing down in the substrate in the early evening, say around 6 or 7pm. I often can't get to them until around 7 or 8pm, i.e. sometimes they are asleep before I've had chance to feed them. I have found that by spraying their cage heavily with tepid water, they will wake up and feed, and then come out for a roam around. I've also noticed that they have started staying up later: I guess its hard to get to sleep on an empty stomach! They seem to be adjusting to the new routine...