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Thread: How bad is it if they don't brumate?

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Apr 2006
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    351

    Default How bad is it if they don't brumate?

    My tegu seemed to be on the verge of brumating now and then this year, but then it will start being active again and eat like a horse. This happened a few times. He's starting to eat less again, but it's already almost january. My plan is to try to feed him on more time in two days time, and if he eats he eats but if he doesn't eat I'll slowly lower the heat. Today he only ate a small piece of chicken, no fruit.

    But the thing is, how bad is it for them if they don't brumate? I'm not talking about immediate effects but long term. I read that it shortens their lifespan. I want to let him brumate anyway because it's only natural they do that.

    This one brumated every year but never really slept the full 6 months like most do. He usually goes into brumation around december and wakes up in feb, instead of the usual slow down in september when its still hot thing and wake up in march/april.

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Dec 2009
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    Maryland
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    I am no authority on the subject but i have known of a few older tegus that had long lives and never brumated....
    1.0.0 Argentine B&W Tegu
    0.0.2 African Pyxie Frog
    1.0.0 Blood Python
    1.0.0 Albino Burmese Python
    1.0.0 Blue Tongue Skink
    1.0.0 Basilisk
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    1.0.0 Albino Western Hognose


    Roaches (Dubia & Lateralis)

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Nov 2007
    Location
    Canada, Québec, Pointe-Calumet.
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    Well brumating is not an obligation and won't hurt your tegu if you do not put him in hibernation. Maybe a ''brumating'' tegu might live longer because he ''slow down'' during nearly 6 month, but on the other hand, it's 6 month that you don't spend with your animal. Having an hibernating animal, is like (in my opinion) having no animal during this period.

    I read some hypothesis somewhat a hibernating Tegu might live 30 years. But I never heard a story about someone keeping one over 15 years old. Maybe someone here might have a very old tegu and can give his opinion about the subject.
    Ben
    0.1.0, 2007, Bearded Dragon (Uresaii)
    1.0.0, 1999, Hermann Tortoise (Tama-chan)
    0.1.0, 2007, Redfoot Tortoise (Kame-chan)


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  4. #4
    Join Date
    Apr 2006
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    351

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    Quote Originally Posted by Ben3233 View Post
    Well brumating is not an obligation and won't hurt your tegu if you do not put him in hibernation. Maybe a ''brumating'' tegu might live longer because he ''slow down'' during nearly 6 month, but on the other hand, it's 6 month that you don't spend with your animal. Having an hibernating animal, is like (in my opinion) having no animal during this period.

    I read some hypothesis somewhat a hibernating Tegu might live 30 years. But I never heard a story about someone keeping one over 15 years old. Maybe someone here might have a very old tegu and can give his opinion about the subject.
    Thankyou for your reply. It isn't so much my concern whether I get to cuddle him all year or six months out of a year. My concern is the well being and longevity of the lizard.

    I was just concerned because he is still up and eating at this time of year whereas he has brumated in years past much earlier. To be honest I'm probably asking more for peace of mind than anything I should do, as it isn't really my choice, as despite what I've read in all the care sheets etc., all my brumating lizards just brumate anyway, they stop eating, sleep more etc., no matter what I do with the daylight hours or temperatures, if and when they choose. Not much I can really do really.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Nov 2007
    Location
    Canada, Québec, Pointe-Calumet.
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    Oh I understand your point of view.

    I read on the archives on the forum how to prevent an animal to not hibernate (well a tegu).
    -Respect the same photoperiod as usual
    -Don't have temperature falling under 75F
    -Put the animal inside a room where there is absolutely no contact to the exterior (a window is enough to ''encourage'' brumating). So no window should be there.

    Hope it helps
    Ben
    0.1.0, 2007, Bearded Dragon (Uresaii)
    1.0.0, 1999, Hermann Tortoise (Tama-chan)
    0.1.0, 2007, Redfoot Tortoise (Kame-chan)


    Got msn? If you want to talk to me just leave me a private message !

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Oct 2006
    Location
    Central FL
    Posts
    4,349

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    Since tupinambis has studied brumation/hibernation extensively, maybe he will see this thread and reply.
    Laura R (FL)
    1.0.0 Colombian Tegu
    1.4.0 Argentine B&W Tegu
    1.2.0 Red Tegu
    1.2.0 B/WxRed Tegu
    1.0.0 Green Ameiva (yet another teiid)
    7 other lizards
    1 little gator
    3 FL box turtle
    1 Sulcata tortoise
    16 snakes
    5 fuzzy pets
    4 little frogs
    a bunch of creepy bugs
    and a partridge in a pear tree

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