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Thread: tupinambis...hibernation question

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Oct 2006
    Location
    Central FL
    Posts
    4,349

    Default tupinambis...hibernation question

    I wanted to get some expert advice about my hatchling that has been hibernating since Oct.

    He went down at a small, but healthy size. I was concerned about him and checked on him in Dec/Jan and found him to be really dehydrated. He drank some water and went back to sleep. Now I'm really worried about him and check on him every couple of weeks to make sure he looks OK. I turned on his light recently to try and encourage some activity.

    He is inside, next to a full sized window. The temps range from 78high to 68-74 low and nightime. Humidity has been fair at about 40-50%. Should I be concerned, or just wait patiently? Should I keep the lights off?

    Thanks, it has been a while since I had a little guy sleeping.
    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

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Dec 2004
    Location
    Earth
    Posts
    1,233

    Default

    Right now we're past the solstice, so daylength is increasing no matter what you are trying (artificial vs. natural). I brought my guys out in January just to "get things going" (some of my old research specimens had been surrendered to me, and although they were already in "hibernation", I had no idea what had been done to prepare them for it and what their overall condition was) and aside from having to get one pumped out (she was blocked when I received her), have had no issues. If you're "worried", give appropriate basking temps, I'd keep the lights on, and probably put some electrolytes in the drinking water.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Oct 2006
    Location
    Central FL
    Posts
    4,349

    Default

    Would you try to handle them to encourage waking or just let the lengthening light cycle work it all out?
    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

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Dec 2004
    Location
    Earth
    Posts
    1,233

    Default

    Contrary to most people, I don't think a little handling is all that "disturbing" to the hibernation process. During hibernation they wake up and go basking all on their own, typically crawling over each other in the burrow, and this doesn't really affect hibernation that much. Now if you were constantly handling them all day, that's something quite different. So go ahead and try handling them to encourage waking them up, but I think increasing temps and photoperiod are going to do more.

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