# Hibernating tegu is hibernating no more



## SERRAPYGO (Feb 4, 2003)

It's been a long tegu off season. He never fully hibernated, pretty much came out to sun and eat everyday, but that's it. He's been lazier than me all winter. Finally, I get my lizard back! I handled him today and he was thrashing and obnoxious. We got some work to do.


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## His Majesty (Apr 5, 2005)

very nice tegu. looking good


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## SERRAPYGO (Feb 4, 2003)

Thankyou, sir.


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## Mettle (Dec 29, 2003)

Haha, had to laugh at the "thrashing and obnoxious" comment. He looks like he's spot on the beginnings of his juvy stage - aka - he's a teenager now. I find many reptiles are jerks in this stage. Lizards anyway. I know it's common for beardies to be pissy prats when they're around such a phase... How's your beardie doing anyway?

Awesome tegu. I'm sure once he shakes the winter woes and realizes your the hand that feeds that he'll warm up to you again.


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## khmerboiRED (Jul 15, 2008)

Never owned a lizard before but he looks awesome. What do you usually feed him? Mice I'm guessing?


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## ICEE (Feb 3, 2007)

thanks for the update SERRA. I always love your tegu threads


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## ChilDawg (Apr 30, 2006)

Mettle said:


> Haha, had to laugh at the "thrashing and obnoxious" comment. He looks like he's spot on the beginnings of his juvy stage - aka - he's a teenager now. I find many reptiles are jerks in this stage. Lizards anyway. I know it's common for beardies to be pissy prats when they're around such a phase... How's your beardie doing anyway?
> 
> Awesome tegu. I'm sure once he shakes the winter woes and realizes your the hand that feeds that he'll warm up to you again.


Or eat it, because it smells like the prey animal, LOL.

What did you do to get it to hibernate, Nick?


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## SERRAPYGO (Feb 4, 2003)

> I know it's common for beardies to be pissy prats when they're around such a phase... How's your beardie doing anyway?


She's a pissy brat!! She thrashes from side to side when picked up and threatens with a gaping mouth. It's all a bluff though. I stuck my finger right in and she doesn't clamp down. Whew!








Actually, once she's out, and the little fit is over, she's a cream puff!



> thanks for the update SERRA. I always love your tegu threads


Thanks, ICEE!



> Never owned a lizard before but he looks awesome. What do you usually feed him? Mice I'm guessing?


Right now,...hard boiled eggs, superworms, frozen rat fuzzies and some canned kitten food.

Thanks, all!


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## Mettle (Dec 29, 2003)

Haha, a beardie with spunk, nice! My little jerk of a beardie escaped today. I noticed when I went to put greens in his tank that his lid was flipped open. I forgot to close it or latch it. Either way he kangarooed his ass up and out of the enclosure. He only made it part way across the room though. I found him under my bed.







He was kinda chilly and had lazied right down so I stuck him in my hoodie for a bit to warm him up before putting him back in his tank.

Chili - You don't really have to do anything to make them hibernate. They just kinda do it on their own. Seasonal changes and such. It's ingrained in their systems.


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## SERRAPYGO (Feb 4, 2003)

> Haha, a beardie with spunk, nice! My little jerk of a beardie escaped today. I noticed when I went to put greens in his tank that his lid was flipped open. I forgot to close it or latch it. Either way he kangarooed his ass up and out of the enclosure. He only made it part way across the room though. I found him under my bed. He was kinda chilly and had lazied right down so I stuck him in my hoodie for a bit to warm him up before putting him back in his tank.










That's funny! So...beardies are capable of "jerkism".



> You don't really have to do anything to make them hibernate. They just kinda do it on their own. Seasonal changes and such. It's ingrained in their systems.


True. But, their hibernating can be controlled via the temperature you keep them at and handling. Personally, I maintained the same temps all year long...but I didn't handle. Thus, he was pretty sluggish all winter but still came out almost everyday to sun or eat. Then, right back to bed! 
The boredom got to me. Wich is why I sought out my bitchie little beardie!


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## hyphen (Apr 4, 2004)

dude...i want one.


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## Mettle (Dec 29, 2003)

SERRAPYGO said:


> > Haha, a beardie with spunk, nice! My little jerk of a beardie escaped today. I noticed when I went to put greens in his tank that his lid was flipped open. I forgot to close it or latch it. Either way he kangarooed his ass up and out of the enclosure. He only made it part way across the room though. I found him under my bed. He was kinda chilly and had lazied right down so I stuck him in my hoodie for a bit to warm him up before putting him back in his tank.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Oh yes. Definitely.


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## SERRAPYGO (Feb 4, 2003)

Mettle said:


> > Haha, a beardie with spunk, nice! My little jerk of a beardie escaped today. I noticed when I went to put greens in his tank that his lid was flipped open. I forgot to close it or latch it. Either way he kangarooed his ass up and out of the enclosure. He only made it part way across the room though. I found him under my bed. He was kinda chilly and had lazied right down so I stuck him in my hoodie for a bit to warm him up before putting him back in his tank.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Oh yes. Definitely.
[/quote]
Her "brother" went beyond jerk to a-hole! I held him, not buying into the warnings that he was nasty. Well, he was! It was a chore just to grab him (a huge gorgeous male, btw) then I held him to my chest and he lunged at my face with mouth wide open. Even my former (shythead) Nile Monitor wasn't this aggressive.



> hyphen Posted Today, 03:12 AM
> dude...i want one.


Do it!


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## Mettle (Dec 29, 2003)

SERRAPYGO said:


> > hyphen Posted Today, 03:12 AM
> > dude...i want one.
> 
> 
> Do it!


Just research well first... they require a lot of space and attention if you want 'em to be a good pet.


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## hyphen (Apr 4, 2004)

yeah after seeing the pics i dug around and learned that the smallest variant grows to 4'? a bit ambitious for me at the moment. i'm going to be house hunting next year, maybe after that i may have space to put a tegu enclosure in the backyard. that is, after i build a moat.


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## SERRAPYGO (Feb 4, 2003)

hyphen said:


> yeah after seeing the pics i dug around and learned that the smallest variant grows to 4'? a bit ambitious for me at the moment. i'm going to be house hunting next year, maybe after that i may have space to put a tegu enclosure in the backyard. that is, after i build a moat.


How responsible of you! Of all the nerve...

That 4 feet includes a helluva alot of tail. But, a major commitment nonetheless.

Larry Mondello, (my tegu's name) got his favorite meal today. A frozen rat pup. Normally slow and lumbering, he streaked across the tank at light speed to intercept! It cracked me up!


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