Tegu problems

[Progrmor]

Recently got myself an adorable red tegu (5months old ) . I´ve had her for 5 days now and she is burried under the substrate 24/7, and I know that it is normal..

But then it is the problem with feeding her.. I tried putting food in a bowl and put it in her cage, but she is just staying undercover ... and I dont really want to feed her in her cage since she can start see me as food.

So is it ok to dig her up and take her to another bin, feed her there och put her back?

 

[fluxlizard]

Tegus are really smart- it totally depends on her personality and what she's doing by hiding.

My tegus are mostly asleep this time of year. Earlier this week, things warmed up and our big female came out to bask for a day, and then when back down again. Maybe yours wants to hibernate also?

During the summer months, my tegus are kept outdoors. They wake up early, bask and are active for a few hours, then many days they go back underground for much of the day. They usually end their day fairly early too...

I think if I were you, because you just got her, I would probably just leave her alone, but make sure that food is available early early in the morning- possibly feeding the night before and leaving it in until the next day, depending on what you are feeding and how fast it will go stinky. Bert Langerwerf mentioned doing that to prevent feeding aggression. I think it also might help because if yours sort of follows mine's behavior patterns, then maybe it will get up first thing in the morning when you aren't around and feed if your lights come on kind of early. Give her some time to settle in before insisting she come out, etc. If she can remain cool in her hide spot- she can go many months without food.

Also make sure the hiding place is not too cool if you really want to try and encourage her to come out, or maybe she will just sleep because of that for a while...

So I guess you could go either way on that LOL.

Mine are argentine black and whites- I know the reds are little different when it comes to hibernation but I'm not sure how much- I never kept them but I did see them living in the same conditions at the Langerwerf's in Alabama...