Need Advice please

Hi, I've been reading up a lot about what you guys have to say about tegu's because a friend of mine recently decided to stop taking care of their year and a half old argint. tegu. What i wanted to know is if it's possible to have a sterilite tub with a heating pad (turned low) connected to the bottom while the tegu hibernates? I live in California where winter will drop as low as 40's, and don't feel comfortable with just a hide and lots of bedding. I actually don't know if she will have a successful hibernation because she hasn't been receiving correct husbandry for about 5 or so months. What i mean by that is since her past owner made her an outside home she has had no proper heat, very irregular feedings of small rats that were sometimes months apart, and she didn't always have water. She is a little on the skinny side, but she seems to be alert. What would you recommend i do? Thanks so much in advanced. Have a good one

From my personal experience (which is mostly with leopard geckos...and lots of them), and i'm not sure if it's the same with Tegu's or not, but it is my understanding that brumation is not necessary if the animal is not to be used for breeding...and even then, oftentimes brumation is not needed in certain instances.

Seems to me that this lizard needs more consistancy in it's husbandry...I don't see a need to brumate unless i'm WAY off here...

Someone a little more versed in Tegus wanna confirm or disagree?

Thanks for your insight, i really appreciate it!

In short... I agree with Jordan...

Now that the tegu is in your care, is he living indoors or outdoors?

I know of breeders in the SouthEastern US (Florida & South Alabama) that hibernate their Tegus outdoors with success. Although they are provided with proper underground hides, natural forms of insulation and an experienced eye from above 'in case of emergency'...

I personally wouldn't try to do it without taking the time to gain ample personal experience on the topic...


If you are keeping him/her indoors for the winter, as mentinoed, I wouldn't push him/her to hibernate/brumate. As mentioned, your animal will likely benefit more from proper care (food & water) than the sleep.

There is a good chance that he/she will slow down regardless of the temperatures/light cycles you keep. But after having a summer of starvation I would continue to make food available regularly (frequency depending on activity levels and eagerness to take food).


I know I was very nervous about getting an animal that hibernated as I was preparing for my Tegu. His first winter I was super concerned but still allowed him to set his own pace. A couple winters later I've learned to relax a lot. Tegus seem to know what they need and do it with or without your blessings. So just watch your Tegu and try to read what he/she is trying to accomplish and provide the conditions to support that.

In the short term, my goal would be to fatten him/her up, until he/she shows you that's now what it wants to do....