Why is my tegu breathing heavy?
Argentine black and white, about two years, and I noticed this week that his sides visibly heave when he is out basking and for a good while after he eats. It is not subtle, you can watch it from across the room.
No noise with it, no bubbles, nose is clean, he eats like a machine and is out most of the day. I think I have just started paying attention to something that was always there, but I would rather ask.
@after_a_rat · 13m ago · 2 replies
You have described normal tegu breathing and I suspect your last sentence is right. Lizards breathe using the body wall muscles, so the movement is far more visible than it is in a mammal, and people notice it one day after two years of it happening.
The two moments you named are the two most expected. A big meal takes up room in the body cavity so breathing looks deeper for a while, and a warm basking animal has a higher metabolism and shows it.
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@sides_heaving · 12m ago
He also breathes hard for ages after I handle him. Is that the same thing?
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