Which Tegu is the Tegu for Me?

[Fai0607]

Well what would you guys prefer? I want more like an affectionate lizard (Beardies are obv out, sadly.)

[Ben3233]

To Ben - Thanks! I'll look into them. I heard that Uro's are omnivores but idk probably a different type.

Uro's can be fed only with a 100% herbivorious diet (well at least for the egyptian and regular uro's). Generally people give them a couple of insects as treat, but it's not necessary.

I would personally go with an egyptian Uromastyx for the size and temperament.

[Fai0607]

So only a few can be fed 100% greens?

Not the same for BTS? Like I mean no insects nec.

[venom34]

Blue tongues are omnivores but the protein portion of their diet does not have to come from insects. I owned one in the past and it refused to eat anything that moved, so its diet consisted of fruits and veggies mixed with cat food,or monitor/tegu diet from the can, or ground turkey. It also ate different types of baby food and the occasional f/t pinky. They are by no means fast creatures, and are in your size range.

[Fai0607]

That sounds the perfect fit for me right there.

How often cat food and tegu diet? Understanding that these animals arent a cat or a tegu I was told it can be added in their diet about twice a week.

Also, I read from my CGD I feed to my garg that it can also be fed to skinks? Not as a staple diet I presume but what would your stance be on feeding a skink some CGD?

[venom34]

Like you said I wouldn't offer it as a stable, but given occasionally will be fine. I used to offer a variety of foods, mine would eat soft fruits by itself but I used to shred up greens, carrots etc. with whatever form of meat I was offering at the time.

[Fai0607]

Alright whats the percentages babies need? like 60% protein and such?

The diet for BTS I see as a slippery slope because everyone feeds their BTS differently. For example, I was told to feed eggs once a month and another told me once a week. So confusing <_>

[venom34]

I would say 60%-70% would be good for babies and increase the amount of plant matter over time. The breeder I had bought mine from never fed them insects so I assume that's why I couldn't get mine to eat them. I did however sprinkle calcium and vitamin powder on its food 4 times a week. And eggs are not a vital part of their diet so I did not offer too often.

[Fai0607]

what if they were fed insects though? Will it be hard for them to accept other food?

4 times a week? I was told once but maybe that was for adults. Also, can you mix a little calcium AND multi-vitamin powder served on the same food or just do it seperately?

Just a little warning: I ask questions ALOT xD

[venom34]

Skinks are are opportunistic so it should not be hard to get them to accept new food items. Once when my tegu did not finish his ground turkey I put the leftovers in with my fire skink and he loved it. It was the first time I ever offered it to him and he had only been fed insects. I offered the supplements more often but in small doses when it was young but less so as it got older. I alternated the calcium and the vitamins because the vitamin also contained calcium.