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Thread: Tegu becoming picky eater

  1. #1

    Default Tegu becoming picky eater

    My 8 month old Tegu has stopped eating fruit (Blueberries, Strawberries, Cantaloupe, Papaya) and is getting less and less interested in ground turkey and other things.

    She is still eating frozen pinkies with Calcium and Vitamin supplements but I am worried she is not getting enough variety

    ANy suggestions?

  2. #2

    Default

    I guess i should also ask how often I should be feeding an 8month old tegu, I was feeding her everyday but should I be slowing down her feedings?

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Feb 2006
    Location
    Las Vegas, NV
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    Default

    They go through periods where they get tired of eating the same things like we do. Just give it a break for a while and then re introduce. It's better to keep tegus on a variety of foods.

    I pretty much guesstimated how much to feed my tegus by the skin fold on their sides. Depending on their size and how hungry they are you will see 1 fold or 2. When they are full their abdomen is plump and round. Once they have digested the food and or relieved themselves then you'll start to see the skin fold/s. If not that prominent I would feed a little of something light like turkey or fish and fruit. When it was more prominent I went straight to whole foods.

    When you feed smaller portions they eat more often, larger whole prey take longer for them to digest. So they either don't eat at all for a few days or not as much.

    I don't know the size of your tegu but at 8 mths old it should be on whole prey larger than pinkies.

    0.1.0 BP (Spiral) aka Rita Wayward
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  4. #4
    Join Date
    Oct 2006
    Location
    Central FL
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    An 8mo tegu should be off pinkies and on to larger rodents. Fuzzies or weaned will have bones, better developed livers, and a different gut content.

    I would check temp to make the enclosure isn't too cool now that it's winter, and maybe let her get hungry and then offer something good for her. I like to feed my young tegus every day with a fasting day here and there. If they are going to hibernate, I have found that the eating habits change. They may not be the case for yours. Also, check out your UVB. Does it need to be replaced and is it positioned properly.
    Laura R (FL)
    1.0.0 Colombian Tegu
    1.4.0 Argentine B&W Tegu
    1.2.0 Red Tegu
    1.2.0 B/WxRed Tegu
    1.0.0 Green Ameiva (yet another teiid)
    7 other lizards
    1 little gator
    3 FL box turtle
    1 Sulcata tortoise
    16 snakes
    5 fuzzy pets
    4 little frogs
    a bunch of creepy bugs
    and a partridge in a pear tree

  5. #5

    Default

    Thanks for the responses

    SOrry I meant to say I feed her FUzzies, I keep screwing that up. Uvb light is brand new and covers the flexarium she live in.

    temperature is good very warm.

  6. #6

    Default

    I'm also not sure of the signs she may be getting ready to Hibernate, I mean it is already almost February and she still gets up everyday and usually stays awake 8-10 hours .

    WOuld I need to change the temp at all to help her try or should I just leave it alone?

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Dec 2009
    Location
    Finger Lakes, NY
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    1,362

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    could be wanting to hibernate, my Penny & Harley just came out but right agound the same week Skyy my blue went down & is now hibernating.
    1.2.0 Argen Black & White
    1.1.0 Red Tegu
    0.0.1 Blue Tegu
    1.0.0 All American Tegu
    0.1.0 Hypo Red Tail Boa
    1.0.0 Lazik Tiger BP
    1.0.0 Normal Paradox BP
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    RIP-
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    1.0.0 Croc Gecko (Waylan Jones I)

    & More to come

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Oct 2006
    Location
    Central FL
    Posts
    4,349

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    I doubt she's hibernating, based on the basking info. I don't know your set-up, so I'm just listing ideas. Winter always makes me think of cooler temps because of cooler house temps, and lower humidity. I'd keep her at 110-115, and mist daily to keep humidity up. Then don't feed for one day, and see how your tegu reacts to food the next day. I have an Argentine that likes to hold out for rodents only at times, and a Colombian that likes to hold out for eggs. They get their little hang-ups, but a varied diet is healthier. Sometimes it just takes either a day of being hungry or trying different foods and not caving in to feeding only one type of food.
    Laura R (FL)
    1.0.0 Colombian Tegu
    1.4.0 Argentine B&W Tegu
    1.2.0 Red Tegu
    1.2.0 B/WxRed Tegu
    1.0.0 Green Ameiva (yet another teiid)
    7 other lizards
    1 little gator
    3 FL box turtle
    1 Sulcata tortoise
    16 snakes
    5 fuzzy pets
    4 little frogs
    a bunch of creepy bugs
    and a partridge in a pear tree

  9. #9

    Default

    Just to update, she ate some chicken gibblets today so I think she's ok, she went right back to bed though.

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Jun 2009
    Location
    Chicagoland, IL
    Posts
    106

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    Tegs is a really picky eater, but he was doing the same thing around Nov. Now he's up and about and running around my room with his new T-REX Merc Vap. Picky as ever though...


    How's ur girl doing now that its warmed up?
    Kelvin

    Arg. B&W ~Tegasaurus Rex~
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