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Joined: Mar 25, 2005 Posts: 1354 Location: Denver, CO
Posted: Sat Jul 01, 2006 7:06 pm Post subject:
I don't think hand feeding is a good idea in general to teach to him - I've fed a bd by hand, as well as a younger Colombian Tegu and never been bit, and I don't think I've ever heard of a feeding response out of a bd like a Tegu - But there's always a chance of an accidental bite, and you will be teaching him hand/food association - I say if you are going to feed by hand, at least use feeding tongs/tweezers... _________________ 1.0.0 Ball Python "Albino"
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I think you'll be fine hand feeding a beardie. It's not like their bites hurt anyway, so you'll be fine. I haven't had any problems hand feeding mine. Also, from what I can tell, they don't associate my hands with food.
I usually hand feed my beardie so the insects dont get into her cage furniture. Ive never had a problem with being bitten, although she usually inspects my hands to see if I have anything. Their feeding response isnt like a tegus I dont think; mine tends to look before she leaps, unlike the tegu. _________________ www.freewebs.com/johelian www.freewebs.com/joslittleworld
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Joined: Jan 26, 2006 Posts: 165 Location: Ellisville, MS
Posted: Sun Jul 02, 2006 6:44 pm Post subject:
I hand fed my beardies, and never had an incident. I also taught my male to take food from my lips. I don't know if this is common, but my beardies always took food tongue first, kind of like a chameleon. So if this is common, the chances of being bit are pretty low.
Joined: Mar 25, 2005 Posts: 1354 Location: Denver, CO
Posted: Sun Jul 02, 2006 9:11 pm Post subject:
Overwhelming response to this one - And perhaps I have Tegu's in my mind rather than bd's in my post above - If the question is "can i feed my bd by hand", than I would say yes - I have, along with a Colombian and never been bit - "even on a missed hit on prey".
I don't see a bd having a feeding response as another more aggressive feeding reptile such as a Tegu "at times", however in my opinion, the bd's are not quite smart as the Tegu's in a sense of survival.
I would agree with TBNT2'd, that they eat more like that of a chameleon - tounge first, and the risk of bite would be very Low, however one must keep in mind that as mild mannered as the bd is, that this is still a reptile/human interaction.
As I posted above, can you ? - Yes - Should you ? - Is debateable - As the bd may not have the feeding response of another lizard, you are still teaching hand/food association on a bigger level - Will you get bit ? - probably not - Over a period of time the bd will wonder if it's feeding time or getting handled to come out time - These are things I would want to dis-associatate from one to another... _________________ 1.0.0 Ball Python "Albino"
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Joined: Jun 21, 2006 Posts: 8 Location: tucson, az
Posted: Sun Jul 02, 2006 9:47 pm Post subject:
i say its perfectly fine to hand feed your bearded dragon but make sure you dont do it that often. my female bearded dragon will now only eat things from my hand now and will refuse to chase after a cricket. only if shes very hungry will she decide to go after one if its close by, but other than that i have to feed her all by hand. it might also have to do with her age since she is 8 years old. when she was younger and still a breeder of mine she didnt care and would chase anything but now that shes older she will only eat from my hand. _________________ 2.1.0 arg blk & wht tegus, blue tegu
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Joined: Mar 25, 2005 Posts: 1354 Location: Denver, CO
Posted: Mon Jul 03, 2006 7:02 am Post subject:
I had the same problem with my last bd - although I was feeding him superworms with tweezers instead of my fingers, he stopped chasing his own food altogether. I guess after my Colombian Black bit me while "not hand feeding", I've just shyed away from sticking my fingers in front of any reptile's mouths let alone with food in them. Just a personal preference for me. Beardies are pretty laxed when it comes to their feeding response. _________________ 1.0.0 Ball Python "Albino"
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Joined: Jun 09, 2006 Posts: 43 Location: Sacramento, CA
Posted: Mon Jul 03, 2006 8:13 am Post subject:
This may help or it may not. I don't have a bd but I do handfeed my iguana. The only times he has ever bitten me were when I was handfeeding him and they were all my fault. It's really easy to see when they're going to bite because they do it very delicately. Anyways, that's not my point. My point is that he still doesn't associate my hand with food, he associates it with something that's going to show him all kinds of attention. He does come after me if I smell like food, though, but again it's easy to tell when they're going to bite so I've gotten out of it.
This probably didn't help you at all, just wanted to make the point that handfeeding doesn't always make the animal associate your hand with food. _________________ 1.0.0 Green Iguana - Bhruic
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My beardie is fed with a syringe, because he doesn't go after the crickets, and doesn't even bite the salad if I put it in his mouth. The most he'll do is simply swallow. He's really small for his age I think. He hasen't grown for a good 3 months, i think, or shed. He seems to be healthy and all in his movements, but he's a very dark gray most of the time. I would advise not feeding anything with tweezers, because they may bite them and break a tooth, or even their jaw.
Hi Jalious. Do you mind if I ask you a few questions about your beardie? I noticed you said he hasn't grown/shed much, if at all, in at least 3 months and that you syringe feed him. Has he been seen by a vet?
How old is he?
How much does he weigh?
How long is he?
Where did you get him?
What are you feeding him, salad wise? (please be specific)
What insects are you feeding him?
What are his basking temperatures?
What type of UVB bulb are you using? How old is the UVB bulb? How far away from his back when basking is the UVB source?
How big is his cage?
What type of substrate are you using?
Stunted growth, not shedding, needing to be syringe fed are all bad signs for reptiles. It could be something as simple as your basking temperatures are not high enough or your UVB source is bad, or something as serious as a neurological disease, MBD, Adnovirus, parasites, etc. _________________ Kris, Herps they're not just a hobby, they're a way of life!
Hi Jalious. Do you mind if I ask you a few questions about your beardie? I noticed you said he hasn't grown/shed much, if at all, in at least 3 months and that you syringe feed him. Has he been seen by a vet? He has been seen by a vet not long ago for rubber jaw, and has been treated.
How old is he? 1.5 years
How much does he weigh? (thinks about physics class, finding out the weight without weighing) I don't know. XD don't ahve a good scale, and I forgot what the vet said
How long is he? will find out when i'm home.
Where did you get him? Pet store in Branford, CT
What are you feeding him, salad wise? lettus, onions, carrots, and a red flower who's name has escaped me, but it was in the suggested veggies list in the book.
What insects are you feeding him? Crickets, sometimes mealie worms
What are his basking temperatures? around 95
What type of UVB bulb are you using? How old is the UVB bulb? How far away from his back when basking is the UVB source? The correct UVB bulb, not very old, approx 5-6 inches, and he's also in the natural sunlight.
How big is his cage? about 30x12x12.
What type of substrate are you using? In the syringe? Baby food. Chicken, peas, peaches. I also added his vitamins.
Stunted growth, not shedding, needing to be syringe fed are all bad signs for reptiles. It could be something as simple as your basking temperatures are not high enough or your UVB source is bad, or something as serious as a neurological disease, MBD, Adnovirus, parasites, etc.
Joined: Nov 30, 2006 Posts: 342 Location: Southern California
Posted: Fri Jan 05, 2007 9:09 pm Post subject:
well to me it seems like his basking temps are a little low, and could the red flower be hibiscus? ive heard thats a good treat for them though mine hate it. Is it iceberg lettuce? iceberg has very little nutritional value. I dont know about onions, ive never heard that they are often fed to beardies. These are just a few of my insights. I'm sure worleygurl will clear things up better than I have. _________________ Animals: Too many.
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