Best food for small tegu?

dewby22 · Posted: Thu Apr 10, 2008 2:13 pm Post subject: Best food for small tegu?

My columbian gold tegu is about 20' long from head to tail. I have been feeding him pinky rats because i heard the hair on fuzzys could cause health problems.But I have only had him a few months so anyone with any input let me know Thanx.

Ben3233 · Posted: Thu Apr 10, 2008 2:21 pm Post subject:

give him insects like: crickets, mealworm,superworm,silkworn,roaches and hoppers.

Also you can give him, turkey, tuna, meat, pinky mice, boiled egg.

Try to introduce him sweet fruits, grapes,mango,papaya, strawberry, rasperry,banana(not to much) and kiwi.

Good luck!

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Ben3233
0.0.1 Bearded Dragon (Uresaii)

dewby22 · Posted: Thu Apr 10, 2008 2:26 pm Post subject:

I usually feed him a pinky rat twice a week and hard-boiled egg inbetween i'll try som fruit thanx

Ben3233 · Posted: Thu Apr 10, 2008 2:27 pm Post subject:

You can also try to introduce veggies, but its much harder lol. They are like kids lol

.
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Ben3233
0.0.1 Bearded Dragon (Uresaii)

dewby22 · Posted: Thu Apr 10, 2008 2:33 pm Post subject:

lol you have any suggestions on taming? Whenever i reach into his tank he hisses and puffs up he sometimes even stnds on his hind legs like a dinosaur lol but after i hold him for a little bit he calms down. How can i get him used to me being in his cage?

Ben3233 · Posted: Thu Apr 10, 2008 2:42 pm Post subject:

I don't really know the best way to tame a Tegu, because I do not have one for the moment.

But with a lot of reading on this forum, the best way to tame a TEgu, is to let him crawl at you and do it progressively.

Here are the rules:
1) feed him prekilled food
2) Socialize him/her a lot
3) do not dig for getting him
4) do not bother him into his hide

For the rest, it seems that when he/she is on you, there are no problems about your sent. What I would do is (when he/she is active, not into his hide), I would put my hand into the enclosure, and wait a couple of minutes, after that, I would try to approach him very slowly. Finally I would continued, and then, when I would reach him/her, I would pet him very gently. Then put my hand under her (no grabbing) and lift him/her very slowly and take it out of his enclosure.

That is the best trick I read on the forum, hope it helps!
Good luck!

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Ben3233
0.0.1 Bearded Dragon (Uresaii)

dewby22 · Posted: Thu Apr 10, 2008 2:51 pm Post subject:

that seems like it would work. I think he is so aggressive because he is still small (only 10 inches from snout to vent) his cage right now is only 3x2x2 but i just built him one that is 5x3x3 and im gonna introduce him either today or in a couple days hopfully the bigger cage will help. Thanx for all the suggestions and i'll post some pics here soon.

Ben3233 · Posted: Thu Apr 10, 2008 2:56 pm Post subject:

When they are babies, reptile are a bit nervous and stand-offish, but after a couple of time with the owner (when mature) they are very calm and used to him.

But he/she doesn't see agressive, but a bit stand-offish because when you handle her/him, he/she is calm. A bit of work and it would be okay!

Good luck!

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Ben3233
0.0.1 Bearded Dragon (Uresaii)

dewby22 · Posted: Thu Apr 10, 2008 3:02 pm Post subject:

THANX
right now im using a heatmat (because hes in a terrarium) but his new cage is a room turned into a cage what do you think would be the best night heat?

dewby22 · Posted: Thu Apr 10, 2008 3:18 pm Post subject:

im afraid that if i put a heat mat in his new home he will burrow down to it and burn himself.

Ben3233 · Posted: Thu Apr 10, 2008 4:04 pm Post subject:

I use to use a heat pad (stick it under the terrarium), and it never burns one of my herps (snake and lizard). But the problem with those heat pad, is when you stick it one time, you can put it off to put it under another terrarium. So I would go with a heat lamp (open 24/24hours).

I had a lot of experience with the heatpads, and I do not recommand them, they are expensive, they do not provide enough heat, and finally they can be use just one time by enclosure.

Hope it helps!
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Ben3233
0.0.1 Bearded Dragon (Uresaii)

txrepgirl · Posted: Thu Apr 10, 2008 7:14 pm Post subject:

Hey Ben3233.Outstanding info.You are right about every thing.I do not recommend using the heat mat for the Tegu because they burrow in to the mulch and he can get some ugly burns from that.I do use it with my ball python because she stays on top of the mulch.If you are using a heat mat what you can do is move the mulch to the side from where the heat mat is.Put your hand on top of the glass where the heat mat is and see if it gets to hot for your hand.A nother thing what you can do to help tame your Tegu is the T-shirt trick.Put on two shirts.One so you will not get scratched up and the other one is for your Tegu to hide under.Tuck in the shirts so your Tegu can't slide out and fall on the ground if you walk around with him.Tegus feel save when they have a place to hide.He will like this hiding place because he can hide,stays warm from your body heat and gets to smell you and will become more familiar with you.After I tamed my Tegus like that I had a hoody on and I walked around with them in my hoody.If you want to you can see some pictures of that in my photo gallery ( just click on the gallery button at the end of my post ).Hope that helps. Good luck with your Tegu.I almost for got.Here is some info for you on what you can feed your Tegu.

http://thetegu.com/modules.php?name=Forums&file=viewtopic&p=35969#35969

http://thetegu.com/modules.php?name=Forums&file=viewtopic&p=34545#34545

http://lllreptile.com/store/catalog/feeder-crickets-worms-rodents-roaches-and-more/

http://rodentpro.com/qpage_articles_01.asp

Ben3233 · Posted: Thu Apr 10, 2008 8:13 pm Post subject:

Thx Txrepgirl, my herps never had a burns, I don'T know why, maybe because my enclosure is a Aquarium and the bottom have more density(do know how to say).

But I heard to many bad reputation about them, just like heating rock.

How's leonidas and Zeus doing?
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Ben3233
0.0.1 Bearded Dragon (Uresaii)

txrepgirl · Posted: Thu Apr 10, 2008 11:39 pm Post subject:

Your welcome Ben3233.Yea I have my Tegus in separate aquariums for right now.We are trying to built the enclosures this month.We had to put it of because I just now got over having bronchitis

.

angelrose · Posted: Fri Apr 11, 2008 7:00 pm Post subject:

Hi dewby22
I have a colombian tegu, Angelrose and she is about 3ft now. they are mostly meat eaters.

I would not use the heat pad for tegus they can get burnt (experience) and that can lead to infection. I read that tegus can't feel heat under their bellies.

as for the fur on mice / rats etc, this is another important reason to maintain the humidity level. it helps them dispose of the fur.
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