# My tegu will not eat



## TowyBreeder (May 18, 2008)

My tegu is a black & white argentinian tegu. I bought him/her on 15 May, complete with set up, which is a 36"x18"x20" viv, with basking spot at one end and 12% UVB tube on the ceiling. I bought him from a private seller, and I don't know how old he was at that time, but I assumed he was still quite young. When I first got him he had a 100W basking spot and the temperature was much too high, he spent all his time hiding in the cool end. He now has a 40W basking lamp, the temp. under the lamp is 96/97F and in the cool end it's about 74F. Ever since I've had him he's been reluctant to eat and I've had him 3 months now. He doesn't look thin, and he has shed once. The only thing he really seems to like eating is pinkies, and he eats 2 or 3 once or twice a week. Everything else he turns his nose up. He gained weight for the first 2 months. He was 60 grams when I first had him, and after 2 months he was 98 grams, and during that time he was also eating occasional insects and a tiny bit of mashed fruit. But during the last 3 weeks he has not gained any weight and is not interested in any food except pinkies, which I only offer once or twice a week. 
Can anyone offer me any advice? Any help would be so much appreciated.


----------



## jools (Apr 4, 2009)

First off I have to say I have never kept Tegus - but I have kept many different lizards and they do have many things in common. 

It sounds to me like your temps are a bit low - this will depress appetite. Care sheets recommend a basking spot of 100-110F and a cool end of mid 80s. 

The little one (and when you say "quite young" - at that weight I would say VERY young) will have been hiding away initially due to feeling unsafe after its change of home. 

I would go steady on the pinkies - they are very high in fat - a bit like Tegu chocolate.

If you don't get any more answers here I would suggest posting in the lizard section where there are many experienced keepers who can help you a lot more than me.


----------



## Dan Bristow (Jan 12, 2008)

Up the basking temp to 110F. Cool end about 80F drop to no lower than 75F at night. Do not handle until eating more. Stick a bowl of giant meal worms in there so always has access to food. Don't give anymore mice until eating more insects. Could also offer a concoction of raw minced turkey,mixed with a little bit of codd liver oil( table spoon to 1 pound in weight of turkey) add some beef liver to this and you can mix a variety of fruits in there too and a pinch of calcium powder and vit powder. That,along with insects will provide a great base diet. You can also offer some fish such as tilapia.
Also, how old is the uv tube and what make? Anything but Arcadia will need changing 6 monthly and Arcadia 12 monthly.


----------



## TowyBreeder (May 18, 2008)

Hi Jools. Thanks so much for that, I will post in lizards as you suggest.


----------



## TowyBreeder (May 18, 2008)

Thanks Dan. The tube is an Arcadia, and it's only about 3 or 4 weeks old. But the previous one which came with the tegu in the set up, was not Arcadia and was only a 5% UVB. I will lay off the pinkies, and try the food you suggest. Thank you. The problems stem, I think, from the previous owner, I have no idea how long he'd had him, or why he was selling him.


----------



## Dan Bristow (Jan 12, 2008)

No probs. Stick to what I've said and if that doesn't work I'd consider a vet trip as there's no reason if kept like I say, a baby tegu shouldn't be eating. Also check out Tegutalk.com and thetegu.com both great sites on tegu husbandry. Good luck


----------



## Dan Bristow (Jan 12, 2008)

Also, if you must feed mice to him, use cut up fluff mice as pinks are just like sticks of butter to a tegu where as the fluffs have more nutritional value to them


----------



## TowyBreeder (May 18, 2008)

Hi Dan. I've increased the temperature as you advised, but have still been unable to get him to eat anything, until today, when I offered him a cut up fluffy mouse as you suggested. He ate that enthusiastically. Is it okay to keep offering that, but obviously with other things in the bowl? I'm just worried because he hadn't eaten for over a week because I'd stopped offering him pinkies. I dusted the mouse with calcium. Thanks.


----------



## fidderz (Nov 14, 2010)

hi buddy get some quail eggs and mash those up shell and everything in a dish he should eat those i also find minced beef works exceptionally well also giant mealies they seem to love keep the temps up as the previous posters have recommended try fruits like strawberrys sweet things mine love those hope this helps cheers jamie


----------



## Dan Bristow (Jan 12, 2008)

TowyBreeder said:


> Hi Dan. I've increased the temperature as you advised, but have still been unable to get him to eat anything, until today, when I offered him a cut up fluffy mouse as you suggested. He ate that enthusiastically. Is it okay to keep offering that, but obviously with other things in the bowl? I'm just worried because he hadn't eaten for over a week because I'd stopped offering him pinkies. I dusted the mouse with calcium. Thanks.



Try what I said before and mix in cut up fluffs to that too. That will hopefully help his feeding response. As he starts eating it, slowly start reducing the amount of fluff mixed in.
Another tip is to dip foods in a bit of beaten raw egg. A lot of tegus can't resist that! Dan


----------

