Feeding advice needed for new baby

[ArizonaTegu]

Hi Everybody,
I am sorry if this has been asked before, am sure it has but I am seeking some advice asap. My baby is 2 months old, Colombian black and white. I am getting mixed advice from people so wanted to ask here. Do I feed a baby everyday, or every other day? I was told it needs time to digest. I know feeding in the daytime is best, but he keeps burrowed all day, and I am not suppose to wake him if burrowed. I fed him lastnight when he came out. I am again told not to feed at night as he will go to sleep and not digest the food. I was told to feed in the morning before I go to work if he is awake, if not then leave his food in the enclosure. but also told not to feed in the enclosure because of possible impaction. What is the best way for me to feed him and how often?

Today when I came home from work, 3pm, he was not burrowed, so I tried to feed him in his feeding bin but he refused to eat. I currently have him in a 20 gallon long tank with eco earth for substrate. Will be getting a 40 gallon breeder tank soon. I have only had him for 2 days now. Thanks!

 

[dragonmetalhead]

Give the tegu some time to settle in. It's very stressful for animals to be in a new environment and stress tends to put them off food. If you've only had it two days, it's still likely stressed. You should not remove a tegu from its burrow, as this pisses them off and sets back the taming process. When Kodo was young I used to feed him daily; now he eats a few times a week. Feeding out of the enclosure eliminates the risk of ingesting substrate, but if you must feed in the enclosure use either a dish or a large paper plate to put the food in.

 

[KritterKeeper]

Columbians are extra skittish so when i first got mine i would just leave his food in a shallow dish on top of a larger piece of slate or something similar and that would help prevent it from getting in the substrate if he drags any out. I would just leave it there in the morning and walk away. Mine was very skittish and wouldnt come out at first if i was around so just keep in mind its gonna be slow going. If the food is still there in the evening throw it away and try again the next day. Once hes more comfy youll kinda figure out how much he'll eat and you can adjust things. I was always freaked that i was messing everything up but youll figure out what works for your animal quickly enough so try not to stress too much(easier said than done i know, i went through this last year lol). Good Luck!