# Tiny ants getting in food. Help!



## bsshig40 (Jul 27, 2020)

I've never seen these before but now I'm getting real tiny ants, smaller than sugar ants, getting into my tegu's food dish when I feed him. I keep his enclosure in my shop and never really had a problem with bugs. I have his enclosure sitting on top of those 1" thick rubber workout mats. I don't see a trail on the outside of the enclosure. Not sure how they could be getting in. I'm suppose to be getting an Animal Plastics T100 coming in about 2-3 weeks, so not really wanting to clean everything out right now. Was thinking of putting his food bowl inside a water bowl to keep them out for now. Any suggestions? Will these bother him? They only show up when I feed him. Don't see them any other time. 
Thanks for any advice!


----------



## bsshig40 (Jul 31, 2020)

So nevermind, the bowl inside the bowl of water is working. They are slowly diminishing since they can't get to his food anymore.


----------



## Dylan koch (Aug 5, 2020)

You shouldn't be feeding your tegu in cage or leaving food longer than hour imo


----------



## bsshig40 (Aug 5, 2020)

Dylan koch said:


> You shouldn't be feeding your tegu in cage or leaving food longer than hour imo


Well he has a tendency to eat early and then go back and eat later in the afternoon . And I don't understand why I shouldn't feed him in his enclosure. He knows where his bowl is put on the days that I feed him. He goes over and eats and then goes and basks for a while. Is there a specific reason why I shouldn't feed him in his enclosure? Bad for him?


----------



## AlphaAlpha (Aug 5, 2020)

Dylan koch said:


> You shouldn't be feeding your tegu in cage or leaving food longer than hour imo



I've always fed Alpha in his enclosure...........Never had any problems

1 hour ?????? load of rubbish.


----------



## Blakkdragon (Aug 6, 2020)

AlphaAlpha said:


> I've always fed Alpha in his enclosure...........Never had any problems
> 
> *1 hour ?????? load of rubbish.*




Totally agree. Go look at the Tegus in the wild that dont eat anything thats an hour old 

So you're gonna find a bunch of people on both sides of the coin of feeding in and out of the enclosure for various reasons across the bored. Everyone thinks their way is the best way to do it.

I personally like to feed my Tegu in the bathtub because he likes to make a mess... and I just really am not thrilled with him eating dirt as he tries to clean up his mess. Ive had 'experts' telling me that Im doing a disservice to my Tegu because the house might be too cold as opposed to his warmer tank and then he will be stressed. *eyeroll*


----------



## Dylan koch (Aug 8, 2020)

Eating In enclosures can cause agression issues, pest problems and ect! Plus you could just feed him his little bit in morning and rest later or feed less but more often


----------



## Dylan koch (Aug 8, 2020)

Also another huge one is impactions


----------



## bsshig40 (Aug 20, 2020)

Well the bowl in the water has stopped the ants. As far as feeding him in his enclosure, I've never had any aggression issues with him, food or not. I don't feed live food as I don't want him to get aggressive. I have a mixture that he seems to like very well. His bowl is set on his cool side and he goes over and eats when he wants to. It doesn't bother him when I spray is substrate, or take his water tub out to clean, or when I place his food bowl in his enclosure. He just sits there and watches me. I had more aggression out of him when he was very young, but as he gets older he is becoming more docile all the time. I can reach in and grab him, take him into the house for an occasional bath and the wife and G-Kids pet him and he just sits in my hand and closes his eyes. So I really don't think that feeding him in his enclosure is causing any aggression issues.


----------

