# Donatello will not eat :/ help!



## Kym123089 (Sep 4, 2012)

I have had Donatello for around a week- week and a half. His temps and enclosure are all up to par, as is his substrate (Which is a soil mix). He is calming down for me pretty well and allows me to pet him and even stands on me sometimes until he gets distracted/excited. The only problem is that he refuses to eat out of his enclosure or even from tongs in his enclosure. I really do not want to feed inside it and cause any food aggression. Any suggestions?


Oh and I've tried feeding almost every feeder insect I could think of, pinkies, ground turkey, gizzards and liver(chicken)



http://www.tegutalk.com/showthread.php?tid=12311


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## Logie_Bear (Sep 4, 2012)

Are all the feeder insects you are offering live?


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## Kym123089 (Sep 4, 2012)

Yes, I offered crickets, mealworms, super worms, hornworms, dubia roaches, night crawlers


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## Logie_Bear (Sep 4, 2012)

Sometimes they can be shy eaters and won't eat with you watching. Has he eaten anything whatsoever since you've had him?


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## Bubblz Calhoun (Sep 4, 2012)

_Do what's best for the animal, if that means feeding inside the enclosure then do so. As long as you spend more time doing things with him around and inside his enclosure that doesn't involve food you should be fine. Food aggression is more of an issue when feeding live prey and very little human interaction other than feeding time, so they associate the two.

When feeding inside the enclosure use a plate or paper towels that cover some of the substrate around the food. They can be messy eaters so food sometimes flies and ends up on the substrate anyway. Depending on your soil mix that's not a huge issue. If or when food ends up on the soil just remove the soil around where it landed, to get rid of the smell and prevent them from smelling and trying to eat it later. _


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## Scott Hogge (Sep 4, 2012)

Bubblz Calhoun said:


> _Do what's best for the animal..._



ditto on that entire reply


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## TegusRawsome80 (Sep 4, 2012)

You should've left him alone and not tried to pick him up in my opinion. Could be part of the problem


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## Kym123089 (Sep 4, 2012)

Okay I will try feeding in the enclosure again. He ate off tongs the first couple days, that's why I was concerned. I didn't pull him out immediately it was after he seemed okay with it (no hissing, no tail whips) and was trying to climb my arm. He does have a "plate" that's his an I'll try feeding with it (it's large and plastic with raised edges).


I appreciate the advice I really do... I adore him already and I would be devastated should anything happen to him


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## sylvie (Sep 4, 2012)

we have a tegu. His viv has 2 sliding doors on the front. While Elvis is totally friendly and tame and comes out everyday we only ever feed in the viv. The right door is for feeeding the left everything else.... works a treat for us


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## james.w (Sep 4, 2012)

What are the temps and humidity and what are you using for UVB?


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## Kym123089 (Sep 4, 2012)

Temps-130 basking, 93-95 ambient humidity stays in the 80's


UVB I'll have to look, it's zoo med


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## james.w (Sep 4, 2012)

What is the cool side temp? What bulb are you using for UVB? What size/type enclosure?


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## m3s4 (Sep 4, 2012)

If you've only had him for around a week, chances are he's still being shy and won't eat much until he settles down and feels more comfortable with his new surroundings. 

Make sure the basics are taken care of - meaning temps and humidity level and let him settle down. 

I think the #1 concern for all new tegu owners is this one: my baby tegu won't eat. 

As long as your set-up is close, you don't try and handle him or stress him any more then is needed - your tegu will settle down, settle in and start eating.

Be patient, let him calm down and just know this a very common thing with new tegus.


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## Kym123089 (Sep 4, 2012)

m3s4 said:


> If you've only had him for around a week, chances are he's still being shy and won't eat much until he settles down and feels more comfortable with his new surroundings.
> 
> Make sure the basics are taken care of - meaning temps and humidity level and let him settle down.
> 
> ...



Thank you. I figure I'm being overly concerned. But you can't be too careful.


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## DITB (Sep 6, 2012)

I bought a tegu from the same clutch as you and I think we even got them on the same day last week. Mine eats in a large dark rubbermaid sometimes...and sometimes it wont. The times it wont I give it food inside its enclosure. So far he has been a picky eater and will only eat egg yolk and beef liver but it did eat some ground up turkey mixed with beef liver once I think he likes the strong smell. I am sure the tegu is perfectly healthy and is just acclimating to its new home and possibly new diet.
Here is a photo of my tegu in what was a way to tiny feeding box...he refused to eat unless he had a lot of space, darkness, and time. I leave him in his rubbermaid with food for about an hour before returning him to his enclosure and if he still has not ate i move the food to his enclosure with him.


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## Kym123089 (Sep 6, 2012)

Donatello will eat sparingly from tongs now and I have been leaving food daily for him as well. He will eat eggs, he ate one pinkie so far (he is interested in them still), he will try some worms, he for some reason has 0 interest in turkey so far, and loves scallops. Thanks for the update on his sibling  how is yours as far as personality thus far? Mine is just about through with the shed he started right as I got him. He is soooo light compared to before! I'll post pictures tomorrow. I'm going to try a dark rubbermaid. A big issue I'm having is he wants to bury himself all the time so he doesnt even realize I've fed him or come up for much really


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## Kym123089 (Sep 11, 2012)

DITB said:


> I bought a tegu from the same clutch as you and I think we even got them on the same day last week. Mine eats in a large dark rubbermaid sometimes...and sometimes it wont. The times it wont I give it food inside its enclosure. So far he has been a picky eater and will only eat egg yolk and beef liver but it did eat some ground up turkey mixed with beef liver once I think he likes the strong smell. I am sure the tegu is perfectly healthy and is just acclimating to its new home and possibly new diet.
> Here is a photo of my tegu in what was a way to tiny feeding box...he refused to eat unless he had a lot of space, darkness, and time. I leave him in his rubbermaid with food for about an hour before returning him to his enclosure and if he still has not ate i move the food to his enclosure with him.



How is he eating now? How does he act? I'm curious if donatello is acting normal compared to his siblings. He wants to burrow and hide 24/7 and never wants food :/ I'm trying crickets again here in just a bit


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## Deac77 (Sep 12, 2012)

Kym when I get back to midland I have a idea on how to get him to eat do you have a blender? I'll pm you on fb too


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## KABIKANO (Sep 12, 2012)

Maybe he's not hungry...


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## DavidRosi (Sep 12, 2012)

When I first got my Gold, he wasn't a big eater... Or so I thought, for 2 weeks I made no real contact with him; just changed his water, general maintenance and cleaning in his viv and spent a lot of time with my hand near him etc. after he become comfortable in his new surroundings he began to eat a lot more, now he's a year old he'll always come out of his viv when he knows the food is near, will eat right next to me then bask happily. 

I don't feed him on whole items or insects; did try but he ran a mile from a locust... Scared? Bless. 

He eats a ground up mixture of turkey, fruit, veg with added nutrients... It's everything he needs in a single meal, sometimes he'll gorge through two but usually just the one  

It's not the approach everyone has when it comes to diet, but from what I can see he is a very healthy 'gu 
[attachment=5135]


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## Kym123089 (Sep 12, 2012)

He has to be hungry eventually. 


Thanks for the info on your tegu diet and how he behaved. I just worry about him burying himself so much. I'm trying something new today and hopefully it'll work


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## chitodadon (Sep 12, 2012)

My 2 month Tegu hasn't really been eating and today he never cane out of his hide GE actually blocked the entrance with the moss wat can I do.to.her him.out or keep him.from hibernation 

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## Kym123089 (Sep 12, 2012)

I'm afraid that's what Donatello is trying to do :/ if I knew for sure I'd feel better about this whole situation


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## chitodadon (Sep 12, 2012)

Yea I had to make Zeus come out he looked at me like wat the hell.and didn't even touch his food just went to bask

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## Kym123089 (Sep 12, 2012)

Donatello does that. He did just eat a little ground turkey, boiled egg with shell and liver mix (all blended). Now he is back to hiding


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## chitodadon (Sep 12, 2012)

Yea it scares me because I think he sick or something 

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## KABIKANO (Sep 12, 2012)

chitodadon said:


> Yea it scares me because I think he sick or something
> 
> Sent from my LG-P999 using Tapatalk 2



If you think he's sick, take him to the vet then. If not, leave him alone, he may be trying to brumate.


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## chitodadon (Sep 13, 2012)

I know he not sick I just don't want him to brumate

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## KABIKANO (Sep 13, 2012)

Why not? Nature's way... Thats like someone keeping u from sleeping after a 24 hour shift at work.


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## Kym123089 (Sep 13, 2012)

So if he wants to just sleep I should leave him be and not try to get him to eat


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## chitodadon (Sep 13, 2012)

Well he woke up this morning at 1030

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## KABIKANO (Sep 13, 2012)

Kym123089 said:


> So if he wants to just sleep I should leave him be and not try to get him to eat



Yes if he is healthy and is just trying to brumate. If for any reason u think he is sick or just not right, take him to the vet. Sometimes my buddy Bakunawa will hide out for a few days atta time. I was worried in the beginning too but I remember I was told by knowledgeable tegu owners and breeders to just leave him be. Well I did and he is fine. Just my experience, (which isnt much) lol. Hope it works out for u and ur gu.



chitodadon said:


> Well he woke up this morning at 1030
> 
> Sent from my LG-P999 using Tapatalk 2



I bet ur happy.


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## Kym123089 (Sep 13, 2012)

He seems completely healthy and is a fiesty little thing. I was curious if brumation might be the cause of his constant burrowing and decreased appetite. There isn't much as far as help around here (only one other tegu keeper that I know of in the area) so this is my main source of experienced keepers.


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## KABIKANO (Sep 13, 2012)

Kym123089 said:


> He seems completely healthy and is a fiesty little thing. I was curious if brumation might be the cause of his constant burrowing and decreased appetite. There isn't much as far as help around here (only one other tegu keeper that I know of in the area) so this is my main source of experienced keepers.



I'M NOT BY A LONG SHOT AN EXPERIENCED KEEPER. I'VE HAD REPTILES FOR OVER 10 YEARS BUT TEGUS ONLY FOR ABOUT A YEAR. BUT FROM WHAT I'VE READ AND BEEN TOLD BY TEGU KEEPERS AND BREEDERS, DECREASED APPETITE GOES HAND IN HAND WITH APPROACHING BRUMATION. THE DIGGING AND BURROWING ARE JUST INSTINCTUAL TEGU TRAITS SO BRUMATING OR NOT, THEY GONNA DIG. HOPE I KOULD HELP EVEN A LITTLE BIT. GOOD LUCK AND TAKE KARE!


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## chitodadon (Sep 13, 2012)

Yea I left some foot on a dish in the enclosure he ate a chicken heart but didn't touch the egg venison or rabbit

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## KABIKANO (Sep 13, 2012)

SHOOT, I WOULDA BEEN ALL OVER THE REST OF THAT PLATE! LOL!!!


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## chitodadon (Sep 13, 2012)

Lol he picky he just laying next to the dish

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## KABIKANO (Sep 13, 2012)

chitodadon said:


> Lol he picky he just laying next to the dish
> 
> Sent from my LG-P999 using Tapatalk 2



[size=x-large]STR8 BOOSHIE![/size]


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## Kym123089 (Sep 13, 2012)

KABIKANO said:


> Kym123089 said:
> 
> 
> > He seems completely healthy and is a fiesty little thing. I was curious if brumation might be the cause of his constant burrowing and decreased appetite. There isn't much as far as help around here (only one other tegu keeper that I know of in the area) so this is my main source of experienced keepers.
> ...



It does make me feel better about his appetite, I'll keep trying food for a bit just in case. I don't mean burrowing in general, I mean he literally will stay buried all day and night. Thank you for your advice


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## KABIKANO (Sep 13, 2012)

Kym123089 said:


> KABIKANO said:
> 
> 
> > Kym123089 said:
> ...



[size=large]BEING BURIED ALL DAY AND ALL NIGHT IS A TEGU THANG TOO! LOL! DON'T STRESS MAMI, HE'LL BE ALRIGHT.[/size]


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## Kym123089 (Sep 13, 2012)

KABIKANO said:


> Kym123089 said:
> 
> 
> > KABIKANO said:
> ...



Lol thanks I can't help but worry I guess


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## Skeetzy (Sep 13, 2012)

Don't feel bad man. I got my tegu Tuesday morning. He was out basking for a few hours, then went to digging in his caves. That was about 7 pm Tuesday. As of 11 this morning still no sign of him. It's just what they do. He'll eat when he needs to!

My bearded dragon has been doing something similar to. In the past month he's eaten two roaches and a few bites of lettuce. Spends most his day in a hide. But isn't actually brumating yet. It's definitely scary and stressful but you gotta accept its their natural ways.


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## chitodadon (Sep 13, 2012)

Yea my tamales beardie is do the same to and I know.she is lonely since I lost my male last year before she laid her eggs

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## Skeetzy (Sep 13, 2012)

That's sad. Mine was out all day today basking. Didn't eat much kale though. Going to try roaches tomorrow. Mine are overpopulating my tub because nothings eating them. Wish the tegu would come out of hiding hahah.


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## KABIKANO (Sep 13, 2012)

Skeetzy said:


> That's sad. Mine was out all day today basking. Didn't eat much kale though. Going to try roaches tomorrow. Mine are overpopulating my tub because nothings eating them. Wish the tegu would come out of hiding hahah.



Shoot, I'll trade u tubs! My herps eat all day every day! Lol!!!


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## Skeetzy (Sep 13, 2012)

I got a buddy that sells them in very large bulk. He has too many tubs hahah. Ill just be sending the extras to him to sell for me. Funny cause I was buying them off him not too long ago.


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## Kym123089 (Sep 15, 2012)

Donatello ate two fuzzy mice!!! They were more in between pinks and fuzzy


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