# Tegu Eating Charcoal



## Henry (May 27, 2019)

My Argentine Black and White tegu has been eating charcoal recently. He use to eat clay hydro balls before I moved him to a new enclosure with a deeper substrate.Now hes eating the charcoal in the substrate. I know that he does this intentionally and I've been assuming that it helps him breakdown his food, but now that hes moved on to eating charcoal(which is more rigid than hydro balls) I'm concerned that it would do less good than harm. Can he digest the shards of charcoal he eats? Does anyone else experience this with their tegus?


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## Walter1 (May 27, 2019)

Hard to say. Might sit in his stomache and grind food. Mightvbe needing some mineral. On the balance, I'd try to prevent this.


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## Tizzay89 (May 30, 2019)

Mine would eat pearlite. Ppl think they eat this stuff to aid in digestion as a fiber. Try introducing fiber to diet. I currently dice dandelion greens and mix in to food. Tegu has stopped eating pearlite.


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## Walter1 (May 30, 2019)

Dandelions are an excellent source of calcium. Make sure pesticide-free.


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## Tizzay89 (May 30, 2019)

Walter1 said:


> Dandelions are an excellent source of calcium. Make sure pesticide-free.



And free lol my yard is full of them


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## Henry (May 30, 2019)

Thx everybody. I just incorporated a bunch of vegetables in his diet including mustard greens, parsley and green peas. I think he'll be good on fiber now yes?


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## Tizzay89 (May 30, 2019)

Henry said:


> Thx everybody. I just incorporated a bunch of vegetables in his diet including mustard greens, parsley and green peas. I think he'll be good on fiber now yes?



Yeah if it will eat it. I tried peas my tegu just ate 1 and pooped it out pretty much whole. Not sure about parsley or mustard greens. Dunno if they can eat that so cant say. I like dandelion greens simply bcz they free and you can dice mix in egg and then follow up with a meat n cook it. Tegu loves it and solid poop. Also the fiber being the reason it is eating charcoal is just a theory. There may be something else missing from diet or simply the charcoal may smell. As Walter said


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## Henry (May 30, 2019)

Understood. I'll keep a close eye on him to see if he still wants to eat the charcoal.


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## Henry (May 30, 2019)

I'll also definitely get some dandelion in his diet. I had no idea it was a good source of calcium!


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## Tizzay89 (May 30, 2019)

Henry said:


> I'll also definitely get some dandelion in his diet. I had no idea it was a good source of calcium!



Me either. Mine was having runy poop and they listed as a source of fiber lol. I still dust with cal powder either way.


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