# Tegu Chow



## dragonmetalhead (Aug 18, 2011)

Anybody feed Zoo Med Tegu/Monitor Chow to their tegus? I'm considering adding it to Kodo's diet, just for more variety, and I was wondering what people had to say about it.


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## jdpFL (Aug 18, 2011)

Haven't tried it dragon....so I'm interested to see if anyone else has. I never feed those types of per store foods to my iguana though....guess I figure fresh food is best for humans (not processed with preservatives, etc) so it is most likely best for pets as well.

*pet store. Geez.


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## tora (Aug 18, 2011)

What are the ingredients?


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## dragonmetalhead (Aug 18, 2011)

Got this off the Zoo Med website.
Soybean Meal, Chicken, Corn Meal, Wheat Mill Run, Kelp Meal, Cone Meal, Garlic Powder, Vitamin Mix (Rice Hulls, Choline Chloride, Riboflavin, Niacin, Thiamine Mononitrate, Pyridoxine HCL, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Menadione Sodium Bisulfite Complex (Source of Vitamin K activity), Calcium Carbonate, Alpha Di Tocopheryl Acetate (Source of Vitamin E), Vitamin A Acetate, Folic Acid, Calcium Pantothenate, Vitamin D3, D-Biotin), water sufficient for processing.
Crude Protein, min. 9.0%Crude Fat, min. 0.5%Crude Fiber, max. 1.0%Moisture max. 78%


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## tora (Aug 18, 2011)

Eep, does not look very good. The first ingredient should be meat, since the most used ingredients are listed first. It probably has very little chicken, let alone real nutritional value. I'd maybe feed it as a treat every once in a while, but I'd stick with natural foods for the majority of the diet.  
Someone recently made a thread asking about 'tegu bites' (not sure on the brand), on the last page someone posted a natural animal food that actually looked pretty good. You might want to check that out if anything.


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## dragonmetalhead (Aug 18, 2011)

Kodo gets crickets, nightcrawlers, mice, grasshoppers, silversides, and snails. I will be adding more things as he gets bigger.


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## tora (Aug 18, 2011)

I wasn't doubting you, I was just giving my input.


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## jtpowers (Aug 18, 2011)

I agree with the responses you've gotten so far. It isn't exactly "death in a can" except maybe as a staple diet, but I can't see it being any better than plain dog food as a treat. You're probably best sticking with the kinds of foods you see recommended by the posters here...turkey, chicken, fruit, whole feeders, liver, veggies. If you're looking for extra calcium, chicken necks crushed with a meat tenderizing mallet and dices are good too.


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## james.w (Aug 18, 2011)

I think their is a pretty recent thread about this and the conclusion was mostly that it isn't cost effective compared to other things that are more beneficial in a tegu diet.


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## dragonmetalhead (Aug 18, 2011)

tora said:


> I wasn't doubting you, I was just giving my input.



I didn't mean to offend. I was simply stating that I didn't intend to use that as a primary food source. I'm sorry if my response gave bad vibes. Text is so bad and conveying emotions/inflections. And I appreciate your input very much, thank you.


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## jtpowers (Aug 18, 2011)

By the way, although it may not be too bad for tegu's as an occasional treat, I think the fact that it is also labeled for monitors with that ingredient list is inappropriate bordering on ridiculous. The monitor people would have a field day with that on their monitor specific forums. The difference in tone and civility on tegu forums and monitor forums pretty closely mirrors the temperament difference between red tegus and nile monitors, from what I've seen.


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## dragonmetalhead (Aug 18, 2011)

jtpowers said:


> By the way, although it may not be too bad for tegu's as an occasional treat, I think the fact that it is also labeled for monitors with that ingredient list is inappropriate bordering on ridiculous. The monitor people would have a field day with that on their monitor specific forums. The difference in tone and civility on tegu forums and monitor forums pretty closely mirrors the temperament difference between red tegus and nile monitors, from what I've seen.



Lmao, that's funny. I used to want a Nile as a kid, but my mom was firm in saying no. In retrospect I'm very glad for that.


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## Vince (Aug 18, 2011)

I bought some of Zoo Med's adult bearded dragon food and not only would the bearded dragon not eat it, but the dubias wouldn't touch it either. So that was a complete waste.


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## jtpowers (Aug 18, 2011)

Vince said:


> I bought some of Zoo Med's adult bearded dragon food and not only would the bearded dragon not eat it, but the dubias wouldn't touch it either. So that was a complete waste.



Wow...that has to be a real downer for the product marketing folks when even roaches won't eat it, huh?


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## Neeko (Aug 18, 2011)

Sounds like mp something. Mechanically processed. Think hot dog chili, soy products, McDonald's chicken nuggets.


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## jtpowers (Aug 18, 2011)

Neeko said:


> Sounds like mp something. Mechanically processed. Think hot dog chili, soy products, McDonald's chicken nuggets.



Next you'll be telling me that I shouldn't be feeding those things to my tegu either. Whatever shall I do when I'm on the way back from the county fair with leftovers for my 'gu? I mean, churros are still okay, right?


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## Neeko (Aug 18, 2011)

its more of my riff on hating science diet food. They replaced corn in one of their foods with soy. Yes i know tegus and dogs are different. I dont think tegus naturally eat soy in nature thats all. Imagine a bunch of mechanical fingers picking apart meat lol something invented by invader zim


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## Strange_Evil (Aug 19, 2011)

I started a thread like this a few months ago, pretty good read.'

http://www.tegutalk.com/showthread.php?tid=8300#axzz1VVXJ13m3


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## reptastic (Aug 19, 2011)

I tried this stuff a few years ago with my first tegu as an add-in, as long as that was in the mix for some reason she wouldn't touch it, ended up being cricket food lol


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