# How long before the jowls develop?



## dragonqueen4 (Jun 18, 2009)

Hi, 
I have a male, 32 inches... I know its a male, he has the buttons. But.. he doesnt have any jowls yet.. when do they usually develop these?

I also feel hes kind of skinny but I feed him a large variety of food and as much as he will eat. I was thinking his appetite wasnt very big. In one day he'll eat one mouse and a few shirmp, next day maybe 10 chicken hearts and some ground turkey, next day a big piece of liver and a little salmon...he'll only eat once a day usually... does that sound about right or could he be eating more?? Tell me what you guys think.

thx,
Leanne


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## dragonqueen4 (Jun 19, 2009)

no replies..?? come on guys


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## Tarantu1aMan (Jun 20, 2009)

im not really sure about the jowls,but he seems healthy to me,maybe you should feed him,then go back later and put some more on a plate and leave it in his cage,when he comes back out he might eat it!thats what i do with mine,and he seems to love it!


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## MIKE-ZILLA (Jun 20, 2009)

when i was cage feeding mine would eat his fill,then return and eat a little more. my male is about 30 in. and hes a little fatter than yours, but doesnt have any jowls yet. hes a little over 1 year old.Do you just feed meat? no insects, eggs, fruit ect.?


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## dragonqueen4 (Jun 25, 2009)

ive tried him with eggs and insects and he didnt eat them, perhaps i will try again.. i do give him some fruit though
hes too skinny for my liking, he doesnt eat much, so today i put in a huge plate of food with a big variety of his favorite stuff. i gave it to him earlier in the day than usual and left it there, and he didnt touch, i had to throw it out.. :S


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## VARNYARD (Jun 26, 2009)

He looks like a she to me, and at 32 inches he should be showing more jowl if he is a boy.


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## xoemkae (Jun 26, 2009)

I'm having the same sort of issue with my girl when it comes to feeding. She's about 32 inches and I feel she's too skinny. Not unhealthy by any means, but she eats very little, so I'm worried that she could become so.

She'll eat a few bites of soft-boiled egg (but only the part with the yolk), maybe a dozen superworms... the only thing she eats voraciously is mice, but I don't want to give her too many for health reasons. 

I've tried leaving her in her food bin with it, but eventually she starts to have a fit, scratching and flailing, trying to get out. And I've left food in her cage overnight so she could pick at it, but she ignored it completely.

I feel your pain.


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## dragonqueen4 (Jun 26, 2009)

yesss, i have the same problem, it sucks 
anddd

yess, he looks like a she.. BUT, hes got the two raised buttons on the sides of the base of his tail the way a male should!! 

he never ate again today... i dont get it.. he was fine, then all of a sudden just stopped eating


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## CaterpillarGiraffe (Jun 29, 2009)

I feed my Tegus once a day. I usually put food inside in the morning and just leave it in all day. They eat most in the first moments I put it in, and then throughout the day I'll see them grazing.

Sometimes I'll feed twice. 

Not sure on the jowel thing, though. Always depends on size and health I guess.

My Red Tegu had a bad previous owner and he only ate once a week. He didn't eat for 2 weeks after I got him, but after observing my other Tegu always eating, he sparked an interest. He tried some ground turkey the other day and he enjoys eating fuzzies when he's outside in the grass.

I guess eventually, after throwing food out, offering it everyday, he'll show an interest sooner or later. That's what my Red did


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