# Tegu Diet



## sn11 (Apr 22, 2009)

Hi there, 

had my little teg for 9 days now and she's starting to calm down a bit I think. I've still not tried handling her yet. Now the only thing she's eating is GAL's (Giant African Land Snails) which have the shells crushed for her as she can't seem to break into them other wise.

Now I'm curious, I can't imagine a small amount of fruit/veg and Snails being a great diet for her - She's apparently an CB '08 and she's around 12" long (nose to tail) Is there anything I can do to settle her down and get her trying more foods and eating more? I was told that tegs are mega eaters and so far she's barely eating anything at all...

Thanks, 

Oh heres some pictures of her:


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## reptilerookie (Apr 22, 2009)

i feed my tegu crikets mainly and pinkys on the weekends u can also feed her ground turky and i use flukers calcium with vitamin d3 phosphorus free


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## sn11 (Apr 22, 2009)

reptilerookie said:


> i feed my tegu crikets mainly and pinkys on the weekends u can also feed her ground turky and i use flukers calcium with vitamin d3 phosphorus free



Oh its not through lack of me trying. Heres the list of what I've tried:

Pinky mice & rats
Mince beef
Liver
Kidney
Hearts
Ox Heart
Turkey Mince
Chicken Peices
Salmon
Cod
Boiled egg
Chopped up boiled egg
Locusts
Crickets
Morios
Mealworms
Waxworms

And she's turned her nose up at the lot.


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## PinkPunisher (Apr 22, 2009)

Maybe try making a slurry out of it and blend some snails into it? You could also try rubbing the snails with mice and rats so she get used to eating food that smells like rodents which will hopefully lead to her eating rodents.

Spencer


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## sn11 (Apr 22, 2009)

I've let the snails go across the food prior to feeding and I've also after crushed used the liquid that comes out to put over the food too. She'll have the snails but nothing scented. I actually put the snail ontop of the rat pup she took the snail left the rat lol.

But i'll try scenting the snails more cheers.


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## dave (Apr 22, 2009)

First, it takes time, 2-3 weeks to acclimate isnt abnormal. If you want to swith off the snails, just stop with the snails. Tegus will get spoiled like kids. I would just offer pinkies til shes hungry enough. Good luck and she looks nice.


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## boost-boy74 (Apr 23, 2009)

dave said:


> First, it takes time, 2-3 weeks to acclimate isnt abnormal. If you want to swith off the snails, just stop with the snails. Tegus will get spoiled like kids. I would just offer pinkies til shes hungry enough. Good luck and she looks nice.



im in the same situation - so watching this thread closly, have had my teg for a week now and he/she has not eaten and spends most of her time under her hide - you are saying upto 3 weeks to settle in is this normal to also hide up???

regards simon


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## homer (Apr 23, 2009)

yea it takes time, i was worried about mine 2 but within 2-4 weeks later he started eating pretty much whatever i offered him...


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## skyhead (Apr 23, 2009)

oh my... i have the exact opposite problem :S i had by little guy out and caught him eating my cheetohs... when im out of food for him and cant make it into town, hes more than happy with lunchmeat


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## boost-boy74 (Apr 23, 2009)

i will stop stressing then :roll:


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## jmiles50 (Apr 23, 2009)

I went through the same thing with my baby :!: Be patient, it'll happen :-D


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## RehabRalphy (Apr 23, 2009)

jmiles50 said:


> I went through the same thing with my baby :!: Be patient, it'll happen :-D



I second that


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## Jer723 (Apr 23, 2009)

yeah i just got my tegu on sunday, he ate 2 dozen crickets the night we got him but he hasnt eaten ever since. after reading this i dont feel as worried, good luck with ur tegu man!

Jerry


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## sn11 (Apr 24, 2009)

Thought I'd update. Well yesterday I was cleaning out doing the Taming thing of trying to be in the viv but ignoring her. and she came over to me licked me then walked off. I shut the viv doors and sat infront of her viv reading. Then I heard scratching so I looked up and noticed she was scratching at the glass. I opened the viv door and put my hands on the runners (to give her a platform) she put to feet on me and then walked off.

Later in the day she actually walked onto my hand and sat there she let me pick her up and take her out of the viv - it was only for a few seconds (about half a minute) but thats some awesome progress me thinks! :woot 

Also today I've crushed up a snail and mixed it in with her meat and made sure the pinky got snail scent on it. Hopefully she'll start eating a varied diet soon. I'm so happy :app :app


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