# golden tegu questions



## tegzilla (Jul 3, 2012)

I just recently got a golden tegu.I've had him about a month,he's really skechy still but just in the cage. My question is how to get him to come out of his hide more sometimes he'll spend two days in there and won't eat.2 question he won't eat live food!! Just turkey and eggs is that normal? Oh he's only about 10 to 12 inches at most if that helps.


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## dragonmetalhead (Jul 3, 2012)

Tegus are individuals and it seems like yours may be a bit picky. Cut back on the eggs since he's so young. Since he doesn't seem to like live prey, you should perhaps invest in some of Zoo Med's Can O' feeders. They have crickets, mealworms, snails, grasshoppers, and shrimp. My tegu Kodo (he's a black and white Colombian, but according to the scientists they're the same species as the golds) has never been given live prey. Live prey A) fights back and can injure your tegu and B) fosters aggression because your pet has to kill and you may not want that in an animal you wish to handle regularly. It is also a pain in the ass to deal with uneaten live rodents. Try offering different foods and see what your tegu likes. Variety in diet is the key to a healthy tegu.


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## tegzilla (Jul 3, 2012)

dragonmetalhead said:


> Tegus are individuals and it seems like yours may be a bit picky. Cut back on the eggs since he's so young. Since he doesn't seem to like live prey, you should perhaps invest in some of Zoo Med's Can O' feeders. They have crickets, mealworms, snails, grasshoppers, and shrimp. My tegu Kodo (he's a black and white Colombian, but according to the scientists they're the same species as the golds) has never been given live prey. Live prey A) fights back and can injure your tegu and B) fosters aggression because your pet has to kill and you may not want that in an animal you wish to handle regularly. It is also a pain in the A** to deal with uneaten live rodents. Try offering different foods and see what your tegu likes. Variety in diet is the key to a healthy tegu.



dang cut back on eggs he loves eggs,and turkey.i really want see him eat a live rat eventually.any help on getting him out of his hide? no basking and eating for 3days worries me


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## DavidRosi (Jul 3, 2012)

"i really want see him eat a live rat eventually"

I feel sorry for your Tegu; I really do. If you bought him with the mindless abandon in which your only real aim is to watch that... Sell him, watch the discovery channel.


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## Thelegendofcharlie (Jul 3, 2012)

DavidRosi said:


> "i really want see him eat a live rat eventually"
> 
> I feel sorry for your Tegu; I really do. If you bought him with the mindless abandon in which your only real aim is to watch that... Sell him, watch the discovery channel.



Heh heh


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## got10 (Jul 3, 2012)

tegzilla said:


> dragonmetalhead said:
> 
> 
> > Tegus are individuals and it seems like yours may be a bit picky. Cut back on the eggs since he's so young. Since he doesn't seem to like live prey, you should perhaps invest in some of Zoo Med's Can O' feeders. They have crickets, mealworms, snails, grasshoppers, and shrimp. My tegu Kodo (he's a black and white Colombian, but according to the scientists they're the same species as the golds) has never been given live prey. Live prey A) fights back and can injure your tegu and B) fosters aggression because your pet has to kill and you may not want that in an animal you wish to handle regularly. It is also a pain in the A** to deal with uneaten live rodents. Try offering different foods and see what your tegu likes. Variety in diet is the key to a healthy tegu.
> ...



You are going to end up with a dead pet. Have you any idea how hard a rat fights back? A rat can if given the opportunity, disembowel your lizard. It ain't that serious dude, if you find the NEED to see him eat rats ,feed it frozen. I hope you didn't get it to be a "Cool" pet. These are animals that eat whatever can basically fit in heir mouths and in all reality rodents are not a big part of a wild tegu diet. Fish ,birds ,,not (shady brook farms turkey lol)whole eggs ,frogs, fish, worms ,smaller lizards, small mammals (not just rats)insects snakes and carrion . 
If I where you i would start breeding marble crawdads and roaches as well


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## TegusRawsome80 (Jul 4, 2012)

Post pics of your setup. If he's not coming out, it's probably wrong. I don't have an issue with feeding live but don't try it til he's an adult and feed a small mouse not a rat. Only when supervised. What are your temps, substrate, hides, everything you have carewise? Without that it's hard to diagnose the problem. Feed him out of enclosure in a feeding tub with some kind of paper towel or something laid down so he can't ingest his substrate. I'm not one of the variety fanatics but variety is definitely a plus. If you don't do variety though, whole prey items are the way to go. Turkey and eggs is nice, but not as a staple. Especially not eggs.


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## m3s4 (Jul 4, 2012)

I wouldn't feed live, but that's just me. 

If you're going to feed eggs, you need to separate the white from the yolk and only feed the yolk - otherwise, over time, biotin deficiencies can occur. 

I'd mix in the ground turkey with egg yolk and water. 
(2) egg yolks, 6 oz water, 2-3 oz turkey. Blend. You can blend in crickets as well. 

Make sure to supplement with good vits and calcium. 

At his age he'll likely eat every day but he has to calm down to his surroundings and get comfortable and used to it all.


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## tegzilla (Jul 4, 2012)

DavidRosi said:


> "i really want see him eat a live rat eventually"
> 
> I feel sorry for your Tegu; I really do. If you bought him with the mindless abandon in which your only real aim is to watch that... Sell him, watch the discovery channel.



dude your way out of line,take that im better than you judgmental crap else where.dont post on my thread if your just talking crap.



m3s4 said:


> I wouldn't feed live, but that's just me.
> 
> If you're going to feed eggs, you need to separate the white from the yolk and only feed the yolk - otherwise, over time, biotin deficiencies can occur.
> 
> ...



thanks that actually might get him use to crickets, and i give him his vitamins and calcium he has alot of space and proper temps,i think your right its just his age and size



TegusRawsome80 said:


> Post pics of your setup. If he's not coming out, it's probably wrong. I don't have an issue with feeding live but don't try it til he's an adult and feed a small mouse not a rat. Only when supervised. What are your temps, substrate, hides, everything you have carewise? Without that it's hard to diagnose the problem. Feed him out of enclosure in a feeding tub with some kind of paper towel or something laid down so he can't ingest his substrate. I'm not one of the variety fanatics but variety is definitely a plus. If you don't do variety though, whole prey items are the way to go. Turkey and eggs is nice, but not as a staple. Especially not eggs.





TegusRawsome80 said:


> Post pics of your setup. If he's not coming out, it's probably wrong. I don't have an issue with feeding live but don't try it til he's an adult and feed a small mouse not a rat. Only when supervised. What are your temps, substrate, hides, everything you have carewise? Without that it's hard to diagnose the problem. Feed him out of enclosure in a feeding tub with some kind of paper towel or something laid down so he can't ingest his substrate. I'm not one of the variety fanatics but variety is definitely a plus. If you don't do variety though, whole prey items are the way to go. Turkey and eggs is nice, but not as a staple. Especially not eggs.



yea he has a great setup and proper temps i give him vitamins and calcium,and i wasnt gonna give him a live mouse till he's way more grown,its just weird how NO live food at all he wont eat crickets or superworms, he loves egg turkey and chicken.


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## DavidRosi (Jul 4, 2012)

dude your way out of line,take that im better than you judgmental crap else where.dont post on my thread if your just talking crap.


I don't think I'm out of line at all...I wasn't "talking crap" at all, I'm afraid; just a passing statement that maybe you have bought a Tegu with the wrong intentions.


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## Thelegendofcharlie (Jul 4, 2012)

You cant make a statement like "i really want see him eat a live rat eventually." and not raise concern among (some) members.
Everyone Im sure, is well aware of the feeding debate so Im not even going to touch that one... 
But dont act surprised when concern arises or tempers flare over the subject.
Thats not "talking crap" thats someone expressing concern over the care of another members animal.
Lets not turn this into a forum war or even worse - a live vs. prekilled debate ::shudders:: 
Are we not all here because we care about our Tegus?
Just do yourself and your Tegu a favor, and THOROUGHLY research both sides of the issue.


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## TegusRawsome80 (Jul 4, 2012)

Why can't he post that? Just because all you "holier than thou" people disagree with feeding live doesn't mean you have to jump on the guy for saying he wants to. You feed your babies live crickets. Why is that any worse than feeding a live mouse. The true answer is it isn't. At all.


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## Thelegendofcharlie (Jul 4, 2012)

Ding Ding


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## got10 (Jul 5, 2012)

Thelegendofcharlie said:


> You cant make a statement like "i really want see him eat a live rat eventually." and not raise concern among (some) members.
> Everyone Im sure, is well aware of the feeding debate so Im not even going to touch that one...
> But dont act surprised when concern arises or tempers flare over the subject.
> Thats not "talking crap" thats someone expressing concern over the care of another members animal.
> ...



I concur


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## tegzilla (Jul 5, 2012)

what i really wanted out of this was info, this was my first post and day on tegu talk,and was disappointing to have one of the first replys be go watch animal planet and the mindless abandon dribble.


but i have found tons of useful info searching fourms theres some cats on here that really have useful ideas and thoughts,plus some awsome pics.


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## m3s4 (Jul 5, 2012)

Thelegendofcharlie said:


> You cant make a statement like "i really want see him eat a live rat eventually." and not raise concern among (some) members.
> Everyone Im sure, is well aware of the feeding debate so Im not even going to touch that one...
> But dont act surprised when concern arises or tempers flare over the subject.
> Thats not "talking crap" thats someone expressing concern over the care of another members animal.
> ...



Exactly. 

Very well said.


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## jamesnyborg (Jul 5, 2012)

Thelegendofcharlie said:


> Ding Ding



LOL


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## Diablo (Jul 5, 2012)

jamesnyborg said:


> Thelegendofcharlie said:
> 
> 
> > Ding Ding
> ...



I just got it too lol


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## Thelegendofcharlie (Jul 6, 2012)

Diablo said:


> jamesnyborg said:
> 
> 
> > Thelegendofcharlie said:
> ...



Heh heh
Better late than never?


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## DavidRosi (Jul 12, 2012)

Okay. My apologies. I don't disagree with live feeding, Tegu are not the most fragile creatures in the world; and I'm sure in time he/she would be able to sort the rat into dinner time. I just think maybe the phrasing was a little, young? but, forgive and forget. Think my problem is I love my Tegu, and think they're amazing and beautiful creatures and the thought of a rat making a mess of one disheartens me greatly. 

As for your little one not making much of an appearance... It may have something to do with temperatures? I found with Kara that if she was colder than she wanted to be she'd spend a lot of time tucked away, which I presume was to keep warm... but after some more research and investments she became a lot more active. At the moment she is under most of the morning, comes out at 2 and tries to find new and exiting ways to open her viv (hence having to lock it) she uses her claws to prize it open... love her. 

Good luck with yours in the future !


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## tegzilla (Jul 12, 2012)

yea i guess i should of phrased it differentially,but im useing my ps3 to post this and it sucks to type on here so i try to keep it short.i really dont care if its a little pinky or hopper, il probably never feed him a rat there to big.but we've bonded alot actually,and hes out and about almost all day.so thats awsome


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## DavidRosi (Jul 13, 2012)

Glad to hear it. It took a little while with mine, but I see improvement with her every single day, less skiddish and a lot happier in my company. So, happy days.


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## jb62 (Oct 27, 2012)

*Re: RE: golden tegu questions*



dragonmetalhead said:


> Tegus are individuals and it seems like yours may be a bit picky. Cut back on the eggs since he's so young. Since he doesn't seem to like live prey, you should perhaps invest in some of Zoo Med's Can O' feeders. They have crickets, mealworms, snails, grasshoppers, and shrimp. My tegu Kodo (he's a black and white Colombian, but according to the scientists they're the same species as the golds) has never been given live prey. Live prey A) fights back and can injure your tegu and B) fosters aggression because your pet has to kill and you may not want that in an animal you wish to handle regularly. It is also a pain in the A** to deal with uneaten live rodents. Try offering different foods and see what your tegu likes. Variety in diet is the key to a healthy tegu.



Totally agree with why risk using a live rodent that could hurt the pet or is feeding live prey just a ego trip !..
I can't see why put a pet at risk when there's loads of good frozen rodents on the market that is safe to use.


Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 2



TegusRawsome80 said:


> Why can't he post that? Just because all you "holier than thou" people disagree with feeding live doesn't mean you have to jump on the guy for saying he wants to. You feed your babies live crickets. Why is that any worse than feeding a live mouse. The true answer is it isn't. At all.



Croc eats boy.. men kills croc.. for doing what is natural..
you but lizard to care and love.. you feed live rat and it kills your lizard..
Are the two the same!.. yeah if your so smart you can work it out.. if not your lizard as a sad life with you.. 
If you don't like criticism .. don't post :dodgy: 

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 2


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## tegus4life (Oct 27, 2012)

What was that last post? Sorry and not to be mean or anything but I really don't understand what you're trying to say jb62. That being said, this post is from July. Please let's just let everyone have his/her own opinion and call it a night.


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## Dubya (Oct 27, 2012)

DavidRosi said:


> "i really want see him eat a live rat eventually"
> 
> I feel sorry for your Tegu; I really do. If you bought him with the mindless abandon in which your only real aim is to watch that... Sell him, watch the discovery channel.



The Discovery channel has degraded into just another reality show channel. Just like the History channel and the Learning channel. We are doomed.


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## Robert A Bealla (Oct 21, 2018)

got10 said:


> I concur


My tegu loves super worms and horn worms he tears them up there just as exciting as a mouse or rat you should give it a try horn worms get nice and plump and tegus love them


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## Teguixin.22 (Nov 7, 2018)

DavidRosi said:


> "i really want see him eat a live rat eventually"
> 
> I feel sorry for your Tegu; I really do. If you bought him with the mindless abandon in which your only real aim is to watch that... Sell him, watch the discovery channel.


Yes, because feeding your animals a live rat when your lizard is an adult is a terrible thing. I feel sorry for lot like you.


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