are insects necessary?

[gcd312]

Hello,
I just got my Argentine B&W a few days ago and hes about 2 months old. I've been giving him ground turkey, eggs, large crickets, mealworms and i am going to try a pinky tomorrow.
He only eats the Turkey and eggs. Is this bad? Are insects really a MUST for a baby tegu's diet? If they are, then does anyone know anything that i could replace the crickets/mealworms with?

Thank you,

George

 

[Rhetoric]

I never really bothered with insects, they seemed like a waste for me. None of the tegus were too interested in them either. If hes young its not surprising he doesn't eat a wide variety of food. Just keep trying different things and see how it goes. I wouldn't feed eggs too often, they tend to create stinky stinky poops (at least for mine). If hes eating insects than you can keep feeding them, make sure you are still dusting/supplementing them.

 

[chelvis]

I would avoid egg for youngsters as it can pervent some calcium being absorbed. This can lead to MBD in these fast growing lizards. Inscets are not needed, but a varied diet is. I tried fish, chicken, shrimp, superworms, silkworms... you get the idea. Just turkey can lead to defficancies.

 

[Jason]

Personally, I stopped offering insects to Ollie (she's starting to get big and they don't seem like a cost effective food). yet every week I'll find her in my cricket bin, fat and happy Tegus want what they want, I guess

 

[gcd312]

fish and chicken be cooked or raw?te='chelvis' pid='87760' dateline='1310614537']
I would avoid egg for youngsters as it can pervent some calcium being absorbed. This can lead to MBD in these fast growing lizards. Inscets are not needed, but a varied diet is. I tried fish, chicken, shrimp, superworms, silkworms... you get the idea. Just turkey can lead to defficancies.
[/quote]

Should the fish and chicken be given cooked or raw?

 

[rrcoolj]

Keep the fish and chicken raw but always cook the eggs. My tegu eat's most things and has always loved insects. Even now at 3ft I will still buy superworms with her. But really you can feed whatever you want as long as you keep a varied diet. You will find that everybody here probably feeds their tegus something a little different.

 

[slideaboot]

I never even feed hatchlings bugs...not necessary. There are so many other less annoying things to feed, as far as I'm concerned.

 

[chelvis]

Sorry been busy but like rrcoolj said i feed all meats raw. There is alot of debate on eggs: cooked, raw, shell, no shell, for adults only... I personal hate eggs so its not somthing i keep in the house too often. I have bought quail eggs just for Bosco though, only as an adult. I hard boiled three and gave three to him raw, he made a mess and loved the raw ones and even made a mess with the hardboiled. Tegus they be messy eaters.

As got youngsters every tegu is different. Bosco has never been a big fan of turkey no matter what, he will eat it but would perfer other things. Give him a dish of night crawlers or super worms or hornworms and its like chirtmas for him! So its really what your tegu perfers. Oh on a side note just becuase i heard this was catching on again do not feed ham. One of the guys at petco suggested i vary my tegus diet with ham!!! I don't think Bosco ever gets the same thing twice in a week... or somtimes two weeks. Ham... really? Gzzz... thats a rant for another day

 

[Dirtydmc]

Petco people are fools.

 

[turtlepunk]

FOOLS INDEED

 

[james.w]

Try dubia roaches.

 

[frost]

i been giving me b/w roaches along with his meats. he chases them down and eats em like he hasent eaten in months, its pretty funny to watch actually.

 

[Toby_H]

I've never feed my Tegu a single insect and he has grown into a robust and healthy adult...

That said, roaches and several other insects are packed full of exactly what a young/growing Tegu thrives on. They are a great asset to your young Tegu's diet. I personally just find them too much of a pain in the butt to cultivate. Plus within 4~6 months your Tegu will be too large for bugs to be used as any level of 'staple' food.