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Baby tegu not feeding

chris bertram

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Hi all just like to introduce myself, I’m chris and I
purchased a new baby tegu (Diego) last Sunday, so a week today. He is around 14-16 weeks old.

I’ve seen on here that it’s pretty normal behaviour for a them to need time to settle in and not eat, I’m just concerned it’s over a week now and still not really eaten. Only thing I have seen him eat is a piece of strawberry, he has possibly eaten a 1 cricket and a 1cockroach also...? I say possibly as they could of escaped and be hiding in tank! I leave them in a box inside his tank as he is not interested one bit when take him out and try and feed. Pet shop suggested I just throw some crickets and roaches inside tank, I read that they can eat substrate by mistake and can cause probs hence why I put in box so less chance. Ive also tried tongs and he just shuts his eyes.
I’ve tried every food imaginable, even brought him some chicken gibblets yesterday and about vomited cutting up and still no apreciafion lol. He shows most interest in fruit. I just put some melon on and went over with tonge out all over it but then backed away. I see him drink most days. Could it be the supplement I’m using he doesn’t like? Using Arcadia full spectrum earth pro recommend by reptile shop as has everything in.

He seems to have a pattern now when wakes up around 8:00am then goes and basks and stays out for a while just moving around tank finding different spots to chill each time,then digs back under substrate In fave spot around 12-1pm and hides again until the next morning.
Hot side of tank sits around 95 basking spot 100-105 cool side 75-80 night temp around 70.
Humidity between 70-80
Substrate is coco husk
Tank is Length x depth x height: 86cm x 37.5 x 42 (34" x 15" x 16.5")
Lighting
Exo Terra Daylight Basking 75w
Exo Terra Reptile UVB 100 Compact Lamp (13w)


I’ll post a pick of set up so you can see if anything should be changed,I’ll get one of him/her when next out. Any advice much appreciated.
 

Zyn

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609
I’d try some thawed out pinky’s they normally won’t turn down a rodent lol. But a week isn’t a long time for reptiles they can go weeks between meals in the wild if they can’t find food but he won’t starve himself at such a young age stick to Whole Foods like pinkies and dubia.
 

chris bertram

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29
That’s for reply, that’s why getting quite concerned. I even brought some pinkies and even turned nose up at that a couple of days ago. I’ll put a few more of those in today and see if he goes for it.
 

chris bertram

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29
Just put 2 pinkies in took one pretty much instantly not seeming interested with other now just lying next to it. Seems he’ll only eat one thing at anytime.
 

Biffy Pyro

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Also try him on turkey mince mixed with egg yolk and multivits, it's like crack to mine. mine wouldn't feed for a while when I first got him, even pinkies didn't work but that did.
 

chris bertram

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29
Cheers I’ve tried turkey mince on own but not with the egg so I’ll give that a shot . Tried chicken heart once and again today but doesn’t seem keen. But have left in tank.
He is certainly eating more frequent now just still not as much as I think he probably should be!
Monday he ate 2 pinkies
Tuesday ate 2 crickets
Today i will update when home
 

AlphaAlpha

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Is the rock/hide under his basking light big enough to lay on and does it absorb enough heat to enable digestion?? I use a floor tile on a couple bricks/rocks to lift it.
 

chris bertram

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Is the rock/hide under his basking light big enough to lay on and does it absorb enough heat to enable digestion?? I use a floor tile on a couple bricks/rocks to lift it.
It gets pretty warm, I wouldn’t know if absorbs enough heat though! I’ve just ordered a infrared thermometer to keep check. What temp is he lowest it should go to on it? I would say it’s usually around 100
 

AlphaAlpha

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The guidelines are 115-120 for infants .... You'll be ok till you recieve your temp gun though
 

chris bertram

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So yesterday didn’t eat anything!
Today I’ve done him some turkey mince mixed with quail egg. Also put him 4 crickets in not interested in either at moment just wants to escape when open his tank. Seems very agitated today and roaming around everywhere!
 

AlphaAlpha

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When Alpha was that young he would only eat Insects (Not sure if this was because hes a colombian though)... so I used to get Hoppers because I was told Crickets are nocturnal and can bite through the night.I just left them in there with him as he was shy and rarely ate whilst I was watching. I also Kept a dish of veg in for the hoppers to feed on and only put in sensible amounts.
 

chris bertram

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When Alpha was that young he would only eat Insects (Not sure if this was because hes a colombian though)... so I used to get Hoppers because I was told Crickets are nocturnal and can bite through the night.I just left them in there with him as he was shy and rarely ate whilst I was watching. I also Kept a dish of veg in for the hoppers to feed on and only put in sensible amounts.
Yeah I’ve heard that about crickets that’s why not been liking leaving in roaming also heard that they can eat substrate by mistake with them which can harm. No way is he going to eat outside his enclosed though so i’ll give the locust a try and see how we go on those. I’m also going to pick some roaches up today and put some of those in as meant to go mad for them. Thanks for your input!
 

AlphaAlpha

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You're welcome and I can't give you any advice on the Roaches as here in the UK I haven't seen them..... although I've never looked either....lol
 

chris bertram

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You're welcome and I can't give you any advice on the Roaches as here in the UK I haven't seen them..... although I've never looked either....lol
Yeah I don’t think many places stock them here, I’ve just took a 40min trip to Nuneaton to get some, so fingers crossed they work!
 

chris bertram

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So he went another day without food yesterday!
Just put in 2 roaches and 3 locust, ate one of the locust as soon as put in then wasn’t fussed with rest. More interested in the red container I put roaches in so can’t escape but he keeps going in and trying to dig down. So yeah they are no longer in it and hiding in tank somewhere
Man this lizard keeping is stressful
 

AlphaAlpha

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just relax they really hardy animals and a young healthy gu is not going to starve itself to death its not in any animals nature.... I can remember myself being stressed about every little thing when I first got Alpha..... he could still be just settling in still, just keep doing what you're doing and getting him used to you, building trust and security.
 

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