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As far as ground turkey, chicken hearts, gizzards, etc. is this stuff just bought from the grocery store? Is there certain things to look for and stay away from when buying meats?
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Feeding ?
- Thread starter james.w
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Well I buy all that stuff from the grocery store. I just look for the frsh stuff with no added "stuff" to it. Look for meats as close to being completely natural as possible if that makes any sense.
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What temp should the food be? How much should a hatchling eat?
Hi James
I get my chicken gizards and heart at the grocery store. Where I shop they are both in the same meat tray and the tray is only like $2 (probably around 50 hearts and gizards)
As for temps most Tegus like their food at room temperature or luke warm. I use a cup of warm water and put my chicken hearts and gizards in a zip lock bag then in the water to thaw. I do the same with pinkies.
As for quantity, I feed my Tegu every day, feed him what he can eat, when he wonders away then he has probably had enough. My Tegu can eat a Turkey meat ball (about the size of a large strawberry), 3 chicken hearts and a couple gizards, and some red grapes cut in half. I will alternate between Ground Turkey, scrambles eggs, and 3 pinkies every day. If he isn't a very big eater then maybe try to offer less food twice a day. Crickets, horned worms, wax worms, superworms, silk worms, fruit or veggie baby food, bananas, sweet berries, just try different combos to keep him interested and to get him to eat a more varied diet.
I get my chicken gizards and heart at the grocery store. Where I shop they are both in the same meat tray and the tray is only like $2 (probably around 50 hearts and gizards)
As for temps most Tegus like their food at room temperature or luke warm. I use a cup of warm water and put my chicken hearts and gizards in a zip lock bag then in the water to thaw. I do the same with pinkies.
As for quantity, I feed my Tegu every day, feed him what he can eat, when he wonders away then he has probably had enough. My Tegu can eat a Turkey meat ball (about the size of a large strawberry), 3 chicken hearts and a couple gizards, and some red grapes cut in half. I will alternate between Ground Turkey, scrambles eggs, and 3 pinkies every day. If he isn't a very big eater then maybe try to offer less food twice a day. Crickets, horned worms, wax worms, superworms, silk worms, fruit or veggie baby food, bananas, sweet berries, just try different combos to keep him interested and to get him to eat a more varied diet.
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Thanks for the reply Nessie. That is what I will try.
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Good post Nessie!
I find mine eats food best that is slightly above room temperature.
I also put food in a zip lock and soak it in water that is my desired temperature. Resist the temptation to us hot water to speed up the process. You want the food to 'heat' evenly so the center is the same temperature as the outside (especially important when thawing frozen foods). Also keep in mind that hot water can slightly cook raw foods like Ground Turkey.
Feed them as much as they will eat until the end of their second summer which puts them about 16 months old.
It's hard to give much advice on a quantity to feed them. They grow so amazingly fast. Fresh meats like Ground Turkey, Beef Liver, gizzards, hearts, etc are very inexpensive when feeding a hatchling. Thus I suggest feeding them a bit more than you expect them to eat to ensure they are eating their fill. Once you have a 48", 15 lb monster this may not be so practical, but in the mean time enjoy the freedom.
I'v found mine seems to most enjoy eating whole foods such as (frozen/thawed) mice and/or baby chicks. But I still offer him a fairly wide variety of foods most of which comes from a standard grocery store. I highly encourage you to talk to and make friends with your local butcher. Then ask if they have any "special deals" they can throw your way.
I find mine eats food best that is slightly above room temperature.
I also put food in a zip lock and soak it in water that is my desired temperature. Resist the temptation to us hot water to speed up the process. You want the food to 'heat' evenly so the center is the same temperature as the outside (especially important when thawing frozen foods). Also keep in mind that hot water can slightly cook raw foods like Ground Turkey.
Feed them as much as they will eat until the end of their second summer which puts them about 16 months old.
It's hard to give much advice on a quantity to feed them. They grow so amazingly fast. Fresh meats like Ground Turkey, Beef Liver, gizzards, hearts, etc are very inexpensive when feeding a hatchling. Thus I suggest feeding them a bit more than you expect them to eat to ensure they are eating their fill. Once you have a 48", 15 lb monster this may not be so practical, but in the mean time enjoy the freedom.
I'v found mine seems to most enjoy eating whole foods such as (frozen/thawed) mice and/or baby chicks. But I still offer him a fairly wide variety of foods most of which comes from a standard grocery store. I highly encourage you to talk to and make friends with your local butcher. Then ask if they have any "special deals" they can throw your way.
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Currently I have pinkies, crickets, ground turkey, and chicken hearts and gizzards. I've been putting some crickets, ground turkey and the hearts and gizzards in his feeding bin and leaving him about 30 minutes. I have done a pinkie once and plan on the 2-3 times a week.
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When feeding eggs is the shell left on? Either feeding scrambled or hard boiled.
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If you figure out a way to scramble an egg with the shell still on, let me know! :-D
Kidding, I know what you meant, I usually take the shell off if feeding cooked eggs but when I give them raw(if feeding raw make sure they're fertilized eggs) I'll usually just crack it in a dish and let them work around the shell. Mine don't seem too interested in the shell, just the goodness within.
Kidding, I know what you meant, I usually take the shell off if feeding cooked eggs but when I give them raw(if feeding raw make sure they're fertilized eggs) I'll usually just crack it in a dish and let them work around the shell. Mine don't seem too interested in the shell, just the goodness within.
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The way I scrambled with the shell is just break the egg in a cup add a little milk and microwave it for 40 seconds. He didn't eat the whole thing but ate about half.
G
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i been hearing alot abut fertilised eggs,where do u get them at?i wanna give em a try.
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Get yourself a rooster and a few hens, lots of fun and same day eggs are delicous!
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frost said:
I don't think you will find commercially produced fertilized eggs. They would have to be shipped/stored in an incubator or the chick inside would die and rot...
Do some research for local farms. I met a guy in my local fish club that breeds chickens. He gladly gives me eggs/chicks when I drive out in the sticks to see him.
I consider myself quite fortunate to have found someone who will give them to me for free, but there is a farm much much closer to me that will sell them fairly cheap. He has a sign posted by the road in front of his (rural) house that says "Fresh Eggs". He thought I was weird when I asked for fertilized eggs and he had to go collect them for me when I asked... but he sold them to me for the same price as his unfertilized eggs ($3 per doz, or 2 doz for $5).
I spend $5 in gas to go see the guy that gives them to me free
But he has a cool farm and is a cool guy so it's worth going out once in a while.