Fussy Tegu... Opinions!!!

[dragonqueen4]

My argentine tegu, Zilla, is 3 feet long, Ive had him about 5 months and he is a fussy eater. I have tried laying a dish of food in with him and I have tried a feeding box and he picks at it somedays, and other days doesnt touch it. I dangle the food with tongs into the enclosure and this usually works, however, its making him mistake me for food. But he will waste away to nothing if I dont do this, he basically refuses to eat any other way.
The only food I can get him to eat is turkey breast, mice and organ meats and beef.
IMO, he is underweight.. temps and humidity are good.. 110 basking spot.. cool side, MVB

 

[Jefroka]

Based on that picture he does not appear to be overweight. He in fact looks quite healthy to me.

I would stick with the feeding bin. He does not have to eat every day and in the wild I am sure they miss many meals.


...Jefroka

 

[Meg90]

Looks like a lady to me--have you checked for spurs?

How much does he eat about? Like a half cup of food etc....does it like whole prey items?

So far Cleo really likes raw chicken (I was using cut up breast tenderloins) soft boiled egg, and her f/t rat pups. She's not super keen on ground meats yet.

 

[dragonqueen4]

I think hes healthy, but Ive yet to see this crazy appetite that everyone says tegus have. He loves f/t mice, but i have to dangle them and make them look alive. In one day he will eat 2 slices of turkey breast and thats it.. another day maybe 10 chicken hearts.. next day.. 3 gizzards .. or maybe 15 superworms... he doesnt like ground turkey or raw chicken.
Sometimes he will go 3 or 4 days without eating :S
And Yes.. he does look like a she.. another concern.. where are the jowls?? lol .. he definitely has the 2 spurs at the base of his tail...so he must be a male!

 

[Meg90]

Hmm. That's a puzzle. Can you post a picture of his enclosure?

Has he been slowing down just recently? Maybe he wants to hibernate.

Who did you get him from?