New Black & White not taking crickets??

[Ralph DeMayo]

Just received a Argentine Tegu from Snakes at Sunset in Miami last Tuesday(3/11). He is roughly 6 to 7 weeks old and i can't seem to get him to take crickets. Every day he eats a little Chicken liver and some ground turkey but i just cant get him to pound the crickets. I've tried live and dead and he doesn't seem to be interested. Any thoughts or comments would really be appreciated. I'm 44 and got my first boa at 13, have been breeding them since 1994 and i recently really wanted the Tegu and im super excited to watch this little one grow.
Thanks sooo much for any input
Ralph

 

[Josh]

Whoa Ralph, that's one BIG boa!
Have you tried other insects like dubia roaches? What if you mixed some dead crickets in with his usual ground turkey or chicken liver? Sometimes this method of weaning will help introduce new foods. Good luck with your new 'gu!

 

[Ralph DeMayo]

Thx, just prepared some ground turkey, livers and dead crickets fot his meal today. Hopefully he takes.
That's one of my burns, she's a good girl

 

[Deac77]

I wouldn't even bother with crickets and ground meats....

Go straight to pinkie mice and fruit

Ground meat diets are crap, and crickets, well all insects, have a very high phos level

 

[Ralph DeMayo]

He did take a pinkie the other day, im just getting worried that if he doesn't start hammering crickets he won't be getting the phos he needs.

 

[Bubblz Calhoun]

Offer more of a variety early on, meaty meals have their place, easier to introduce new foods that way, as well as whole prey, fruits and veggies. Get it use to eating different things early and you'll have less feeding issues later.

 

[Deac77]

I never feed insect to gus other than treats like hissers, silks, earthworms and hornworms