New owner!! Seeking advice…

[Royalty3six]

Just received my first tegu two days ago. Breeder says she is from 2-4 weeks old. She is about 12” long. Been feeding her crickets from a can. She loves them, but also have salmon and wanted to incorporate lean ground turkey and veggies. When should I start to do this? How many crickets should I feed her and how many times a day. The little info I have read is contradictory. Mostly from Facebook groups that are terrible and a few sites on google. Will include pics of my girl and her enclosure for reference and ideas. TIA!

 

[Debita]

What a fun tank! Just know he/she will be out of that sooner than you think. You can start them on that food as soon as they'll take it. Don't forget to get some frozen/thawed pinkie mice. You'll get brownie points for that move, and ground turkey any time! Just small 1/2" size balls. As far as crickets go - some Tegus eat them, some don't. I think it depends on how they're raised. I would give them as many as they'll eat when they're young, every day. Most of my lizards will eat until they're full and stop. Since my Tegus never ate crickets, I couldn't tell you how many to expect, but I'd guess prob 10-15 large? Maybe that's too much, not sure.

 

[Jeremyxb12]

I got mine at a week old. She was a voracious eater when it came to crickets. And by that I mean she didn't snag one and eat it on the spot. No, she killed everyone of them before eating, even if she had one in her mouth. But I would start now with giving it turkey and a little veggies. Chances are she has had turkey while with the breeder. It's cheaper than having crickets honestly, (unless you breed your own). As for veggies I would start with very minute amounts in the turkey, only after she decides she likes turkey), and slowly introduce veggies and fruits. But while they are young, they are more carnivorous. So like I said start will tiny, barely noticeable, amounts of green, that way when she's older she won't turn away from it

 

[Mich lady]

Got my black and white as a juvenile
He never ate crickets. I feed him lean ground Turkey, f/t chicks. The occasional f/t mouse. Sometimes I add dubia roaches to the turkey. I put a container of like 10 in the deep freezer for 10 minutes. It stops them from moving. Lol. Also I give him the occasional banana, salmon. U can get a package of cheap salmon at Walmart in the frozen seafood section. I try to feed him lean meats. He is 3 and a half and damn close to 4 feet. He will occasionally eat adult dubia and small hissing cockroaches

 

[Mich lady]

Oh, and his absolute favorite is whole quail eggs. I buy them online. He also loves chicken eggs, scrambled or hard boiled.

 

[Royalty3six]

I got mine at a week old. She was a voracious eater when it came to crickets. And by that I mean she didn't snag one and eat it on the spot. No, she killed everyone of them before eating, even if she had one in her mouth. But I would start now with giving it turkey and a little veggies. Chances are she has had turkey while with the breeder. It's cheaper than having crickets honestly, (unless you breed your own). As for veggies I would start with very minute amounts in the turkey, only after she decides she likes turkey), and slowly introduce veggies and fruits. But while they are young, they are more carnivorous. So like I said start will tiny, barely noticeable, amounts of green, that way when she's older she won't turn away from it

Thanks man. I’ve tried her in some lean meats since this post. Like yours she is savage with the crickets. Mine will bite one and stomp the rest before she eats the one lol but so far she really likes squash, salmon and shrimp. She’s had turkey but didn’t eat much them couple days. She trashed her enclosure today because we are out of live crickets. She won’t even eat the ones in the can no more she has a wild personality for sure.

 

[Royalty3six]

Got my black and white as a juvenile
He never ate crickets. I feed him lean ground Turkey, f/t chicks. The occasional f/t mouse. Sometimes I add dubia roaches to the turkey. I put a container of like 10 in the deep freezer for 10 minutes. It stops them from moving. Lol. Also I give him the occasional banana, salmon. U can get a package of cheap salmon at Walmart in the frozen seafood section. I try to feed him lean meats. He is 3 and a half and damn close to 4 feet. He will occasionally eat adult dubia and small hissing cockroaches

Nice! I’m wanting to find some pinky’s small enough to feed her. And I scored a big bag of frozen salmon vac sealed individually for like 8 bucks. Couldn’t beat it. Her thing is def still crickets! But she’s coming around. Gonna try her on some Dubai’s soon too. Can’t find any locally, gonna have to order them.

 

[Mich lady]

Are u in the u.s.? Dubiaroaches.com is where I order mine from. Consistently great products. Also, she may enjoy hornworms.

 

[Royalty3six]

Are u in the u.s.? Dubiaroaches.com is where I order mine from. Consistently great products. Also, she may enjoy hornworms.

I am! Thanks much. Will have to look them up!

 

[AnimalNerd]

It never hurts to smuggle in veggies when you can although they definitely prefer insects and meat as babies. Gutloading your insects and smuggling a lil bit of greens in with the ground meat helps get some of that fiber and micronutrients into their diet. My boy preferred dubias but to each their own!