Side affects of a rodent diet? How many Dubia's?

[Guest]

I've asked this before but never got a straight answer other than starve him for a few days. I've often heard that an all rodent diet is bad, My EGT will now eat dubia's and turkey/chicken gizzards, but I breed mice and rats for my snakes and it is a lot more convenient to just throw a mouse/rat in there. (pre-killed of course) I throw calcium and reptivite on every other day (switch back and forth) But I'm looking for an answer for side affects of an all rodent diet, is it too much of one mineral and too little of others? too high in fat/protein? (I wouldnt imagine too much protein since he's still young), I havent seen him impacted so obiously not that, Too hard on the teeth?

Also, just out of curiosity, how many dubia roaches should i feed at 1 time? He'll easily eat 9 or 10 which is basically more than 60 crickets on the meat/protein side. (7 crickets to 1 dubia) I dont want him to get too fat because i know that Tegu's are scavengers and eat what they can when they can (typically) So any advice would help!

Please help and thank you!

 

[Guest]

No straight answer here ether ... By feeding mice exclusively you have probably chosen the best food if you were to feed one thing ... It is stressed by those that know that variety [fruits, vegetables, liver, fish ,] are important too .. You may find that feeding six or eight mice a day are hard to keep up with ... Just for a guess things you may end up with would be impaction or prolapse.. I would feed the roaches as more of a treat.. I wouldn`t know a dubia roach if it was crapping in my sugar bowl but I would think that ten for a med to large tegu would be ok ..

 

[Bubblz Calhoun]

As you said before tegus are scavengers and they eat a variety of foods in the wild. So try to mimic that as closely as possible. You never know when something may not be available for what ever reason. Such as food recalls and or diseases and sickness in colonies. Its easier to feed and keep a tegu fed that eats a variety of foods.

With feeding mainly rats you may run a higher risk of your tegu becoming impacted. Just because you haven't seen it, doesn't mean it won't happen. Since their fur isn't digestible over time it can and will build up if they don't or can't pass it. Feeding other foods help lower the risk (food wise) by keeping the pipes clean and passable, so to speak. :-D