What do you feed your lizards besides rodents and insects? Dog food? What else?
We all know the cost of rodents if you have a bunch of big carnivores, and the cost of crickets if you only have a few insectivores. As I tend to acquire too many animals I have begun to limit myself to those that have a more varied appetite.
I currently work with B&W Tegus, and I feed them primarily raw fresh fish (when I catch extra, I chop up bluefish, bass and other fish -bones and all- into bite size pieces, and I feed them just the chopped up carcasses and entrails when I don't) They also eat banannas, dog food, and any kind of raw meat or poultry. I try to give them meat with small pieces of bone in it, like chicken necks. They seem to enjoy fresh berries too, but do not feed them grapes, as they seem to digest only the meat while the skins are passed and the result stinks beyond words. Other fruit is taken, but not so readily. Raw and hard boiled eggs seem to be enjoyed. I still feed thawed rats, but as a treat.
I also have a 2 European giant legless lizards, and although they enjoy small adult mice more than anything, I find they quickly attack and devour small strips of raw fresh fish fillet. They eat dog food, but not with much enthusiasm. I give them worms which they eat, but they really seem much happier chewing on slugs or crunching through snails. Trouble is Fall is coming and that food source will soon disappear.
So, what foods have you found to keep your lizards happy and healthy? Please share your successes and failures.
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