Tegu Feeding Guidelines- Help!

Howdy All,

I picked up an argentine tegu last month and I'm confused as to how much to feed him. All of the literature states that tegus and monitors are prone to obesity in captivity, so its important not to overfeed. This guy eats anything and everything. He is definitely not an adult, and I am estimating him to be about 2' including tail. So far he has been eating pinkies, hoppers, dog food, crickets, fruit, and MK salad. I just don't think he is eating enough because he is aggressive in the morning right befor feeding time. He likes to jump up in the air and try to grab the mice from me. I'm feeding him 4-5 days a week- should I bump this up?

Originally Posted by SethsExotics

Howdy All,

I picked up an argentine tegu last month and I'm confused as to how much to feed him. All of the literature states that tegus and monitors are prone to obesity in captivity, so its important not to overfeed. This guy eats anything and everything. He is definitely not an adult, and I am estimating him to be about 2' including tail. So far he has been eating pinkies, hoppers, dog food, crickets, fruit, and MK salad. I just don't think he is eating enough because he is aggressive in the morning right befor feeding time. He likes to jump up in the air and try to grab the mice from me. I'm feeding him 4-5 days a week- should I bump this up?

This should help a little. http://www.faunaclassifieds.com/foru...ad.php?t=78209

Also if your Argentine is going to hibernate this season, it would be fine to feed him real well, with no problems. If he is not going to hibernate, then his food intake should be kept as such not to let him get obese. The tips in the care sheet will help with the strong feeding responce. I will also add, that dog/cat food may contain dye that is toxic to reptiles. Red# 40 and Red# 5.
They are made for dogs and cats, they are also full of ash. This can sometimes build up and cause a blockage. I feed my tegus every day, but mine hibernate 7 months of the year. It would be fine to feed them every day, but if they will not be hibernating, then it would be in moderation.
I hope this helps, if you need more information, feel free to ask!! And welcome to the forums!

Bobby, Thanks. I made sure to get an all-natural dog food with no ash or dyes. I'll keep you posted.

No problem, glad to help!! And if you get the chance, post some pics.

There's really no reason that you should be feeding dog/cat food of any sort ("natural" or not). Nor should you be feeding pinkies if he'll take hoppers. A varied diet is great, but both pinkies and dog/cat food are basically junk food. Hoppers, chicks, ground turkey, varied insects (roaches, crickets, mealworms, etc) and a variety of fruits and veggies is the way to go.