Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I've had my red tegu for about 3 months now. He's currently in a 40 gallon breeder with hardwood mulch as the substrate and a nice hide spot. Also has a nice sized water bowl.

My concerns are with his diet, shedding, and activity. First of all, he hasn't shed at all since I got him, is this normal?

Second of all, he will not eat fruit which I've read is very important for red tegus and shedding purposes. His diet mainly consists of raw ground turkey, hard boiled egg, pinkies, and crickets.

Also... this tegu is very lazy. Doesn't move much at all even when I take him out. Just kind of crawls on the floor like he's a snake and then stops... is this normal?

Any suggestions? The picture is of him when I got him 3 months ago... he's probably grown an inch or two since.

Thanks in advance!

Try apples, canned mixed fruit, canned pineapple, pears. The apples and pears I cut into bite sized chunks. Mine really likes his apples cooked for a few seconds in the microwave and cooled. They are soft without being mushy. To get mine to try new things I mix it with ine of his favorites like poached eggs. I poach an egg, break the shell, in the microwave in one of those plastic egg poachers. Also wrap the poacher in a paper towel so you don't make a mess in a microwave.

Found out tonight mine likes 3 cheese Hamburger Helper. Who would suspected that. I feed mine in a dish so that anything I offer in the dish is his food. That also cuts down on those little nips you get when they forget your fingers are not food.

I don't know about the shedding. Mine appears to be about the same size as your picture and has shed about every three to four weeks. I have used and like cypress mulch(Home Depot, Walmart). Now I'm trying aspen bedding and it seems ok for my snakes. Not sure it holds enough moisture and that may be the problem you are having with the shedding.

Hope this helps.

Mike B.

You could try getting a pair of tweezers and giving the fruit to him that way, let him see it first and if he looses interest touch the tip of his nose with the fruit. Try making it the first thing you feed him.

His activity could just be due to his personality, as long as his eyes are wide open and his tounge is flicking in and out, he's alert, if he's basking he won't be flicking his tounge out, and he'll have a relaxed look overall. He won't be active if he's cool, if he's warm them he'll start wandering around, by warm I mean like if you left a dog outside for a few hours in 100 degree heat.

i get my blue to eat fruit by mixing it right in with his sdz diet. this should help with any shedding problems.

I have a blue that is very lazy also, she does have her active moments though. As for the fruit try blending some up and mixing it in with the ground meat you feed. This will get them used to eating fruit and eventually you will be able to give fruit by itself. As for the growth and shedding mine seem to go through spurts were they will grow rapidly and shed every three weeks. Then they will slow down and shed about every 5 weeks. I do not understand this since I do not change what I do with them. Good luck.
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Beau W.

Well about the growth, shedding, and activity... I'm not sure because you didn't say but you might want to check the basking temp. Get a digital thermometer with an external probe (15$ at radio shack) and put the probe right under the light and get the temp up to 120. It might sound too hot but it’s important to understand this isn't like the temps you hear on the news were they take it in the shade. For instance here in Minnesota on an 80 degree sunny day I put my probe on the road surface and it got over 130. Even if you already knew about all that well someone else might not that might be reading this. Another thing is they really need a completely dark place to go even during the day. If they can't they get stressed out and don't have much of an appetite. If they can completely burry themselves so they can't see light then that should be ok too. I'm just thinking that mine both grew at over an inch per week when they were that size. I'm pretty sure the reason yours hasn’t shed yet is because he hasn't grown much. Mine usually wouldn't just stop in the middle of the floor either but they have access to their cage too. But in general they usually don't stop moving for long unless their basking, sleeping, or we're laying around petting them. Just trying to help you out!