Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Does anybody know if feeding live rodents or any other food to your tegu makes them more aggressive rather than feeding F/T?
Just curious.....
Thanks

I don't think it'll make it more *aggressive* (In the sense that it's a mean, unhandable lizard.) But I do think that if you keep it on a diet of fast moving things, it will be more prone to go after your fast moving fingers. But I wouldn't call that aggression.

i have a few tegus and all are like a pussycat except one, i feed them all f/t food the one is so mean he will literly try to attack you through the plexi glass,i mean he is MEAN! and he only gets f/t rodents and fruit and incects.

Hi,

Amigo (although he is only 7 months old) eats live food 90% of the time, and so far I would say on a scale of 1-10 he is a 10 as far as being trustworthy, he has not once gone after a hand coming into his enclosure. I think it has everything to do with the individual personality of your tegu. I have also fed Amigo different fruits, and meats, and there is no difference in his aggressiveness with either. He is just a big gentle baby

Hope this helps...

Ley x

I feed dead food just becauseit is easier. I buy frozen mice or quail in lots of 50 or 100. Feeding live animals I have to pick them up every couple of days or breed them.

The rest of his diet is groung turkey mixed with fruit and chicken gizzards. All stored neatly in the fridge or freezer.

Brian

I use both and the response of the tegu towards you should not be much different if at all.

Ron St Pierre
RSCBR

My red eats only F/T aside from insects. Her feeding response is insane! I don't think she'd ever bite me purposely but I have had her miss a mouse and about get my hand. And that was using tongs! Shes well fed but simply loves to eat and her response is so strong! As others have said, I beleive its the persona of the animal that dictates how they will act around you. On the other hand, moving fingers look alot like moving mice. Especially pinkies.

Bill
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