Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Ive had Sammy (arg b&w) for a year now; she is about 28". I have become so confused on their needs. I hear so many things and it changes constantly. What I'm asking for is an in depth guide that includes but not limited to:

-How to get them to eat fruit/veggies

-what type of meat to feed them

-Is 100% rodent ok? (what % should be rodent)

-How big should the mouse be in proportion to the tegu's head

-Is it ok to feed live mice?

-Has it been proven to make them more aggressive?

-What supplement to use. (I use Miner-All I, the same stuff I use for my crested gecko's )

-Do they need a UVB light even if i supplement with the indoors formula?

-What is a safe method to remove stuck shed on toes/end of tail?

-Is cypress mulch ok for a substrate? How often do i need to change it?

-What type of water source should I have in the cage?

-Is 5foot long by 3 wide by 28inches high a big enough cage?

-Are their any publications/webistes with trust worthy info besides agama and St.Pierre's web sites? Im referring to info beyond the basic beginner stuff.

It would be great if we could get a couple of informed answers and get this sticky'd to the top or something. I thank you in advance for any questions you might answer.

How to get them to eat fruit/veggies.

Any time I want my red tegu to eat something new I mix it with something he really likes, like eggs. I scramble it all together in the microwave. Don't overcook it and cover with a paper towel.

-what type of meat to feed them

Beef, turkey, chicken, it's all good

-Is 100% rodent ok? (what % should be rodent) I feed f/t rats every 2nd to 4th meal, if I am pressed for time I'll feed rats more often.

-How big should the mouse be in proportion to the tegu's head

Size shouldn't matter with a 28 inch tegu. An adult mouse, similar size rat, would be fine.

-Is it ok to feed live mice?

Absolutely! Provides exercise and entertainment for your tegu

-Has it been proven to make them more aggressive?

I haven't seen any aggression in Rufus. I have him trained that when I hold my hand up flat( whoa, or stopping traffic) he settles right down. I have never been bitten by my red tegu. He is very smart.

-What supplement to use. (I use Miner-All I, the same stuff I use for my crested gecko's )

This should be fine

-Do they need a UVB light even if i supplement with the indoors formula?

I would get a good flourescent UV light

-What is a safe method to remove stuck shed on toes/end of tail?

Long soaks. Scratch and rub. Maybe shed ease( I never tried it).

-Is cypress mulch ok for a substrate? How often do i need to change it?

I have used Home Depot cypress mulch for years and don't really like it because of the dust and dirt. I want my animals to stay cleaner. Right now I am not using anything and Rufus seems fine. I may provide a rubbermaid with a hole in the end half full of mulch. Newspaper for the rest.

-What type of water source should I have in the cage?

Get one of those mortar mixing pans (Home Depot) $5.00

-Is 5foot long by 3 wide by 28inches high a big enough cage?

I would go bigger. Bert Langerwerf at Agama reccomends 32 sq. ft. of floor space. That is equal to a 4 x 8 sheet of plywood on the floor. Rufus' outdoor cage is 6 x 3. I feel that there is no substitute for sunlight and it's benefits. I also try to get him out and let him run around the back yard. He hasn't been out as much this summer due to the long, cool, rainy spells making the uvb lighting even more important.

-Are their any publications/webistes with trust worthy info besides agama and St.Pierre's web sites? Im referring to info beyond the basic beginner stuff.

They have the experience, expertise, and a willingness to share their information. They give their advise based on what has worked for them. They both have many generations of tegu experience and expertise. I wouldn't call it beginner stuff. That also doesn't mean that you can't try other things. What works in one part of the country may not work in others because of climate differences. If you try something different and it works that is what this forum is about. Sharing and caring for our tegus.

I hope this helps.

Mike B

Any suggestions on how to train my tegu? Ive been trying the clicker training but sammy seems to have trained himself to the sight of his bowl and not the clicker. I would also love to get him potty trained so I can just leave his cage open so I dont have to make it bigger.

Also what I meant about info from websites is detailed info. St. Pierre and Agama are VERY good at what they do and I meant no disrespect. I bought my tegu from Agama and they were great. I was just asking for a website with answers to my specific questions.

Some of your quesionts do not have real answers. By this I mean it is not all black and white so to speak.

>>-How to get them to eat fruit/veggies

Get them to eat?? Typically they just eat it there is no forcing involved. These are natural parts of the diet so they should naturally take to them.

>>-what type of meat to feed them? Is 100% rodent ok?

I'll answer these together, the only type of meat IMO should be whole prey items. Mice, chicks, etc. I feed a staple diet of whole prey items to my tegus then build upon that with fruits and veggies. Don't think of it as exacts by % that will only get you confused.

>>-How big should the mouse be in proportion to the tegu's head

The obvious answer would be to feed them meals smaller then their heads. However if you offer something too big they will rip and tear at it. Again your thinking about exacts (thinking to much into things). Looking past the glass door will only leave you with a sore nose.

>>-Is it ok to feed live mice? Has it been proven to make them more aggressive?

Feeding live mice is fine. It will add stimulation to the enviroment. As for aggression, yes in the sense after chasing the mouse if still hungry and you wiggle your toes or fingers they may bite at them. No in the sense they do not become savage blood thirsty killers.

>>-What supplement to use. (I use Miner-All I, the same stuff I use for my crested gecko's )

Again with exacts? You may use which ever you like. Minerall, reptical, etc. Just use the one with Vit. D3 if you house them indoors. BTW if feeding whole prey items mice, chicks, etc. you do not need to supplement those items. Vit. D3 is found naturally via the sun and animal matter (bones, liver, other organs).

>>-Do they need a UVB light even if i supplement with the indoors formula?

I do not use any Uv light with mine, so it has been proven to not be needed. However you can use it if you like.

>>-What is a safe method to remove stuck shed on toes/end of tail?

The best method would be to prevent it. This is done by providing with a humid enviroment. Otherwise there is creams that can be purchased, or you can simply soak them.

>>-Is cypress mulch ok for a substrate? How often do i need to change it?

We cannot tell you how often to change it. That depends how dirty it is, how much they go to the bathroom on it, how small of a area, etc. again an exact cannot be given. Cypress mulch works well so does dirt. I am sure a few other things may work fine too.

>>-What type of water source should I have in the cage?

You can offer a tub for them to soak in or a bowl to drink from. Mine did not soak so i went with the bowl.

>>-Is 5foot long by 3 wide by 28inches high a big enough cage?

For an adult I would go larger.