Tegu talk

[kevinb]

Thanks a lot for the info! Ill be sure to look into that stuff. Don't they sell ground turkey? Or is it more expensive than it would be to buy a full one and grind it?

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[John1982]

Thanks a lot for the info! Ill be sure to look into that stuff. Don't they sell ground turkey? Or is it more expensive than it would be to buy a full one and grind it?

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It's better to get the extra lean ground turkey. If you just ground up a whole turkey yourself you'd end up with too much fat for a healthy diet. A couple things to note, tegus grow super fast so are that much more prone to MBD. Proper diet and lighting is very important with these guys. You really don't have to worry about them getting obese when they're growing. I'll feed a young tegu until they look like they're about to burst and the next day they'll appear half starved. You should offer food daily(as much as they'll eat in 1-2 sittings) until they get to the subadult/adult range then you can cut back to 2-3 meals a week. The food bill isn't all that bad since they tend to hibernate 5-8 months a year. They don't always hibernate though and if your baby doesn't be prepared for the possibility of feeding all winter and providing housing for a 3-4 foot lizard within its first year! I wouldn't just feed turkey though, here's a list of acceptable foods for your GU - variety is the spice of life!

http://www.tegutalk.com/showthread.p...#axzz1gSN0F1qE

[kevinb]

Thanks a lot for the link! And the insight. Like I said before I'm thinking ill build a 4'x3'x2' for now and expand it a little as he/she ages.

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[Jonzin4BallPythons]

Yeah what John said ... we ( the zoo and i ) buy lean unseasoned ground turkey at CostCo, we add the suppliments ( and sometimes small amounts of fruits or veggies ) mix up and portion into balls ( size depends on animal ) and freeze till needed.

And as i believe i said in a prior post ... " UVB is a must for calcium absorbtion "
and as i found out not all lights at the petstore are created equal. The only bulb i could find here at Pets Unlimited was an Exo Terra Professional Series Solor Glow 160W bulb ... retailed for $64.99 + taxes. It`s a self ballast Mercury Vapor Bulb. Provides optimal levels of UVA & UVB light and heat all in one bulb. Says right on box " Helps prevent metabolic bone disease ". It`s in a black and silver box. Prolly find it on thier site cheaper in the states .... www.exo-terra.com
This light is about 13" above surface of enclosure and keeps basking spot right around 105-07 degrees.

Cheers,

John