Portion control

[CrankbaitJedi]

So I throw in a big fat mouse (frozen/thawed) for the new blue just to see what happened. He ignored it... and then he ignored it some more. I was tempted to take it out and give it to a lizard who would be appreciative. I was distracted by something when I heard this wicked thwacking sound. I turn around and there is my pretty blue lizard absolutley mutilating this fat mouse. He was twirling it, twisting it, throwing it, head butting it.... Oh the horror! The guts, the blood... it was everywhere! I guess he didn't want the whole thing... just bits and pieces. The cage windows looked like a scene out of Hostel. What an absolute mess. I think the previous owner fed live mice and he has some habits I will need to break. Problem is... he doesn't see it that way. I am going to need more Windex.

 

[chelvis]

Good luck braking that habbit, it could also be that the mouse was too big? My tegu was never fed live and if i give him a large mouse he will just swallow it, give him a small rat and he does what you just discribed and I'm stuck cleaning a window or two.

 

[slideaboot]

So I throw in a big fat mouse (frozen/thawed) for the new blue just to see what happened. He ignored it... and then he ignored it some more. I was tempted to take it out and give it to a lizard who would be appreciative. I was distracted by something when I heard this wicked thwacking sound. I turn around and there is my pretty blue lizard absolutley mutilating this fat mouse. He was twirling it, twisting it, throwing it, head butting it.... Oh the horror! The guts, the blood... it was everywhere! I guess he didn't want the whole thing... just bits and pieces. The cage windows looked like a scene out of Hostel. What an absolute mess. I think the previous owner fed live mice and he has some habits I will need to break. Problem is... he doesn't see it that way. I am going to need more Windex.

Hah! Yeah, it can get pretty savage sometimes.

EASY on the Windex, though. I can't see that being ANY KIND of good for your tegu. It's pretty impressive what a damp rag can accomplish on windows without leaving chemicals about.

 

[reptastic]

Chevis you bought back some memories lol, i couldnt sit in the room with nero when she first got small rats, i just left and came back when she was done lol, eventually she just swallowed them but cleaning up rat guts and blood was no picnic lol, especially out of the carpet, also for glass you could use a vinegar/water solution 1/3 vinegar and 2/3 water gets the glass squeaky clean, i used it for my reptiles enclosure and had no problems

 

[Jefroka]

Another good reason to feed them in a separate enclosure. Mine I can just hose off when I'm good and ready. After mine eats and roams and plays a bit then does his bathroom thing, I then put him back in his enclosure.


...Jefroka

 

[reptastic]

I feed mostly outside of the enclosure, usually on the floor, a mop and paper towels is all i need lol

 

[Jefroka]

My house is being raised right now, actually it has been raised but they are still working on the exterior, everything is crazy right now. My feeding enclosure is outside and depending on what's going on outside I may not be able to feed my tegu in his feeding enclosure so I do as you do and feed him on the floor.

Yesterday, he did a major crap, spewed a big nasty smelly one with urates and liquid, oh, just disgusting and the aroma, only a mother could love (probably not even!).

Practically used up an entire roll of paper towels and a bottle of odorban dealing with that dump!

But of course we love our tegus and would do just about anything for our kids right?


...Jefroka

 

[slideaboot]

By the way...excellent thread title. A picture halfway through the carnage with that caption would've had my vote in the contest!

 

[CrankbaitJedi]

Dang it! I need to keep that in mind. I feel a lot of pressure to enter that contest but another tegu will probably tilt the scales (no pun intended) to the tegus and they would go Planet of the Gus on me!!! I would have to call in Marky Mark to save me. I apologize if nobody gets that reference.

BTW-No Windex being used, just trying to paint a picture. Windex, as a word, was more appealing to me than 'wet rag' or 'vinegar'. Sorry for the confusion.

 

[Jefroka]

I'm guessing your reference was to the Planet of the Apes?


...Jefroka

 

[CrankbaitJedi]

It was more the Marky Mark reference linked in with PoA. You always take risks with pop culture references.

Well, the blue just ate a bunch of berries and grapes. Not nearly as messy. And he is chomping on some roaches. Good eater!!! WooHoo!!!

 

[Bubblz Calhoun]

Next time I would just try a smaller size. Some times I give Korben rat pups that are too big for him to handle. It gives him a bit of a work and makes him work for his food.

Plus I know the mess is coming so I'm prepared instead of being caught off guard. Like Reptastic said,.. I also use vinegar and water to clean on those days since I still feed him in his cage.

There's only so much you can cover and keep covered when they start rolling and thrashing it around. So I just remove the top layer of substrate when he's done.

 

[herpgirl2510]

I am glad my guys ae neat about eating the mice a few swallows and they are gone. I do feed small mice and give Tonak like 5 he would probably make a mes with a rat. Hornworms are another story huge mess when he does that.

 

[CrankbaitJedi]

I was spoiled with my first Tegu. She is so prim and proper. Each mouthful measured and she wipes her mouth whenever anything gets messy. Very under control at meal time. This guy throws everything around. He can't even do ground turkey right!!! I gave him a hopper and he couldv'e popped it like PEZ but he decided to shake its head off instead. He is some kind of blood thirsty dude. I have needed more clean up with this guy in three days than the year plus with my other tegu. Oh, and my wife says Ewwwwwww a lot more. But that kind of makes it worth it... doesn't it. Hehehehehehehe.

 

[Draco D Tegu]

LOL Gator is a messy messy eater. Although I must admit, he has never tossed rodent guts around his enclosure LOL. I do not envy you.

Baby on the other hand, will NOT eat a mouse or rat or anything like that. I have a hell of a time with her.

Does anyone else's tegu seem to miss the food and bite thier bowl? Both of mine have been doing that lately, like they're near-sighted or something.

 

[jumper123]

i fed Carly a live mouse once and the same thing happened!! it was brutal, i left the room. I still leave the room when giving mice. I dont like that CRUNCH

 

[Dirtydmc]

I'm excited for mess. So is my family. The snakes get the live prey. They refuse to eat dead.things.

 

[CrankbaitJedi]

I can't say I 'like' the crunch... but I do appreciate it as it reminds me what is inside the mouth. Keeps my respect in the right place. On that note, I did pull a stupid the other night. While free roaming, I reached down to pull off some shed off my new Blue. He tongue-flicked my hand and in a freaking blur he had tagged my finger that had some cheeseburger smell on it. MAN OH MAN!!! Those tegus bring some serious teeth to the table. If I didn't have Jedi-Matrix reflexes, I would probably have a stublet for a middle finger right now. And the thing is, the tegu really wouldn't have to try very hard... they are just good at what they do (getting at food). Be careful out there!!!!

 

[tora]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ZHc0dM2UAc

Yeah, my tegu likes to make messes too. The only time she doesn't completely destroy whole prey is when it's really small. I've been having to give her live food lately because she's been picky, but at least I can rest easy knowing they die instantly. She makes sure of it. But then she keeps shaking... till it tears.. then crunches it a few times, and it's gone!

 

[reptastic]

Eeeeewwww nero use to do that with mice, once she smacked me with an almost decapitated mouse lol i was recording it too, i think its still on youtube i gotta find it