Hand feeding Tegu Problem?

[Rud3dog]

I made this thread for all tegu hand feeding questions so please feel free to slightly go off of my topic and on to yours for there is so many questions and concerns on this matter.

My immediate question: My tegu is young ( 3 months ) and I never thought feeding any reptile that has a mouth that could take a finger off was ever a good idea, but I see so many people doing it I decided why not try it out. I am now feeding mine large fuzzy mice and when I get that FROZEN mouse out and hold it with my fingers in the aquarium he starts to get that fixation on the food. Problem is he seems to be aimin for my fingers that are holding the very edge of the mouse instead of the mouse. He never bites me if I am not feeding him, am I doing some thing wrong?

Thank you
Chris

 

[Walter1]

Two choices. Feed in a designated bowl or use long for eps.

 

[Rud3dog]

Mind elaborating why?

 

[Walter1]

Rud- do you mean me?

 

[Rud3dog]

Yes, or any one eles. I see people taking out there reptiles to feed them but I never needed to do it in the past. What does it do so differantly, I am just trying to understand the logic.

 

[Walter1]

Oh I don't remove my animals to feed them ever. I walk in, dump food in their bowl. Like slopping hogs, except if I specifically want one to get a specific food item. Then, I usually long-forcep feed only to avoid an accidental nip.

 

[Rud3dog]

A lil update. Its been about 3 days or so since I started feeding my tegu by hand and he seems to be less and less agressive towards food as the days go on. I hold the mouse by the ass and he usally grabs it by the neck area then he might whack it on the floor once or twice then swallow. Ever since I got him mice he has been eating 2 hoppers a day and he is 3 months old. Does that sound about right?

 

[Walter1]

Of course individuals vary, but seems like he could take a little more. He's growing so he won't get obese.

 

[xMaryjoanne]

I made this thread for all tegu hand feeding questions so please feel free to slightly go off of my topic and on to yours for there is so many questions and concerns on this matter.

My immediate question: My tegu is young ( 3 months ) and I never thought feeding any reptile that has a mouth that could take a finger off was ever a good idea, but I see so many people doing it I decided why not try it out. I am now feeding mine large fuzzy mice and when I get that FROZEN mouse out and hold it with my fingers in the aquarium he starts to get that fixation on the food. Problem is he seems to be aimin for my fingers that are holding the very edge of the mouse instead of the mouse. He never bites me if I am not feeding him, am I doing some thing wrong?

Thank you
Chris

Hello Chris!

I've had my baby Luna for about 6 days now, but prior to owning her I have worked with other baby tegus due to work.
With my baby, I have tried hand feeding; She took the superworm from my fingers with no problem. The problem came when I tried to pick her up soon after and she bit my finger thinking there was more food. After that, I started feeding her outside of her cage and with a long pair of tongs for feeding.

Hope this helps! xoxo
MJ

 

[thatoneguy]

I feed mine by hand about half and half, he is very careful when taking food out of my hand, has never tried to bite my fingers. The only time he bit my finger was when it was covered In raw turkey juices, but he did not latch on, and that was awhile ago. I will try again Now that he is older and report back. Hopefully with all my fingers intact

 

[Walter1]

In some ways they are very careful. It's if they're very hungry that a mistake that hurts can happen.

 

[DangerousDann]

I've had Dozer now for 2 weeks, and started hand feeding him 2 days ago. I figured since he started climbing on my hand last week, and has never tried to even nibble my fingers when i put his food in, i would give it a shot. I switched him to ground turkey a few days ago, so I took a grape sized ball of turkey and held it with my finger tips and i was nervous, but he would take small bites off the turkey, and has been fine since. I got him off crickets early, so i could start hand feeding without him trying to kill his food.

 

[Walter1]

Starting him early on the right track.

 

[DangerousDann]

Here is a video of me hand feeding Dozer

 

[thatoneguy]

Dozer looks a lot like my tegu, patterns and color. I like the moss in the cage looks good, I might add some to mine.

 

[DangerousDann]

Dozer looks a lot like my tegu, patterns and color. I like the moss in the cage looks good, I might add some to mine.

I got him from Underground Reptiles 17 days ago. I added the moss the other day, enough for a 10 gallon tank, but he dragged most of it to his burrowing spot under the water bowl. It helped a lot with shedding on Tuesday, everything came off within an hour or so.

Can you post some pics?

 

[thatoneguy]

I've had mine for a couple months now, he's just over 3 months old

Also from underground reptiles

 

[DangerousDann]

View attachment 9834 View attachment 9835


I've had mine for a couple months now, he's just over 3 months old

Also from underground reptiles

Dozer is around the same age. I got him September 5th. Not sure when he was hatched