The North American Veterinary Community (NAVC) recommends providing tegus with a phosphorus-free calcium supplement without D3 twice a week. You can dust the supplement on your tegu’s food or mix it into their water.
The NAVC also recommends providing a multivitamin supplement twice a week. Vitamin D3 helps the body absorb calcium.
These recommendations are the same for Argentine black and white tegus, Red tegus and Colombian tegus, regardless of age. You can keep the same supplement feeding schedule for juveniles and adults.
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Best Calcium Supplements for Tegus
Calcium is essential for tegus to maintain strong bones and teeth. It is also important for their heart, muscles, and nerves.
Tegus that do not get enough calcium can develop metabolic bone disease, which is a serious condition that can lead to deformities, fractures, and even death.
The recommended calcium supplements for tegus are phosphorus-free and vitamin D3-free.
Zoo Med Repti Calcium without D3
Phosphorus-free, D3-free calcium supplement for reptiles and amphibians. It is made from ultra-fine precipitated calcium carbonate, which has a high surface area and is therefore more bioavailable than other forms of calcium.
Repcal Calcium without D3
Phosphorus-free, D3-free calcium powder that is safe for reptiles and amphibians. It can be used to supplement their diet or to dust their food. The powder is easy to use and can be added to vegetables, fruits, and pastes.
In addition to calcium supplements, you should offer foods rich in calcium to your tegu. Some good calcium-rich foods for tegus include:
- Egg shells: Crushed egg shells can be added to the tegu’s food or offered to the tegu to eat on their own.
- Insects: Insects are especially recommended as whole prey foods for juvenile tegus. Insects that are high in calcium for tegus include crickets, mealworms, dubia roaches, superworms, waxworms, hornworms, earthworms.
- Seafood: Some seafood that is high in calcium for tegus include shrimp, prawns, clams and crabs.
- Snails with shell on: Snails with shell on are a good source of calcium for tegus. They can be offered to the tegu whole or the shell can be crushed and added to the tegu’s food.
- Whole prey: Feeding prey whole ensures your tegu gets access to calcium. Feed bones, beaks, chicken feet and all part of the animal. Reptilinks are a convenient and reliable source of whole prey and healthy alternative to whole mice and chicks.
Proper lighting is also important for optimal calcium absorption. UVB light helps the body absorb calcium.
Best Multivitamins for Tegus
A quality multivitamin can provide your tegu with the essential vitamins and minerals they need to stay healthy and prevent shedding issues.
When choosing a multivitamin, look for one that is specifically formulated for reptiles. Some of the most popular reptile multivitamins include:
Fluker’s Repta Vitamin Reptile Supplement
Powdered supplement that contains beta carotene and essential vitamins, amino acids, trace elements, and minerals that your pet needs. It is easy to use, simply sprinkle it on your feeder insects, rodents, or fruits/vegetables before feeding.
TEGU QUICK LINKS
PetsWithScales.com is an informational website about big lizard pet care. We collect and provide information from different sources across the web on how to keep and care for reptiles as pets. The species we mainly deal with are tegus, monitor lizards, skinks and geckos. Our aim is to provide high quality information to help pet owners make better, more informed decisions about their animal’s diets, health and life.
PetsWithScales.com is an informational website about big lizard pet care. We collect and provide information from different sources across the web on how to keep and care for reptiles as pets. The species we mainly deal with are tegus, monitor lizards, skinks and geckos. Our aim is to provide high quality information to help pet owners make better, more informed decisions about their animal’s diets, health and life.