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Can Tegus eat eggs?

Tegu lizards can safely eat most types of eggs. It is safe to feed tegus chicken and quail eggs, whether raw, cooked, with or without shell.

In the wild, tegu lizards are excellent egg hunters and have been observed preying on both bird and crocodile eggs.

Eggs are a good source of protein and their shells are pretty much just made of calcium, so it’s best to feed them whole. 

The best way to feed egg to your tegu is to soft-boil the egg for a few minutes as to keep the yolk runny, and then let the tegu eat it together with the shell.

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Can tegu eat egg?
Tegu vs Egg

Cooked vs Raw egg

While it is generally best to feed your tegu uncooked foods, raw eggs can lead to problems in large amounts.

This is because they contain an enzyme called avidin which may impact your pet’s ability to absorb biotin (vitamin B7), leading to skin problems and shedding issues.

This enzyme is mostly contained in the egg white and can be denatured by heat, which is why feeding your tegu scrambled or soft boil eggs is not a bad idea.

Keep in mind though that cooking the egg will also make it less nutritious. As long as you don’t overdo it, feeding eggs raw is preferrable.

Some people argue that boiling your egg for a minute or so is ideal in order to get rid of salmonella, this is unnecessary as reptiles already contain plenty of salmonella in their guts and their stomachs are pretty much unaffected by it.

Feeding eggs to your tegu

In short: whether raw or cooked, whole or scrambled, chicken or quail – it does not matter. Eggs are an excellent addition to your tegu’s diet in every form, and they make for a great source of quality protein and potentially calcium (make sure to feet the shells).

Salmonella is not a concern and neither is avidin as long as you mix it up and do not only feed your tegu raw eggs in very large amounts.


Are cooked or raw eggs better for tegu?

You should feed both cooked and raw eggs to your tegu.

Raw eggs are more nutritious but they can cause problems in very high amounts because of the precence of avidin which may hinder vitamin B7 absorption.

Cooked eggs on the other hand are less nutritious but do not contain avidin.

Can tegus eat egg shells?

You can feed your tegu whole eggs including shell.

As a matter of fact, you should always offer eggs shell to your tegu, they are a great source of calcium.

Can tegus eat scrambled eggs?

Yes, tegus love scrambled eggs. When serving make sure to mix the egg shells in as well as some veggies and calcium powder for boosted nutrition.

Can tegus eat quail eggs?

You can feed your tegu quail eggs as well as chicken eggs, duck eggs, or any other kind of egg for the matter. In nature, tegus prey on bird and other reptile eggs, and they have even been observed feeding on crocodile eggs.

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