Picky Eater

[chosen2030]

I happen to have a Northern that is a very picky eater. Other than making it home cooked meals, what packaged meal substitutes are on the market that other members have tried with success?

I have had some success with a product called Vetafarm Lizard Food, but it's made in Australia so the freight costs make it very expensive and it can take weeks to arrive. Has anyone tried the Mazuri Insectivore diets and had success? Has anyone tried the Zoo Med canned foods Omnivorous Lizard, Monitor/Tegu or Bearded Dragon formulas) with any success?

I'm open to suggestions.

[mark_w]

In my experience, there is no such thing as a picky eater when it comes to healthy blue tongues set up properly. If the appetite isn't there, check temperatures first. Offer thoroughly mixed, very finely chopped foods, a decent quantity, once per week, with plenty of meat. I do use dog or cat food but uncooked minced beef or turkey tends to be irresistible, especially when mixed with a little beaten raw egg. Mix a few peas or similar into this mix.

If the skinks doesn't eat, remove after 24 hours and offer again in a week's time. It won't miss more than one or two feeds!

Mark.

[donkeybuff]

Give it food (dog food is great), and leave it there for about a day. If it is not eaten, dump it out, wait a few days to a week, and try again. A healthy skink will eat before its health starts to deteriorate.

[Susann]

I like to use fresh veggies and greens with dog food, but when I don't I love my Insectivore diet! I have both the little pellets and the powder. I also have Mazuri's Iguana diet for when I'm in a hurry or don't have, what I think is, enough veggies and greens on feeding day. My skinks LOVE the Insectivore stuff, and tolerate the Iguana veggie mix.

[NOP]

I have experience using Zoo Med's monitor and tegu canned diet as a staple for my Indiana. He loves the monitor and tegu canned diet but all but refuses all other kinds of the Zoo med Canned food. i like the canned diet becuase i just mix in some fresh veggies and some banana with it and he will happily eat it and the canned food keeps for a few days if you seal it and put in the fridge. I have found though that Indiana wont eat it if i try to give him a few day old food. I usually like to buy the Snail in a Can and mix it with banana and the monitor and tegu canned diet and he loves it. I try to even it out so 1 can can last for about a week before he refuses it, he may not eat it all but i only feed him every couple days and he seems to enjoy it. i really wish he would Eat the Zoo Med Iguana Diet because it seems more fruit than the monitor and tegu Diet but he has never seemed to eat it.