Ingesting pieces of mulch

[blue_tegu]

I saw Amika swallow a piece of mulch today along with her rat. It wasn't very big, probably less than an inch and maybe only slightly larger than the width of a pin, but nonetheless, I'm a little worried. What happens to all the mulch our tegus eat. We all know how much they like to throw their food around, so they always end up eating whatever substrate gets stuck to it. Do you think its harmful to them? I undersand soil could easily be digested, but what about pieces of mulch?

[NicoleRussell]

I am feeding my tegus from a plate outside the cage now. There was a time when they stayed in the cage--the best thing to do in this situation:
remove all the substrate and replace with newspapers. Have a box filled with mulch for him to sleep in ...put dead, thawed food onto a plate and you will never have that problem again.
Or
You can feed the tegu each day outside the cage. Put the food on a plate and feed him at the same time each day so he gets used to the schedule---he will be hungry at that time..usually after they bask and warm up. Towards the afternoon if possible.

[blue_tegu]

well i do usually feed her outside of the cage, but how serious is it if she ingests a few pieces? what do you think happens to it? i hope it doesn't get stuck in her tract somewhere.

[PredatoryLizard]

I saw mine doing the same thing (slamming/dragging food through the substrate, eating little bits), even though I put it on a plate, he would still just drag it all over. I emailed Bert and he said no worries, they do it all the time, in nature as well. These things are digesting bones, teeth, fur, whatever, I just look at bits of mulch/bark as some good fiber! I wouldn't worry about it. You guys like to feed outside the cage? I like to feed mine inside the cage so one day he doesn't mistake my foot+sock as a large rat!

[blue_tegu]

well i guess that lets me sleep a bit easier, still, i'm going to try and feed her outside the cage from now on.

[NicoleRussell]

My tegus eat off a plate and I might as well give them a knife and fork
Animals, including snakes, and lizards---eat off the forest floor and get twigs--wood and other garbage into their systems all the time...yes. But does this mean we should purposely feed them on loose substrate?
Will wood and other sharp things pass through their systens in the wild? Maybe.
There's a chance they will and there's a chance the animal could have a blockage or a tear and die. Does anyone have the statistics?
Are there things perhaps, an animal can do for themselves when these things occur in the wild that they can not do in the confinds of captivity? Maybe.
With all these maybes---and lizards dying all the time due to impactions, paralysis from spinal pressure---and a host of other problems...why take the chance?
We are not trying to have surroundings identicle with nature in captivity. In nature many animals die needlessly. These are our pets---we try to keep them safe and eliminate whenever possible, anything that might shorten their life.
So do try and not feed them directly on the substrate. Because even though this time he will probably be fine---and people might say it's fine---what will you do when for you it's not and your animal needs some serious care?