Obesity problems with monitors....

[Dom]

My male Savanah monior is 3 feet 2 inches long and weighs close to the 10 pounds.. He is gigantic..

His belly is, no word of a lie, as big and round as a full size football. I know Savanah are prono to obesity since they are program to stack up food for "hibernation" - if we can call it that - ..

Now my question is .. how do you get a lizard that has the appetit of a trex .. a crazy and i mean crazy feeding response slimer ..

I curently feed him only once a week .. i know its not often but he really is gigantic and living of his fat for a few days won't hurt him .. He gets any where for 2 to three rats (small hoppers). THats is a small meal for him but he seems only to grow fatter and fatter!

Any suggestions would help ..

I know I could reduce his 2 to 3 rats a week to 1 or two but I mena .. he needs to eat..

Thanks in advance

Dom

(BTW Chubs is strongly opposed to the idea of putting him on a diet)

[john]

What size of pen do have it in? Being that size that size it should be about 6' x 3' x 2'. Before I moved mine to a bigger pen I had the same problem. But once he had lots of room to move around he started to lose the extra wieght. Also try feeding crickets, I know they eat alot in one sitting but they do not put on as much wieght with crickets and the odd mouse for a change of pace once and while.

John

[Richard Welter]

When I first started working with reptiles the first group of lizards I bought were a group 1.2 of unrelated Savanah monitors. As well as feeding crickets, try super worms and small baby to hopper mice. I also turned the basking spot lights up to about 110 degress F and the weight just melted off. Along with lots of water and a different temp and a brand new diet I also took them out in the yard and let them run free and get there own work out. Just make sure you have the area fenced off I have lost them and have had to crawl under steps and decks to help and get them back. Sorry for going on and on, but those are just my ideas. Thanks Richard Welter

P.S. not a monitor but it will have to due. (enjoy):rolleyes:

[Jeff_Favelle]

But you really should read Frank Retes article in Reptiles Magazine. You CANNOT overfeed a monitor lizard if you keep them properly. Its a good read, it really is. It'll change the way you think about monitors (and reptiles in general) and they way they metabolize food.

[sungazer]

just to add what the other people are saying the rats and mice have a very high fat count