Yellow Ackie questions

[Atlas]

Hi All,

I have read numerous FAQs, as well as any other info I could get my hands on before considering the purchase of a yellow ackie. Well my wife bought one for me a couple weeks ago

She bought what she was told to be a female approx. 14 months old. 'She' (the monitor) is about 16" long and weighs 130g. She is very active and inquisitive and I have her in a 4'x2' enclosure with about 4-6 inches of cypress mulch (I was using up something I already had on hand rather than let it go to waste), multiple hides at both ends of the temp gradient and a big water dish that gets splashed in regularly :rolleyes:

My questions are as follows

[1] How often do they eat and how much at a time (approximately as I know each animal is different)? I have only seen her eat 2-3 crickets every 4 days or so. I have left some crickets in the cage but they burrow and disappear and I am unsure whether or not she has dug them up to eat them because I have never seen her dig in the mulch.

[2] Can I introduce one or two more yellow ackies into the same enclosure, or is this asking for trouble?

Thanks,

Atlas.

[hhw]

2-3 crickets every 4 days or so doesn't sound like that much... she should be eating at least that every day and some mice here and there as well.

What are your temps and humidity like?

[mbayless]

I fully agree with hh and sure you can add yellow V. acanthurus to the enclosure of that size...add further hide spots, feeding and basking sights so they do not stress one another out via territorial disputes...

Good luck,
mbayless

[Atlas]

Thanks for the replies.

I fed her a pinky mouse last night and she ate it without any hesitation but then there were a couple crickets that got scared up while I was changing her water and she seemd interested in them for a moment but she gives up rather quickly when it comes to hunting them. ( basically I need to hold a cricket with tongs so it doesn't get away and she might eat it then)

Would it be alright to feed strictly mice?

BTW, the temps are from 135 in the basking spot down to 78 in the cool end of the enclosure. She spends the majority of her time in the warm hide which is about 98 degrees. The humidity is between 70% & 75%.

Atlas.

[mbayless]

Hi,
Its always best to feed a 'variety' of foods, as different food sources offer different vitmains, proteins, minerals in different amounts and in different forms = so mix it up if you can, as in this case the more the merrier.

good luck,
mbayless

[V.hb]

i find insects much better for ackies. I wouldnt worry about it catching food, they're very good hunters.. ALL monitors are incredible hunters.

[Atlas]

I wouldnt worry about it catching food, they're very good hunters.. ALL monitors are incredible hunters.

I have read and heard this alot but I am concerned when sometimes she lets crickets walk around and over her without so much as a second look. This is after she hasn't eaten in a couple days, so she should be hungry. :confused: After that the crickets hide in the mulch and then I am unsure of whether she hunts them out or not. She won't look at worms either so I am currently limited to pinkies and the occasional cricket.

Atlas.

[mbayless]

and you might offer small lizards too if you can get them - for the crickets, put a slice of apple, orange, etc...for them to eat and they will bite the lizards less...they have to eat too!

markb

[Atlas]

Well, it seems she is interested in eating crickets after all. I fed her a dozen crickets last night and she hunted down 2 more that were passing by later on. I will keep up the variety and try some other items as well.

Thanks everyone.

Atlas.

[SerpentLust]

I may be mistaken, but can't you also feed a variety of insects aswell? Like not just crix but mealies, etc? I know that when I was caring for monitors at the pet store, they LOVED the variety.

[V.hb]

Atlas, you may find incorrect conditions contribute to any varanids eating habits. What are your basking temperatures, and ambients? Too low, too high etc can contribute to animals not wanting to eat, period. Keep in mind, varanids require very hot basking spots to metabolize properly, so this may be a factor in getting her to eat properly.