Feeding a Savannah Monitor

[Taco]

Okay, so I know typically you feed crickets, earthworms(nightcrawlers or whatever you want to call them), mice or rats, and then typically dubia roaches or something similar. However I live in Canada where roaches of any kind are illegal. So I was curious to know what else people are using to feed as a main diet item besides the roaches? I know you can feed some crayfish also. But mine is just a baby and I don't think crayfish would be suitable quite yet. Just looking for any suggestions.

[AjaMichelle]

Quail eggs!!! (preferably fertilized!!!) :) Raw, unfertilized eggs are a probably not a good staple because the egg whites contain avidin which binds to biotin, an essential B vitamin, preventing its absorption by the body. But you have to eat a LOT of raw eggs for that to happen, and cooking neutralizes the avidin. So if you have access to fertilized quail eggs, they'd make a good staple, but otherwise they're a great rotational item. You can give them raw over a mouse, whole with the shell-membrane punctured, or hard-boiled. My female will only eat the yolk when hard-boiled.

You can also use superworms as a rotational item, but they're high in phosphorus so make sure you dust them with calcium. :)

And I've heard others use fish like silver sides. Be sure to avoid members of the gold-fish family as they contain thiaminase, which of course breaks down thiamine, causing a b vitamin deficiency. And unlike the avidin, you won't need a lot of thiaminase to have an issue. :)

[Little Wise Owl]

Quail eggs!!! (preferably fertilized!!!) :) Raw, unfertilized eggs are a probably not a good staple because the egg whites contain avidin which binds to biotin, an essential B vitamin, preventing its absorption by the body. But you have to eat a LOT of raw eggs for that to happen, and cooking neutralizes the avidin. So if you have access to fertilized quail eggs, they'd make a good staple, but otherwise they're a great rotational item. You can give them raw over a mouse, whole with the shell-membrane punctured, or hard-boiled. My female will only eat the yolk when hard-boiled.

You can also use superworms as a rotational item, but they're high in phosphorus so make sure you dust them with calcium. :)

And I've heard others use fish like silver sides. Be sure to avoid members of the gold-fish family as they contain thiaminase, which of course breaks down thiamine, causing a b vitamin deficiency. And unlike the avidin, you won't need a lot of thiaminase to have an issue. :)

I just wanted to add to the thing about eggs and avidin...

There's a incredibly high amount of biotin found in egg yolks so feeding both (egg and white) pretty much balances out the avidin. That said, I wouldn't be feeding eggs as a staple (as you stated). It'd take a lot of raw egg whites to give an animal (or human) a biotin deficiency if they're being fed a healthy and varied diet.

[infernalis]

speaking of varied diets, this time of year we all wind up with a bag or two of giblets....

As long as you are NOT feeding them as a staple item, then by all means, feed those giblets to your monitors.

My lizards traditionally get cut up giblets once at thanksgiving and once at Christmas.

Also, raw vennison (easy to get for free this time of year) makes for a treat... Just NOT a staple since it's not whole prey.

http://www.chompersite.com/indoors/images/giblet.jpg

[Gregg M]

I know you say roaches are illegal in Canada but there are plenty of "places" inside Canada you can source them.

Illegal? Yes.
Law enforced? Not likely.

Get them and keep it quiet.

[EMAC1990]

Are scallops and shucked oysters from the supermarket whole prey? To be honest, I don't know what a scallop looks like in the wild, but I find it hard to believe they are that consistent looking? Yesterday I made a seafood medley of shrimp, (unfortunately I haven't gotten to a bait shop yet where I can buy full shrimp with heads, but these do have shells still) scallops and oysters. I was thinking of adding crab and chopped mullet, but how do you offer that? What parts of the crab would a monitor eat? I know we preach whole prey items, but would it really try to eat anything other than the meat inside the legs and shell?

[EMAC1990]

Nice picture Wayne... haha

[infernalis]

Are scallops and shucked oysters from the supermarket whole prey? To be honest, I don't know what a scallop looks like in the wild, but I find it hard to believe they are that consistent looking? Yesterday I made a seafood medley of shrimp, (unfortunately I haven't gotten to a bait shop yet where I can buy full shrimp with heads, but these do have shells still) scallops and oysters. I was thinking of adding crab and chopped mullet, but how do you offer that? What parts of the crab would a monitor eat? I know we preach whole prey items, but would it really try to eat anything other than the meat inside the legs and shell?

Give the whole crab, crunchy....

Just be careful, some seafood is sprayed with NASTY preservatives.

Sodium Tripolyphosphate is the worst, used to make laundry soap, car washing fluid and dish detergent for automatic dishwashers & as a sefood preservative....

[EMAC1990]

I am buying this stuff off the ice at Publix so it does not come out of a bag. It is all 'previously frozen' and then thawed the day of sale. How can I find out what may have been added?

Eric

[jarich]

Be careful that you are foregoing nutritional benefit for the sake of mere variety. Oysters, scallops, mussels, etc are filter feeders and can be high in heavy metals; not to mention way more expensive than you really can stay on top of as your monitor gets bigger. More importantly, it seems totally unnecessary. If you are feeding various insects, earthworms, crayfish and rodents why do you need anything else?

[infernalis]

If you are feeding various insects, earthworms, crayfish and rodents why do you need anything else?

best reply so far....

[Taco]

best reply so far....

Well I am only feeding crickets, nightcrawlers, and mice. I was thinking I should feed at least one more food item to her as a main portion of her diet. Most people feed roaches but that option doesn't work for me. Was looking for if there was anything else to feed as a main item besides the roaches.

[jarich]

Crayfish are probably the most nutritional and easiest food I have found. I know you said its a baby; how small are we talking? This time of year it should be around 6 months old already, so it should be able to handle a crayfish without any trouble.

[infernalis]

Crayfish are probably the most nutritional and easiest food I have found. I know you said its a baby; how small are we talking? This time of year it should be around 6 months old already, so it should be able to handle a crayfish without any trouble.

Even when Tiny, Littlefoot and Cera would wreck crayfish. It's not pretty to watch, but those jaws can crush a crayfish without trying.

[Little Wise Owl]

Where do you find crayfish?

[infernalis]

Where do you find crayfish?


Personally I own a stretch of pristeen creek, I find them under rocks.

Not sure where to buy quantity.

[Little Wise Owl]

How do you catch them?

[infernalis]

How do you catch them?


Flip over flat stones, see one, pick it up, place in bucket, flip more stones repeat...

[Pirarucu]

You could also just breed crayfish. They are like underwater roaches, and some are parthenogenic.

[Little Wise Owl]

Flip over flat stones, see one, pick it up, place in bucket, flip more stones repeat...


Any time I come into contact with them, they flee extremely quickly. I hardly get to see them.

They also creep me the hell out when they do. They swim backwards and all messed up. lol

You could also just breed crayfish. They are like underwater roaches, and some are parthenogenic.
How often do they breed and what species would I need?

[Pirarucu]

How often do they breed and what species would I need?Very often, producing up to a thousand babies each time. Marbled Crayfish are popular, and reproduce by parthenogenesis. Babies grow fast and mature at 5-6 months. They grow to 3-5 inches long.

[infernalis]

They swim backwards and all messed up. lol


decades of living near mountain streams has it's perks, I learned when I was a kid how to catch maximum crayfish in the shortest time, and how to spot the best stones for finding them.

The backward swimming is helpful in catching, just sneak behind them with an aquarium net and spook the crayfish with your finger, they will swim right into the net every time.

[Pareeeee]

I'm Canadian and I did not know that roaches were illegal, lol...then again, I've never looked into getting them before either. The law is across Canada? Or just in your area?