My Boscs never drink.....

[infernalis]

Just an observation, I have never witnessed Littlefoot or Cera take a drink from the water bowl.

They bathe in it, they knock it over, muddy it up and run through it, but not even the spy cam has seen them drink, not once.

Opinions?

[dinosaurdammit]

they probably dont need to. I watched "lizard kings" and it basically stated that most monitors get their water from their food. Pajaaamas never drinks either

[Lankyrob]

From nature shows over the years i have heard them say many times about lizards of all sizes getting their water from their prey, i guess it is the same with yours.

The mice they get - are they wet?

[infernalis]

Yes they are getting all the water they need from their food, and they are also not losing any moisture.

Indicating that everything is balanced as it should be.

The rats themselves are dry on the outside, they are however comprised of a percentage of water, I can't seem to find the exact percentage, but like most mammals, there is a lot of water in a rat.

The other whole prey contains a bit of water, and all those night crawlers (lobworms) are very high in moisture too.

[War Machine]

Wayne do you provide a big dish to fully submerge in? I'm trying to plan my albig water source, but don't feel like putting a bath tub in lol.

[infernalis]

They still have that 18 inch pizza pan, I need to go bigger, they tip it over constantly.

[dinosaurdammit]

They still have that 18 inch pizza pan, I need to go bigger, they tip it over constantly.

idk if its something to look into but those turtle tubs are pretty boss

[shaunyboy]

i know its not a lizard,but.....

just a few days ago was the first time,ive ever seen my female diamond drink,and ive had her over 4 years

cheers shaun

[infernalis]

i know its not a lizard,but.....

just a few days ago was the first time,ive ever seen my female diamond drink,and ive had her over 4 years

cheers shaun

Then your husbandry is ace.

[dinosaurdammit]

speaking of odd things monitors do heres a question I have. My monitor actually likes to get in the bath tub to swim around, the weird thing? He sticks his whole head under water and crawls on the bottom flicking his tongue all the time. WHAT IS HE DOING!?

[infernalis]

hunting for fish...

[jarich]

Ive only ever seen mine drink once. There is a similar thread that was put up a few weeks ago on another forum I belong to. Almost all the common captive varanid species were accounted for as drinking from water dishes/ponds. Im sure there are variables, of course, but could just be individuals preference.

Just a thought Wayne, but it might be that in such a shallow dish the water isnt particularly palatable?

[infernalis]

Just a thought Wayne, but it might be that in such a shallow dish the water isnt particularly palatable?

Every time I change it out, they almost immediately go straight to it and investigate, they know when the freshest water is in it, and ten minutes later it's brown swill.

[War Machine]

I've never seen the albigs drink. As far as I'm concerned, the water bowl is only good for the monitor getting its revenge on us. By replacing all water with mud.

[infernalis]

I've never seen the albigs drink. As far as I'm concerned, the water bowl is only good for the monitor getting its revenge on us. By replacing all water with mud.


Me too, they like to see us clean up after them.

[dinosaurdammit]

hunting for fish...

is he really? Maybe i should buy him some brim. There is a guy that sells some juvi brim for fish tanks. is there any species of fish that they like? I dont want to just go out and buy random fish he may not eat. He LOVES omg LOVES the fresh octopus and squid we get from the local fish market. Its in rare supply and most are still moving. He is so funny eating octopus, they cling to his nose and he looks like a clown.

[infernalis]

Just avoid Koi, goldfish or species with spiny fins.

Silversides come to mind.

[jarich]

is he really? Maybe i should buy him some brim. There is a guy that sells some juvi brim for fish tanks. is there any species of fish that they like? I dont want to just go out and buy random fish he may not eat. He LOVES omg LOVES the fresh octopus and squid we get from the local fish market. Its in rare supply and most are still moving. He is so funny eating octopus, they cling to his nose and he looks like a clown.

Wow, someone has a spoiled monitor! I think Id like to live at your house if you feed your monitor octopus.

[dinosaurdammit]

Wow, someone has a spoiled monitor! I think Id like to live at your house if you feed your monitor octopus.

ALL my animals are spoiled. If you see the effort and expense ive put into my female boa (we are now looking close to a grand in vet cost and this is after he has discounted and thrown in some things for free), octopus aint nothin. I get fresh seafood when its available. I dont feed anything that is bought frozen. I freeze it myself although. About the only "parts" pajaaamas gets is when I slaughter goats/rabbits he usually gets the liver and heart as a treat. Thanks giving was a party at my house. Water dragons got the liver, monitor got the heart and some neck, dogs got the lungs, rest of the neck and gizzard. One thing id like to feed him is some salmon roe. I never can find fresh whole salmon though :C I like to smoke it myself. The only time I saw pajaaamas drink is right after I got him. The guy kept him in one of those pvc cages with almost no humidity and NO dirt. He drank like a fish for 3 days, after that he hasnt taken a sip ive seen

[DiscoPat]

I only saw steve drink when he was little. and only back when he had the 150W so it was right when I first got him and didn't know what I was doing.

Even after I removed the high watt bulb he never drank, though the relative humidity where I live is about 60% on any given day.

I see my leopard gecko drink sometimes, same with my bearded dragon.

[AjaMichelle]

My female savannah monitor drinks from her pond regularly, either by going over to have a drink, or while she's swimming. My male drank a lot when I first got him (he was really dehydrated), but once he was in his quarantine enclosure for a week or so, he stopped drinking out of his pan almost entirely. I was using a ceramic pan intended for use with plants. I was changing the water regularly and cleaning the dish every day, but I still never saw him drinking out of the pan. The rH varied from 60 to 80% and I was feeding him at least twice per day to satiation. Now I'm catching him drinking out of the pond more and more often (he lives with my female now).

My humidity is 50 to 80% and I feed a combination diet. I also thaw my vertebrates in water, and I do regular water changes and have a filter on the pond.

I think that drinking is likely dependent on diet, rH, and how clean the water source is.

[dinosaurdammit]

I think that drinking is likely dependent on diet, rH, and how clean the water source is.

this might sound dumb but what is rH? I seem to be bad at the reptile jargon many :hmm:

[Lankyrob]

RH = relative humidity i believe :)

[Pirarucu]

this might sound dumb but what is rH? I seem to be bad at the reptile jargon many :hmm:Relative humidity.

[simpleyork]

the only time any of my monitors drink is when I spray them with a spray bottle

[dinosaurdammit]

RH = relative humidity i believe :)

Relative humidity.

thank you both!

[BeardedDee]

Wayne you seem to be suggesting that anyone who sees their monitor drink water, must has husbandry issues ie yours don't, so your husbandry is not lacking. Is this right?
Like Jarich said, many monitor species have been seen to drink by many very experienced keepers.

[dinosaurdammit]

Wayne you seem to be suggesting that anyone who sees their monitor drink water, must has husbandry issues ie yours don't, so your husbandry is not lacking. Is this right?
Like Jarich said, many monitor species have been seen to drink by many very experienced keepers.

i think it depends on that monitor to be honest. They may drink when he isnt looking. I think mine drinks when he has his weekly swim

[infernalis]

Wayne you seem to be suggesting that anyone who sees their monitor drink water, must has husbandry issues ie yours don't, so your husbandry is not lacking. Is this right?
Like Jarich said, many monitor species have been seen to drink by many very experienced keepers.

Sorry if it seems that way, I am hoping to hear the opinions/experiences of others.

Also my observation does give a bit of credibility to the statements a certain someone makes about them not even needing a water dish if your take care of them right.

However, I will always keep a water dish, even if it is just a swimming pool.

[BeardedDee]

Fair enough. If you name who ever it was, perhaps I and others can trace what the statement was and the reasoning.
I'll say I haven't witnessed my Argus drinking from his pool/bath but when offered water in a coffee lid, he does drink some.

[infernalis]

It's FR... With him, reasoning goes out the window mate.


That's why I can't just take his word for it without seeing it myself.

Please, I don't want my thread turning into a discussion about FR.

[Pirarucu]

Wayne, it also could be possible that yours occasionally take sips while bathing.

From what I've seen, monitors don't drink very often but when they do, they seem to prefer very fresh water, or even better, running water.

[varanus_mad]

Monitors ive kept that ive seen drink...

my first bosc...

after that no i havent at all really...

[BarelyBreathing]

I've only noticed one of my savs drink once, and that was when I first brought her home.

[BeardedDee]

It's FR... With him, reasoning goes out the window mate.


That's why I can't just take his word for it without seeing it myself.

Please, I don't want my thread turning into a discussion about FR.
Nor do I. I often forget research I've done, so is drinking to quench a thirst or regulate any dehydration or other?

[infernalis]

Nor do I. I often forget research I've done, so is drinking to quench a thirst or regulate any dehydration or other?

Since drinking is to quench thirst, and thirst is a need for hydration, I would lean toward the concept that either the lizard is losing hydration or there is not enough moisture in the food...

However, I am rather speculating.

Hence this thread, nothing like picking the minds of others for thoughts.

[varanus_mad]

Lizards are much better at managing water loss than we are, they dont sweat or excrete liquids from a huge surface like we do,

Its perfectly conceivable that provided they keep there core hydration level stable through there environment, they dont actually need to drink, when conditions allow them to avoid doing so, after all its another risk to there survival finding a permanent water source within there home range.

[infernalis]

Its perfectly conceivable that provided they keep there core hydration level stable through there environment, they dont actually need to drink, when conditions allow them to avoid doing so, after all its another risk to there survival finding a permanent water source within there home range.

That's where my head is at mate, Some of those lizards that live in the desert sand have probably never seen a water hole before.

The "Red Heart" of Australia has lizards running all about, yet many a man has died trying to cross it. (so I have read)

WHERE THE DEAD MEN LIE by Barcroft Boake (1866-92) (http://www.middlemiss.org/lit/authors/boakeb/poetry/wherethedeadmenlie.html)

[Lankyrob]

This is a complete guess and speculation on my part but

In the wild a watering hole is the most dangerous place for any animal except apex predators, whilst monitors are large i wouldnt class them as apex in terms of theareas they live so i would assume they would avoid the watering holes if at all possible and would have evolved a way to retain as much hydration as possible.

Just a guess :)

[jarich]

Lizards are much better at managing water loss than we are, they dont sweat or excrete liquids from a huge surface like we do,

Its perfectly conceivable that provided they keep there core hydration level stable through there environment, they dont actually need to drink, when conditions allow them to avoid doing so, after all its another risk to there survival finding a permanent water source within there home range.

I hear what youre saying, but these are just monitors in a box. While instinct will account for some of their behaviour, fear of going to a water source doesnt seem like one that would translate for a smart monitor in a small box. I have a feeling its one of those things that is probably not be correlated in a direct way. In other words, while they may not need to drink, I dont think that drinking necessarily proves dehydration or poor husbandry. Ive seen plenty of dehydrated monitors who also had no interest in drinking from a water source.

I think it definitely might be something that would be species dependent too. Like I said, some of the people I trust most regarding housing of various species have said that they have seen their animals drink from a pond/bowl.