Stage 3 (Dry Season)

[formica]

Originally Posted by Aaron_S

It is relevant because one animal (or 3) can be an exception to a rule. Just like a single person can drive drunk every single weekend and never experience an incident and then another guy does it once and kills someone.

yes of course there are exceptions, I posted a thread called ''anomalies'', about that very topic, in relation to the survey. 3 exceptions on the other hand, is something worth investigating.

Besides, you are taking surveys from around the globe I presume.

yes, worldwide

Are the 6 animals you mentioned being fed the same diets?

yes, 50/50 inverts/whole prey (question is in survey)

Held in the same enclosures?

yes, all enclosures, apart from the oldest, where 6ft or larger, with soil/sand substrate for burrows. the oldest had soil/sand which was not deep enough for burrows. all had the same ambient humidity of 60%, all had the same basking spot tempreture (except the oldest, at 120), and all where provided with UV

(various questions in survey to determine husbandry)

Given the exact same barometric pressures?

this question was not asked, if the consensus is that this would be an important question to ask, then it will be added to the list for when the final validation take place.

Were they all collected/bought from the same place?

so far all but 5 entries have been Wild Farmed or Wild Caught Hatchlings, 3 where CB, and 2 listed as unknown origin

Were they all raised from babies or were some "rescues" some months down the line?

not specifically asked, can be added later on depending on consensus regarding its importance.

Have all of them been regularly vet checked and a necropsy done to see cause of death?

3 of the Savs entered into the database as deceased had been examined by a vet after death, 2 others had known medical problems diagnosed by vets prior to death.

(questions relating to death and professional consultations are included in the survey)

Maybe those 3 had cancer or some sort of illness that had nothing to do with how they were kept.

one Sav died at the age of 7 from cancer, the 3 listed above all died suddenly but cause of death was not found

(cause of death, as determined by a vet, is asked in the survey)

All factors that could change any "scientific" research.

there are far more factors than that, as many as possible where included in the survey to get as clear a picture as possible of the husbandry, source of the animal, veterinary involvement and other areas


i'm not the idiot you would like to think I am

Originally Posted by murrindindi

Hi, considering your monitor is still only around ONE YEAR old (or less?), to suggest it "survived in good health" is ludicrous, it`s also meaningless because you have no idea what "healthy" means for any captive Varanid.....

the specialist vet, who carried out the examination and blood tests, before and after, knows a allot more about what healthy means, than either myself, or you.