My monitors/pics/stories. (DUW) - Page 2

stephanbakir · 05-11-11, 08:00 PM

Not sure i could feed W/C prey to my animals willingly, depends on the situation i spose.

Coffee Black · 05-11-11, 08:05 PM

We're in the process of talking about getting a house and a "reptile room" is part of our considerations ha. I really want to save a section for rescues and that would consist mostly of monitors as all the giant snakes are banned here but most monitors are not. Lots of Savs and Peach Throats. also some illegals that are advertised as " Egyptian River Lizards" and " Water Lizards."

infernalis · 05-11-11, 08:07 PM

If you file for a legit rescue license, banned or not, your butt is covered under the rescue laws.

Millinex · 05-11-11, 08:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by stephanbakir

Not sure i could feed W/C prey to my animals willingly, depends on the situation i spose.

I freeze all rodents for 2 weeks to kill off any parasites. I once asked some very experienced keepers about feeding wild caught grasshoppers:

Quote:

don't keep monitor lizards, but i've looked inside enough wild Nile monitors to know that the babies are always full of grasshoppers. Whatever pesticide residues your grasshoppers might contain they will be nothing compared to the probably banned substances that grasshoppers around African farms must be full off. Also your grasshoppers have had the advantage of fresh diet and will probably provide much better meat than commercially bred crickets. Nile monitor is a "pig lizard", it eats things that would kill you or me, and if it's healthy wild grasshoppers shouldn't do it any harm at all.

That is from Daniel, the same one who did the field study on the diets of wild savs.

-Mike

stephanbakir · 05-11-11, 08:10 PM

Just because they can doesn't mean that they should, and if i made an assumption like this and it killed my monitor I'd feel like crap.

Millinex · 05-11-11, 08:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by stephanbakir

Just because they can doesn't mean that they should, and if i made an assumption like this and it killed my monitor I'd feel like crap.

I collect them from both my yard, and a local park called "garden of the gods" in a big open little visited field well within the park. Any small amounts of toxins that they grasshoppers came in with are surely too small to worry me.

-Mike

infernalis · 05-11-11, 08:14 PM

Remember, I have posted this more than once, Chomper feeds while roaming my property, he sucks up all sorts of bugs off the ground, and crayfish from the creek.

I just know I can climb up this, I know I can.....

What's in here?? I'll just have a quick look....

Chomper always likes to sit on the dash when he goes for a ride...its flippin' hot on there after my truck sits in the sun, he loves it.

stephanbakir · 05-11-11, 08:16 PM

Love that pic of him and the boot:P

Millinex · 05-11-11, 08:17 PM

My sav has gone plenty of places with me, he sits on the seat next to me mainly, back when I had the camaro he'd sit under the back hatch haha. Nice looking sav!

-Mike

Coffee Black · 05-11-11, 08:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by infernalis

If you file for a legit rescue license, banned or not, your butt is covered under the rescue laws.

Something Ive looked into but is a long way off. 5 or 6 years probably. Will be eternally keeping it in mind.

infernalis · 05-11-11, 08:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Millinex

. Nice looking sav!

-Mike

Thanks, he's spoiled rotten.

Max713 · 05-11-11, 09:59 PM

Love your niles/waters!

I'm with Wayne, definitely a lot of respect for taking such a project on (the Bosc)! But there are some definite problems with your husbandry with the Bosc... from what I can tell from the pic provided he looks a bit dehydrated, most likely from the lack of moist humid burrow.
I don't want to rock the boat, but I am concerned for the health of your monitor.

The others look fantastic though! Although I have absolutely 0 knowledge with any monitors other than Savs/Boscs.

Millinex · 05-11-11, 10:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Max713

Love your niles/waters!

I'm with Wayne, definitely a lot of respect for taking such a project on (the Bosc)! But there are some definite problems with your husbandry with the Bosc... from what I can tell from the pic provided he looks a bit dehydrated, most likely from the lack of moist humid burrow.
I don't want to rock the boat, but I am concerned for the health of your monitor.

The others look fantastic though! Although I have absolutely 0 knowledge with any monitors other than Savs/Boscs.

The problem is, he does not have toes on his front feet to really dig with, he can't burrow... I keep him warm, and the room itself is kept fairly humid, however, humidity has always been a fairly rough task as he's concerned. He does alright, and is misted multiple times daily, and given a very large pool of water. He's generally 70% humidity with a 3x18 swimming pool and plenty of misting.

He's doing better from what he was, is it perfect? Nope, but neither is he.

-Mike

infernalis · 05-11-11, 10:15 PM

I have to back Mike up here, if the monitor cannot dig, he cannot dig, so he does what he must to do the best he can.

Millinex · 05-11-11, 10:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by infernalis

I have to back Mike up here, if the monitor cannot dig, he cannot dig, so he does what he must to do the best he can.

He can't even manage to get underneath the large chunks of bark I've provided him, I might have to DIY some sort of hide.

-Mike