Hyas - Page 3

infernalis · 10-23-11, 07:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ZARADOZIA

Hendrixed wasn't placed beside Diesel. Diesel happens to love being near Hendrix, I have no idea why, he just does. Hendrix is quite healthy and eats a large variety of food. He's not overweight but looks it when he flattens out while sun bathing.

Chomper does the same thing...

Jay · 10-23-11, 07:51 AM

Correct Savs flatten out while basking. In picture 6/8 you can tell he is infact a little over weight, how often do you feed him.

infernalis · 10-23-11, 08:03 AM

How much exercise does he get?

Chomper gets to run around a couple times a day

ZARADOZIA · 10-23-11, 08:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by infernalis

BTW - Raw shrimp

And Savs are creatures of habit, they have excellent memories, so attempting to change his diet all at once will be met with resistance.

You are not kidding! When I first got him I asked a couple of basic questions:

What do you feed him?
The girl handed me a box of rats that were almost the size of my cats. No lie. Sasha wouldn't even be able to eat them because of the size.

What is is eating schedule?
"Oh, when ever."

Followed by:
How often do you feed him?
"Eh, whenever he strikes the cage and is aggressive."

I walked away scratching my head and thankful for the DC Zoo.

**exerise, bout 2-3 hours a day. Usually in the afternoons and in the evenings

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gungirl

Why don't you try raw shrimp? animals don't have things cooked for them in the wild....

Snakes don't have F/T in the wild either, however we do it because it is safer for them. Same concept based off a warning I was given about E.Coli and Salmonella. I have seen first hand effects of both on animals and it is not pretty. I wouldn't stop crying if something happened to any of my babies if I could have avoided it.

However, I am not oppposed to trying it. Like you, I value Wayne's input.

infernalis · 10-23-11, 08:40 AM

When I buy the raw shrimp, its frozen solid.

And does E. Coli & Salmonella infect reptiles? forgive me if I'm wrong, but I thought those needed a warm blooded host.

Jay · 10-23-11, 08:43 AM

Does your sav have a feeding schedule? I don't think you should be feeding him every day. I'm glad you took him away from the previous owned, possibly saving his life.

infernalis · 10-23-11, 09:03 AM

We feed chomper small meals every other day, and I give him little snacks when he is out, last night he had 4 shrimp and two night crawlers.

The night before he ate six Dubia, night before that a half pound of shrimp.

I never give him a huge meal. In nature they are foragers, a bug here, a bug there.. unless they find a beetle colony, then they will wipe it out all at once.

Jay · 10-23-11, 09:10 AM

If giving the opertunity your sav will eat what you offer, it's up to us to ensure proper care is provided, not sub standard.

ZARADOZIA · 10-23-11, 09:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by infernalis

When I buy the raw shrimp, its frozen solid.

And does E. Coli & Salmonella infect reptiles? forgive me if I'm wrong, but I thought those needed a warm blooded host.

I have no idea. I'm a germ-phobe any ways so I never bothered to investigate that further. I know they can carry it (obvious) no clue if they can get sick from it but it was one of those things that I took for granted and didn't want to risk Hendrix getting sick over.

ZARADOZIA · 10-23-11, 09:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jay0133

If giving the opertunity your sav will eat what you offer, it's up to us to ensure proper care is provided, not sub standard.

No dear. That is not true. Hendrix is offered small amounts (6oz) of food daily because he is such a finicky eater. Please do not assume all sav's are the same because it is not so. His previous owner fed him "whenever" and his metabolism is severely shot. The only this she fed him was rats. How in H* he ate them is beyond me.

However, due to his previous husbandry, or lack thereof depending on how you look at it, and knowing that sav's are extremely picky, I do what needs to be done to ensure his overall health. Hendrix can and has gone weeks without eating. He also suffers from poor muscle growth, and low bone density. I do what I do to ensure he remains healthy.

Each ones’ past has an immediate effect on their present and you must always take such conditions into great consideration when planning proper rehabs, which is why I contacted the DC Zoo about his health and I have followed their guidelines. Now, if the DC Zoo (The National Zoo) doesn’t know proper husbandry, then we have a serious problem because they employ some of the most intelligent and well educated vets in the nation.

Jay · 10-23-11, 09:43 AM

That's sad, again kudos for the rescue. Due to his previous feeding I understand why he would have troubles on a proper to sub standard diet. Sav's do not digest the thick bones and hair found in rats/mice. If your are content on feeding him mice try a few pinks instead. Although switching up an established diet can be tricky though.

infernalis · 10-23-11, 09:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ZARADOZIA

Each ones’ past has an immediate effect on their present and you must always take such conditions into great consideration when planning proper rehabs, which is why I contacted the DC Zoo about his health and I have followed their guidelines. Now, if the DC Zoo (The National Zoo) doesn’t know proper husbandry, then we have a serious problem because they employ some of the most intelligent and well educated vets in the nation.

You have already done so much more than a lot of people have, And I myself am very impressed by the fact that you have done the research.

Jay · 10-23-11, 09:56 AM

Yes, it sickens me to go to "ma and pa" reptile shops and seeing Savs with a 60w bulb and newspaper as substrate and a price tag cheaper then a leopard gecko. They are sold as begginer reptile in most cases. What you have done is great and if only everyone did as much as you it would be ok.

ZARADOZIA · 10-23-11, 10:27 AM

He really loves boiled chicken bones. I hate the smell (takes almost 10 hours to boil them till they are soft) but you would think it's the steak of all steaks the way he tears into them. That mixed with ground turkey (boiled in a whole lump, cut up into slices, and with goodies added after cooked) is one of his favorites.

Sadly, right now he is in a "I don't want to eat phase" and some days I just want to cry because he wobbles when he walks (poor muscle mass & low bone density). It's very hard some days.

I love my pets as much as my kid. To me, they are my kids. Last month I spent $4,000.00 on Diesel because he is a stupid cat and almost died. My husband and I both informed him that he has to live AT LEAST 12 more years and must get a job so he can pay us back for the cost of his surgery!

The main reason I joined this forum was because I have seen many well educated and knowledgeable people. I watched the forum for a while before I joined. I don't like mean people and wanted to make sure the pushy-mean-aggressive-know-it-all-and-you-know-nothing types didn't run the forum. lol

I’m well educated and take a lot of pride in learning as much as I can about whatever it is I need to know. Sometimes the right information can’t be located and you have to rely on people that have hands-on experience. (e.g., you can’t learn how to be a parent no matter how many books you read)

I don't know every thing and it's nice to be around people that enjoys the things I do and are experienced. This is not a hobby for me, this is a way of life and I know many others' here feel the same way. I like that a great deal.

infernalis · 10-23-11, 10:34 AM

We tend to hand "those pushy know it alls" a quick eviction notice here.