My Rudi

[jarich]

Fun to watch, and the enclosure looks quite nice.

I would agree about moving up a size or two on the mice. He looks big enough now to take down a hopper at the very least, maybe even bigger. Essentially the larger the mouse, the better the Ca:P ratio, as their bones are more formed. What else are you feeding him? Live foods that run away are great exercise for them. Especially as there are so many places for them to hide in their. Will keep him busy for hours trying to find the bugs if you dump a bunch in at once.

[Akuma223]

Yeah I have been bitten by him not too long ago; hurt like hell lol. But i am careful with him and feed him by hand once he starts to calm down. I'll tell my dad to buy bigger mice next time, do you think I should put calcium dust on his mice occasionally? If so how much and how often? Next time I go to the store I'll try to find mice that are a small size that he can chase and take down, I also dump a ton of crickets in there often so he can chase them whenever he wants.

[smy_749]

Originally Posted by Akuma223

Yeah I have been bitten by him not too long ago; hurt like hell lol. But i am careful with him and feed him by hand once he starts to calm down. I'll tell my dad to buy bigger mice next time, do you think I should put calcium dust on his mice occasionally? If so how much and how often? Next time I go to the store I'll try to find mice that are a small size that he can chase and take down, I also dump a ton of crickets in there often so he can chase them whenever he wants.

Careful isn't good enough. When hes bigger and bites you becaues of a mistake, you may lose feeling in a finger or two, and have a nice trip to the hospital. And no, you don't need to dust mice. Just feed older mice with more bone structure.

[jarich]

Originally Posted by Akuma223

Yeah I have been bitten by him not too long ago; hurt like hell lol. But i am careful with him and feed him by hand once he starts to calm down. I'll tell my dad to buy bigger mice next time, do you think I should put calcium dust on his mice occasionally? If so how much and how often? Next time I go to the store I'll try to find mice that are a small size that he can chase and take down, I also dump a ton of crickets in there often so he can chase them whenever he wants.

If youre feeding pinkies, I would dust them but for the larger mice there is no need. I wouldnt recommend feeding mice that are any bigger than pinkies live though. No need to risk an injury. When I said feed it something it can chase down I meant roaches, crickets, crayfish, etc.

[Akuma223]

But the mice aren't supposed to be pinkies though? They were labeled as peach fuzzies.

[smy_749]

Originally Posted by Akuma223

But the mice aren't supposed to be pinkies though? They were labeled as peach fuzzies.

Peach fuzzies are almost the same as pinkys I think, not much there with regards to bone development.

http://www.repticzone.net/images/25454/mice.jpg

Pinky is the first, peach fuzzy is the second, you probably want to feed the third. You can see the difference in fur development (not that fur matters much) to tell which is which. They are a bit larger, if he can't eat it, he will just rip it up with his claws till he can.

[jarich]

Originally Posted by smy_749

Peach fuzzies are almost the same as pinkys I think, not much there with regards to bone development.

http://www.repticzone.net/images/25454/mice.jpg

Pinky is the first, peach fuzzy is the second, you probably want to feed the third. You can see the difference in fur development (not that fur matters much) to tell which is which. They are a bit larger, if he can't eat it, he will just rip it up with his claws till he can.

Not really, no.

Feed him at the very least hoppers, but preferably larger. Its hard to tell scale from that video, but I would guess that monitor can swallow an adult mouse without problem. You can always just cut an adult mouse in half if you are worried about it being too big.

[smy_749]

Originally Posted by jarich

Not really, no.

Feed him at the very least hoppers, but preferably larger. Its hard to tell scale from that video, but I would guess that monitor can swallow an adult mouse without problem. You can always just cut an adult mouse in half if you are worried about it being too big.

is that not what they do with dead carcusses? If it was too large they will just leave it or choke on it?

[jarich]

When you are talking about the larger monitor species or possibly even adult rudis then that might be true, but the young will generally just take what they can swallow whole.

[Barlow]

I've not kept rudis but my blacktree monitors used their claws to slice open mice and if the mouse was slightly too large to swallow they used to slice off the front legs to aid swallowing. Pretty cool to watch.


I miss that monitor. Black trees are so cool!

[jarich]

I stand corrected. Ive never seen the smaller ones do that before.

[Barlow]

Originally Posted by jarich

I stand corrected. Ive never seen the smaller ones do that before.

I've only witnessed it with the black tree. But 12" ackies here can swallow small mice no probs.

[Barlow]

My komodo can swallow goats!

[jarich]

Where do you work man?

[Barlow]

Originally Posted by jarich

Where do you work man?

Haha. I work for toyota, those were taken at my local zoo lol. Just messing. Cool photos though.