my monitors

[Smilts]

I prefer a moist soil mix as it holds its shape better when burrowing. I also prefer a large flat area that they can lay out on and warm up, which can double as a hide. But if this was covered in the new enclosure then great, and I would love to see the new pictures.

[allergenic]

Originally Posted by Coy

Tanks probably are not the best, my tegu is in one while I work on her enclosure but prob not the best. I agree with you on the subject of substrate depth, I also dont care for that type of substrate at all.

I love tegus, they're quite pretty.

Originally Posted by Coy

As far as feeding you have inspired me to do more of my own research. How do you truly feel about the SDZ diet? It seems easy enough to follow, but is it just sort of a band aid diet?

The SDZ diet was developed by Jeff Lemm and others at the San Diego Zoo with the intention of replicating the nutrition of feeder animals. There are a handful of people who have followed the diet in everything from ackies to niles as an experiment, and the animals have thrived. In certain parts of the world (Australia for example), the reptile hobby has grown faster than the supply of feeder animals. The SDZ diet is a way to solve that problem. It's actually been quiet successful. But historically, people make changes, have problems, and blame the diet they're not specifically following in the first place.

Originally Posted by Coy

Finally you mentioned a few possibilitys for food items but what do you feel a well rounded diet for 1 week would be. I guess Im asking what one week of your monitors diet would look like or 2 weeks if that would be more thorough?

Any rotation of roaches, chicks, crayfish, crabs, snails, fish, big mealworms, and, sparingly, rodents. What this would look like in a week depends on other husbandry variables. Proper heat, room for exercise/enclosure size, proper humidity. All this will contribute to how much food your monitor will metabolize. It will consume way more than it needs, so don't go by that. Watch the waistline and hydration levels.

Originally Posted by Coy

I do listen by the way. And research what Im reading.

Same. Please don't even take my word for any of this, find stuff you can live with. Before the web was popular, I made every mistake I'm speaking against. We are lucky now with the Internet, with this wealth of information.

Originally Posted by Boostedneon04

dehydrated??how are they dehydrated??please explain this to me??.... the savannah was over weight from the day i got him..hes sliming down and getting back to a good weight.. oo and btw..those pictures are quite old..

Both are having shed problems, with the Savannah having retained white skin around its mouth and stiff neck folds. Dehydration, obesity, and shed problems often go hand in hand. So if those are old pictures and the monitors look differently now, that's good.

Originally Posted by Boostedneon04

and the tank is only till his cage is done soo relax already with the tank b.s.. also since that isnt his cage its just a temp set up while his other is being done

So the monitor has to live in substandard conditions in the meantime, while you figure out a suitable habitat.

Originally Posted by Boostedneon04

i ran out of cypress mulch that day and went and picked up another bag the next day..the tank is half filled with the substrate so hes got plenty to burrow and dig in..

He should be on soil. 1-2 feet.

Originally Posted by Boostedneon04

what type of basking area do you recommend??since u dont think the large peice of wood under the two lights is good enough??

The idea for basking areas is to use lower wattage (40/etc) bulbs brought closer to the monitor. I don't know how tall your aquarium is, but a board on top with a light fixture attached underneath the board (inside the enclosure) would be better. There should be more than one bulb, as a single bulb shines a much smaller area than the size of the monitor.

Originally Posted by Boostedneon04

the bone meal is to supply calcium? so whats any different than using a calcuim powder and a vitamin supplement instead of using the central vitiamin and bonemeal???or should the centrim vitamin and bonemeal be used instead??

The success has been with the SDZ diet and not so much on variations, so I would follow that. You can find steamed bone meal at health food stores.

[Boostedneon04]

Originally Posted by allergenic

Both are having shed problems, with the Savannah having retained white skin around its mouth and stiff neck folds. Dehydration, obesity, and shed problems often go hand in hand. So if those are old pictures and the monitors look differently now, that's good.
the savannah was obesie when i got him and was in the middle of a shed...could u go more into this??it seems ive missed the signs of dehydration..what white skin around his mouth??he had just shed underneath his mouth so the skin looks alot lighter than the other parts of his body..they both have shed there bodies no problem since i had them but i would like to make sure there not dehydrated. both are very active and responsive and i would like to keep them that way..the black throat loves to dig he will turn up the whole cage diging threw out the day and savannah will dig here and there..i appreciate the help and apologise for being a ****** and not taking ur advice.

The idea for basking areas is to use lower wattage (40/etc) bulbs brought closer to the monitor. I don't know how tall your aquarium is, but a board on top with a light fixture attached underneath the board (inside the enclosure) would be better. There should be more than one bulb, as a single bulb shines a much smaller area than the size of the monitor.
the basking area you saw was 2 50 watt halogen bulbs, at the time in the picture there wasnt alot of substrate since i had run out that day..the wood peice brings him plenty close to the lights and hes able to lay out with his whole body in the light.

The success has been with the SDZ diet and not so much on variations, so I would follow that. You can find steamed bone meal at health food stores.
thank you i know it seems like im hard headed at times but i just get very defensive at times...like i said the ground turkey was only given in small amounts onces a week..but ill follow the sdz diet if i choose to go that route in feeding..

the savannah was obesie when i got him and was in the middle of a shed...could u go more into this??it seems ive missed the signs of dehydration..what white skin around his mouth??he had just shed underneath his mouth so the skin looks alot lighter than the other parts of his body..they both have shed there bodies no problem since i had them but i would like to make sure there not dehydrated. both are very active and responsive and i would like to keep them that way..the black throat loves to dig he will turn up the whole cage diging threw out the day and savannah will dig here and there..i appreciate the help and apologise for being a ****** and not taking ur advice.




the basking area you saw was 2 50 watt halogen bulbs, at the time in the picture there wasnt alot of substrate since i had run out that day..the wood peice brings him plenty close to the lights and hes able to lay out with his whole body in the light.


thank you i know it seems like im hard headed at times but i just get very defensive at times...like i said the ground turkey was only given in small amounts onces a week..but ill follow the sdz diet if i choose to go that route in feeding..

[siz]

What kind of soil mix do you use, Coy?

[Smilts]

A substrate that they can burrow in is a must, I use a mix of sand, shredded sphagnum moss, and a quality top soil.


Thats copied but its what I use. Also for topsoil I filter a good quality all natural potting mix to get everything but the soil out. Also if you use that watch out most of the potting soils have fertilizer in them whether it says so on the bag or not, so always double check that they dont.

Others may have other mixes they prefer.

Sorry I meant to mention that in your tegu post.

[allergenic]

Originally Posted by Boostedneon04

the savannah was obesie when i got him and was in the middle of a shed...could u go more into this??it seems ive missed the signs of dehydration..what white skin around his mouth??he had just shed underneath his mouth so the skin looks alot lighter than the other parts of his body..they both have shed there bodies no problem since i had them but i would like to make sure there not dehydrated. both are very active and responsive and i would like to keep them that way..

The usual signs of dehydration when they are thin are things like a thin base of the tail, showing thin lines on the tail, or folds of skin that stick when you pinch them between your fingers instead of being floppy. In more extreme cases they will be lethargic, etc.

Yours were not on the thin side, so it was more a judgement about what looked to be a bad shed coupled with those neck folds. If they are active and alert that's a great sign and it was probably what you were describing, just the conditions they were in when you got them.

Originally Posted by Boostedneon04

the black throat loves to dig he will turn up the whole cage diging threw out the day and savannah will dig here and there..

That's great behavior and a good sign. If you are able, in your next enclosure, to leave 2 full feet just for substrate, they will appreciate that. Use a 50/50 topsoil/sand mixture. The mulch is great to help keep humidity levels up, but you will find the soil mixture will hold a good burrow, which is important.

Originally Posted by Boostedneon04

i appreciate the help and apologise for being a ****** and not taking ur advice.

I don't mind at all.

Originally Posted by Boostedneon04

the basking area you saw was 2 50 watt halogen bulbs, at the time in the picture there wasnt alot of substrate since i had run out that day..the wood peice brings him plenty close to the lights and hes able to lay out with his whole body in the light.

Cool, I thought I saw one light beam and figured it was the same old thing.

Originally Posted by Boostedneon04

thank you i know it seems like im hard headed at times but i just get very defensive at times...

Everyone does, including me.