New monitor (salvator)

[Kimmie]

this is maybe a stupid question, but how long is mouses considered useless? I know pinkies are fat bombs but is it when they start opening their eyes that they are a good thing to feed? - I know mouses alone is not good but just wanted to ask.

[murrindindi]

Originally Posted by Kimmie

this is maybe a stupid question, but how long is mouses considered useless? I know pinkies are fat bombs but is it when they start opening their eyes that they are a good thing to feed? - I know mouses alone is not good but just wanted to ask.

When they have developed fur and are basically "self sufficient" the skeleton will have developed to a greater extent (in some countries they are known at that stage as "fuzzies" and "hoppers", etc). Pinky mice have not yet formed a skeleton (solid bones).
I`ve heard on other forums that they are "full of milk", making them very nutritious food for Varanids which is rather strange, considering they are extremely small ("full of milk"?), and Varanids/reptiles cannot digest (metabolise) lactose.
Of course there are reptiles such as small snakes other lizards that may get some benefit from pinky mice, usually they have a much lower metabolism, meaning they don`t require as much energy as most monitor lizards.
I believe you keep Tegu`s, a hatchling/juvenile Tegu might get some benefit from a few pinkies because their metabolism is lower.

[Kimmie]

Originally Posted by murrindindi

When they have developed fur and are basically "self sufficient" the skeleton will have developed to a greater extent (in some countries they are known at that stage as "fuzzies" and "hoppers", etc). Pinky mice have not yet formed a skeleton (solid bones).
I`ve heard on other forums that they are "full of milk", making them very nutritious food for Varanids which is rather strange, considering they are extremely small ("full of milk"?), and Varanids/reptiles cannot digest (metabolise) lactose.
Of course there are reptiles such as small snakes other lizards that may get some benefit from pinky mice, usually they have a much lower metabolism, meaning they don`t require as much energy as most monitor lizards.
I believe you keep Tegu`s, a hatchling/juvenile Tegu might get some benefit from a few pinkies because their metabolism is lower.

okay thanks a lot that was very useful

[nepoez]

Originally Posted by murrindindi

I believe you keep Tegu`s, a hatchling/juvenile Tegu might get some benefit from a few pinkies because their metabolism is lower.

Actually I give my tegu the same kind of heating as the monitor. The tegu is pretty much active all day long like a hyper dog! I'd say they have the same kind of metabolism, feed is full of food, the next day his tummy is flat again and hungry and scouring around again!

[murrindindi]

Originally Posted by nepoez

Actually I give my tegu the same kind of heating as the monitor. The tegu is pretty much active all day long like a hyper dog! I'd say they have the same kind of metabolism, feed is full of food, the next day his tummy is flat again and hungry and scouring around again!

Hi, if you do a little research I believe you will find Tegus have a relatively low metabolic rate, far lower than most Varanids.

[Kimmie]

Originally Posted by nepoez

Actually I give my tegu the same kind of heating as the monitor. The tegu is pretty much active all day long like a hyper dog! I'd say they have the same kind of metabolism, feed is full of food, the next day his tummy is flat again and hungry and scouring around again!

that is weird my tegu became the laziest reptile I have had after 2-3 years he eats bask and sleeps lol

[murrindindi]

Originally Posted by Kimmie

that is weird my tegu became the laziest reptile I have had after 2-3 years he eats bask and sleeps lol

Tegus have a relatively low metabolic rate, they also rely mainly on anaerobic excercise unlike most Varanids that use aerobic. Simply put; Tegus do not have the stamina of many Varanid species.

[Kimmie]

Originally Posted by murrindindi

Tegus have a relatively low metabolic rate, they also rely mainly on anaerobic excercise unlike most Varanids that use aerobic. Simply put; Tegus do not have the stamina of many Varanid species.

ah okay good then Cookie is just a normal lazy tegu lol

[nepoez]

Originally Posted by Kimmie

ah okay good then Cookie is just a normal lazy tegu lol

Actually it's normal for tegus to be lazy on youtube, but I think if the cage is big enough and set up correctly he should be very active. My tegu is 3.5 feet(just started a big growth spurt after hibernating for 4 months!) and never stops moving until you fill him with food Otherwise he'll hyperactively move around looking for food all day! Maybe after 2-3 years he learned that there's no point in looking for food because the owner just gives it to him so why bother looking around?