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07-26-12, 07:36 PM
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#16
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Re: Soil PH & Nitrogen content
Quote:
Originally Posted by franks
Hey wayne. First off, do you know that the rodent population is sparce in the regions of ghana that daniel bennett studied savannah monitor diets? I was under the impression that this area had abundant snakes.
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Yes I am aware of that, The rodents are in the sour grass.
Not sure if it's because there are less predators, or if the vegetation in area with burned out soil produces bigger seed for them to eat.
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"Where would we be without the agitators of the world attaching the electrodes
of knowledge to the nipples of ignorance?"
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07-28-12, 01:14 AM
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#17
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Re: Soil PH & Nitrogen content
I would also be concerned with saying that the group rodents is universal there. Its a large group of animals, with many different species, and I have a feeling that sweet and sour grasses wouldnt be the only determiner. Many rodents follow insect prey as well, so it stands to reason that there would be many in the sweet grass areas.
I think, as we know that savannahs make use of the giant cricket as a feeder, it might be more useful to follow what soil types the crickets use, rather than working backwards from the negative evidence displayed in the lack of rodents. Just a thought though...
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The plural of anecdote is not data
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07-28-12, 02:41 AM
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#18
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Re: Soil PH & Nitrogen content
Quote:
Originally Posted by jarich
Just a thought though...
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Keep the thoughts flowing.. thoughts are good. 
__________________
"Where would we be without the agitators of the world attaching the electrodes
of knowledge to the nipples of ignorance?"
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07-28-12, 07:57 AM
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#19
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Re: Soil PH & Nitrogen content
The fact that they inhabit different niches would be a good argument if there was some kind of barrier between the two,i think that their are a multitude of reasons intermingled,it is puzzling there is so little evidence of rodents in their diet as their would be plenty of opportunity-i stumble across dead mice all the time in my walks and the ease of stumbling across a rodent nest would be an easy meal.Sometimes we make things more complicated,when it's just a whole lot of simple factors combined.All i know is they forage and correct me if i am wrong but they can pass hrough plenty of different microhabitats in sometimes a short period of time.
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07-28-12, 08:35 AM
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#20
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Join Date: May-2008
Location: Central New York State
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Re: Soil PH & Nitrogen content
Quote:
Originally Posted by mo9e64
The fact that they inhabit different niches would be a good argument if there was some kind of barrier between the two,i think that their are a multitude of reasons intermingled,it is puzzling there is so little evidence of rodents in their diet as their would be plenty of opportunity-i stumble across dead mice all the time in my walks and the ease of stumbling across a rodent nest would be an easy meal.Sometimes we make things more complicated,when it's just a whole lot of simple factors combined.All i know is they forage and correct me if i am wrong but they can pass hrough plenty of different microhabitats in sometimes a short period of time.
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You are somewhat right Moe, however the populations congregate in the regions with higher nitrogen content in the soil.
We are not talking about the occasional nomad lizard, or the odd stray, rather the brunt of the population seem to be located either in the natural sweet grass zones or near farms where nitrates are added to the soil to promote vegetable growth.
__________________
"Where would we be without the agitators of the world attaching the electrodes
of knowledge to the nipples of ignorance?"
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07-28-12, 08:58 AM
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#21
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Member
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Re: Soil PH & Nitrogen content
Quote:
Originally Posted by infernalis
You are somewhat right Moe, however the populations congregate in the regions with higher nitrogen content in the soil.
We are not talking about the occasional nomad lizard, or the odd stray, rather the brunt of the population seem to be located either in the natural sweet grass zones or near farms where nitrates are added to the soil to promote vegetable growth.
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... But.... (just to play devil's advocate here) the Savannah Monitor, like most predators, follow the prey. Where the prey goes, the predator goes. Largemouth bass shy away from very warm water, but when the food is in warm water, the bass move up to the warm water regardless. I would assume that these king predator lizards would for-go their ideal conditions for food sources.
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07-28-12, 09:04 AM
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#22
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Join Date: Nov-2010
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Re: Soil PH & Nitrogen content
That is what i think as well,in captivity we bring prey to the monitor so the soil chemical composition may not be as revelant.If in the wild that type of soil suports a larger concentration of their prefered cricket prey then it can be as simple as that.I think it has been shown that monitors as they age do get conditioned to eat a certain prey.
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07-28-12, 10:39 AM
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#23
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Member
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Re: Soil PH & Nitrogen content
Quote:
Originally Posted by mo9e64
That is what i think as well,in captivity we bring prey to the monitor so the soil chemical composition may not be as revelant.If in the wild that type of soil suports a larger concentration of their prefered cricket prey then it can be as simple as that.I think it has been shown that monitors as they age do get conditioned to eat a certain prey.
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I think they only get "conditioned" to eat whatever is easily available for them. The older they get the more they understand the layout of their realm and what food sources are the best and easiest to find and consume. For instance, if you put a trey of large roaches on the left of your enclosure, and a trey of large crickets on the right of your enclosure, I think you will find that your sav becomes "conditioned" to go to the left of the enclosure for food when he is hungry. It is not because they learn to eat a certain type of prey, but because they understand what is available, easier, and more of a fullfilling meal. Adversly, if after time you removed the trey of crickets on the right and replaced it with a trey of pinkies or small rodents every day, you will find that your sav will become "reconditioned" to go to the right of his enclosure when hungry. This is why, in the wild, savs seek out giant millipedes for food instead of taking hours trying to dig rodents out of burrows that may or may not have a hungry snake inside. Very interesting stuff.
I am extremely interested in learning the effect that the absence of plant life in out man-made enclosures has on the quality of substrate and consequently the life of our lizards.
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07-29-12, 10:52 AM
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#24
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Member
Join Date: Mar-2012
Age: 37
Posts: 442
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Re: Soil PH & Nitrogen content
Quote:
Originally Posted by franks
I think they only get "conditioned" to eat whatever is easily available for them. The older they get the more they understand the layout of their realm and what food sources are the best and easiest to find and consume. For instance, if you put a trey of large roaches on the left of your enclosure, and a trey of large crickets on the right of your enclosure, I think you will find that your sav becomes "conditioned" to go to the left of the enclosure for food when he is hungry. It is not because they learn to eat a certain type of prey, but because they understand what is available, easier, and more of a fullfilling meal. Adversly, if after time you removed the trey of crickets on the right and replaced it with a trey of pinkies or small rodents every day, you will find that your sav will become "reconditioned" to go to the right of his enclosure when hungry. This is why, in the wild, savs seek out giant millipedes for food instead of taking hours trying to dig rodents out of burrows that may or may not have a hungry snake inside. Very interesting stuff.
I am extremely interested in learning the effect that the absence of plant life in out man-made enclosures has on the quality of substrate and consequently the life of our lizards.
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Cracking mate... Lovely sentiments good post.
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