How much and how often should I feed

[infernalis]

Originally Posted by MrBosc

The mice and chicks, are they packed with goodness or are they pretty much just used for a treat?

Mice and chicks are good staple foods.

My two have been eating rodents nearly every day (as part of a well rounded diet with other items included) and they simply are not getting fat.

Where the problem is, rodents are high energy food, so you have to maintain a high energy Bosc, otherwise problems occur down the road, and people tend to blame the food, rather than the REAL cause, poor caging.

Ever notice that when we see a wild Monitor lizard in a documentary that they walk proudly with their chest/belly held up high and not dragging their gut like most of the captives we see??

It's certainly not because the wild examples belong to a weight watcher's club, it's not because they count calories in the wild, or because they are fussy over the dinner menu......... it's because their environmental conditions are correct for proper metabolism to occur.

[infernalis]

Originally Posted by dnoy88

How do I post pics

Here you go........

[Gregg M]

Originally Posted by CMRetics

Any sort of invert pray as much as she will take daily.

Their diet should not be limited to just inverts. They should be offered rodents as well.

Originally Posted by CMRetics

I offer food twice a day to my growing varanids, every other day on my big adults- as to not contribute to obesity.

All of our adults eat daily and are not anywhere near fat. If your varanid is getting fat, your husbandry needs to change, not its feeding frequency or diet.

[dnoy88]

So after seeing that pic do think she's actually two years old if needed I can get a better pic with me holding her so that every can get a better idea of her size

[CMRetics]

Originally Posted by Gregg M

Their diet should not be limited to just inverts. They should be offered rodents as well.

It's been proven that savs do not eat/take rodents regularly in the wild, I'm referring SPECIFICALLY to bosc monitors, not any other varanid. I feed everything else a wide array of food items. Although the only varanid I keep now is a niloticus.

[/quote]All of our adults eat daily and are not anywhere near fat. If your varanid is getting fat, your husbandry needs to change, not its feeding frequency or diet.[/QUOTE]

A. I highly doubt a wild monitor is eating daily as much as they want.
B. My husbandry is extremely on par, these animals will gorge and get fat "just in case" if given the chance, it's in their nature. They never know when a food shortage is coming, even in captivity.
C. Why should I NEED to feed it daily? I don't, my monitors are healthy and active, high basking temps, soil, humidity, exercise.

I've watched an animal if offered as much food as it wants get fat, even at perfect conditions, so I'll pass on that.

[infernalis]

Originally Posted by CMRetics

It's been proven that savs do not eat/take rodents regularly in the wild, I'm referring SPECIFICALLY to bosc monitors, not any other varanid.

You were not around last spring when Daniel Bennett showed up on the forum. We had a really nice conversation about the rodents, His main post is transcribed here....

Monitors & Mice, The Myth Dispelled

These little machines are fed quite a few rodents..... They climb, burrow, swim, jump and I even have a full mid air barrel roll on film... Not even close to fat, nor lethargic.

[CMRetics]

Originally Posted by infernalis

You were not around last spring when Daniel Bennett showed up on the forum. We had a really nice conversation about the rodents, His main post is transcribed here....

Monitors & Mice, The Myth Dispelled

These little machines are fed quite a few rodents..... They climb, burrow, swim, jump and I even have a full mid air barrel roll on film... Not even close to fat, nor lethargic.

Interesting read wayne, I still wonder if the fatty diet of rodents has some sort of negative effect on monitor lizards in general, but that of course can be fixed by keeping it active, something most keepers fail at.

[infernalis]

Originally Posted by CMRetics

Interesting read wayne, I still wonder if the fatty diet of rodents has some sort of negative effect on monitor lizards in general, but that of course can be fixed by keeping it active, something most keepers fail at.

temperatures play a major role in Varanid failures too.

Chronic exposure to insufficient temperatures inhibits proper renal tubule function. (Layman's terms... the kidneys do not work so good).

keep them nice and toasty, they will thrive on virtually any whole prey diet.

I have 2 basking areas, both are close to 150 degrees, the air in that cage is so thick and hot it blasts me in the face to open the door.

The gradient is 75 degree dirt at the cold end, 80 degree dirt at the point where it starts to dry out, and the soil directly around the basking spot is hot.

Humidity ranges from near 100% down in the burrows, to 65-80% ground level with the lights on, 90%+ when the lights are off.

Let their natural metabolism work, and they burn off the food fast.

Healthy monitors don't sit idle, Set up a video camera and see what goes on when the room is empty, that's when the real magic starts.

[CMRetics]

Originally Posted by infernalis

temperatures play a major role in Varanid failures too.

Chronic exposure to insufficient temperatures inhibits proper renal tubule function. (Layman's terms... the kidneys do not work so good).

keep them nice and toasty, they will thrive on virtually any whole prey diet.

I have 2 basking areas, both are close to 150 degrees, the air in that cage is so thick and hot it blasts me in the face to open the door.

The gradient is 75 degree dirt at the cold end, 80 degree dirt at the point where it starts to dry out, and the soil directly around the basking spot is hot.

Humidity ranges from near 100% down in the burrows, to 65-80% ground level with the lights on, 90%+ when the lights are off.

Let their natural metabolism work, and they burn off the food fast.

Healthy monitors don't sit idle, Set up a video camera and see what goes on when the room is empty, that's when the real magic starts.

I've seen my niloticus use basking temps as high up as the high 160s low 170s, but most people use a silly little light that gets the basking to 90 and think "wow that's hot he'll do great!"

[infernalis]

Originally Posted by CMRetics

I've seen my niloticus use basking temps as high up as the high 160s low 170s, but most people use a silly little light that gets the basking to 90 and think "wow that's hot he'll do great!"

Then post in two years "he died for reasons unknown" or "fatty liver disease"

Sadly, without the lab work, it's guessing.

A recent study of deceased Varanids indicated that gout was present in a decent percentage of carcasses examined.

Now that I somewhat understand their physiology, I'd wager a very large amount of the Varanids that die in the hands of hobby herpers died from advanced renal failure brought on by crap caging.

[Pirarucu]

While we're on the topic of caging, I'm curious. Wayne, when you get their next cage set up, will you be keeping the basking temps as they are now, or will you be providing access to even higher temps? I mean, if yours were using 140-150 as hatchlings, you have to wonder just how hot an adult will use..

[infernalis]

With the extra space, I could easily try a hotter basking spot, if they use it, great, if not oh well.

[Pirarucu]

My thoughts exactly.

[MrBosc]

Originally Posted by infernalis

yummy foods that Savs like....

Mice, Baby Rats, Baby chickens, large roaches, crickets, locusts, big night crawlers (Lobworms or "night walkers" depending on where you live), whole organic shrimp & beetles.

Some people feed them eggs, I chose not to bother with eggs.

what's your view on the baby chicks in terms of their goodness? I went to my local reptile shop and he actually advised me not to buy some off him as they aren't really that good?

[infernalis]

Originally Posted by MrBosc

what's your view on the baby chicks in terms of their goodness? I went to my local reptile shop and he actually advised me not to buy some off him as they aren't really that good?

As part of a well rounded diet, Chicks are fine mate.