Savanna Monitor Q about growing ((..PIX..))

Discussion in 'Monitors & Tegus' started by lllxtclll, Feb 28, 2007.

  1. PitsNherps

    PitsNherps Well-Known Member

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    2,348
    monitor

    Okay since there is mice eveywhere and aswell as desert rats?Why couldn't the monitor catch them in the wild? or even come across them..
    My monitor is fat hes not overweight but hes fat and healthy.He gets silkworms and hornworms but not as a staple 100 hornworms costes me 100 dollars I cant spend that he would eat those not even in a week.
    I prefer to feed mine lots because its crucial at this age that they are in.I wont feed him so much after hes hits around 14 monthes.

    Its just in my opinion but I would like to see a picture of your monitor.
     
  2. JEFFREH

    JEFFREH Administrator

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  3. brina6

    brina6 New Member

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    97
    RE: sav

    OK my savanna monitor will be a year in June.. s/he eats crickets alot. but we also feed pinkies, not frozen pinkies live pinkies. About the fuzzies if they are too large the sav wont try to eat them. My sav known as Kaidan doesnt like eggs at all.. s/he likes mealworms and superworms but doesnt eat them fast enough before they turn into bugs..haha.. Kaidan has a mini pond like think in its cage and at a point in time we tried to feed rosy reds (guppies) they are small and the sav is really unlikely to choke on them.. as for the person to say they will never encounter them in the wild... try sav's spend a lot of their time in the freaking water so why wouldnt they run into a fish.. I believe that my monitor is a little chunky but not overweight.. to my monitor (about the same age) yours looks a bit smaller but not much.. in fatness...and your monitor looks clean :D Kaidan has dirt for a substright*spelled wrong i know,,, so s/he can dwell.. so s.he is a little brown from getting in and out of his.her pond/pool...your monitor is cute :D
     
  4. JEFFREH

    JEFFREH Administrator

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  5. lllxtclll

    lllxtclll New Member

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    RE: sav

    Are these "horned worms" the same as tomato worms? Really big, fat, green and with horns. They can make a rattling noise as well. If their the same, oh my gosh, I can get them all summer from the garden...the tomato plants in the garden that is.
    Tomato Worm---->[​IMG]
     
  6. JEFFREH

    JEFFREH Administrator

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    5,483
     
  7. PitsNherps

    PitsNherps Well-Known Member

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    2,348
    hornworms

    I thought horn worms were grey?I dont know I haven't fed them before..Make sure there is no chemicals on your plants..
    Sorry for arguing in your thread I just dont see how a sav can live properly without mice?
    Oh BTW savs dont need UBV light.
     
  8. JEFFREH

    JEFFREH Administrator

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    5,483
     
  9. 00luke00

    00luke00 Well-Known Member

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    4,853
    RE: hornworms

    Under_Cuver, you REALLY need to watch how you're conveying yourself.

    You really can't keep going around making assumptions about other people and their pets.

    This is totally uneccessary. You have no right to compare the health of your monitor to another users.
     
  10. JEFFREH

    JEFFREH Administrator

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    5,483
     
  11. joshmitz

    joshmitz New Member

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    180
    Re: RE: monitors

    now ive never kept monitors and dont know much about them in captivity, but ive seen a documentary on them in the wild shown eating pretty much anything they can get down. they even mentioned that they have been seen eating carrion, but had no evidence for it.

     
  12. joshmitz

    joshmitz New Member

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    180
    RE: Re: RE: monitors

    oops, guess i accidentally deleted the end quote, oh well, you get the picture
     
  13. Under_Cuver

    Under_Cuver New Member

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    Re: hornworms

    Thats ignorance. Through out the years people have fed there monitors rodents. Now its been past on over the years and it is pure ignorance. They dont need to ever have one in their entire lifetime. As for UVB, we still dont know for sure that they dont need it. I dont see why not, every other lizard does, why not monitors? I recommend it.
     
  14. PitsNherps

    PitsNherps Well-Known Member

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    2,348
    Undercover-
    You seem to think you know eveything?We haven't seen your reptile even.
    Lots of reptiles dont need UBV!!
     
  15. Z_Tous

    Z_Tous New Member

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    RE: Re: hornworms

    UVB is not neeeded. It has been proven as monitors have been kept without it from birth till breeding without ever having it. I know of plenty of breeders that keep monitors on rodent diets. Personally I can understand your argument but I have a different opinion and 100% disagree with your additude. It all boils down to husbandry really. You have mentioned you feed yours 100 superworms a week. That seems incredibly low to me and leads me to beleive your temperatures are off and he is not digesting his food very fast.
     
  16. 00luke00

    00luke00 Well-Known Member

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    4,853
    RE: Re: hornworms

    Under_Cuver this is going too far now. Once again, you cannot say what somebody else is saying is ignorant. You need to watch your tone and manner.

    WRONG. UV lighting is for diurnal reptiles.

    The attitude you have at the moment seems like you think you know everything. This forum was made as a learning point for everyone. Including YOU.
     
  17. brina6

    brina6 New Member

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    97
    RE: Re: hornworms

    my theory about the uvb is they get it in the wild so uvb wont hurt.. now going with out uvb i have no clue but it must not hurt if wild sav's are out in it every freaking day.. i already had uvb bulbs for my iggs so i just threw one in the my savannas cage anyhow i guess just to be safe... i never seen on care sheets that you HAVE to have one..
     
  18. momoftwo

    momoftwo Embryo

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    2
    RE: Re: hornworms

    We just got our sav.monitor today, so I am in no way an expert, however, except for on here, I have read they should have UVB. I also read that pinkies are fine. I know that they tend to get fat easier than some other kinds of reptiles. I have to admit I am now a little confused, but we are going to continue to use UVb, since they have it in the wild, until I see some scienctific report telling me not to. I have spoke to ALOT of monitor owners and they have all told me the same thing. I am always interested in learning so I can give him the best life. I have to add one thing, some people are a little on the rude side. I hope it is just because someone had a bad day and not n everyday thing.
     
  19. PitsNherps

    PitsNherps Well-Known Member

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    2,348
    Re: RE: Re: hornworms

    UBV is not needed but you can use it..
     
  20. joshmitz

    joshmitz New Member

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    180
    RE: Re: RE: Re: hornworms

    yeah, it wont hurt unless its on too much, or it increases the temps to much, so if your using it theres no reason to stop, its just not a requirment
     
  21. momoftwo

    momoftwo Embryo

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    2
    RE: Re: RE: Re: hornworms

    Thanks We are using the MVB EB 160. It does give of heat but the temps seem to be right on so far.
     
  22. beezneez

    beezneez Member

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    753
    Now I'm no monitor expert, but if you say a mouse is bad for him to eat, then wouldn't a scorpion or a snake be way out of the picture?lol. I have always heard of people feeding mice, and never scorpions or snakes, so i think you jumped the gun when you called PitsNherps an idiot.
     
  23. wschippr

    wschippr New Member

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    94
    RE: sav

    Ok, I have monitor experience to a degree (2 Savs, A mangrove and a trio of ackies. Plus a pair of Red tegus and a dwarf tegu (hopefully I will be successful with it, apparently they are very hard)), I am in no way an expert as there are very few in this world. But I strongly disagree with taking the rodents out of his diet, BTW monitors in the wild usually have vertebrates in their diet and generally at least 10% especially savs, they eat carrion such as left over game they find when walking, plus it has been observed that they indeed do hunt down rodents. In captivity I would say less would be better though as they are not in the wild and do not experience the same things. For example there is no hunting, no wandering, no running in terror from a larger preditor, plus the lack of periods of starvation and dehydration (well hopefully this doesnt happen in captivity although I have seen it.). But reptiles that include whole prey in their diet almost never get MBD. I would say feed less rodents and more insects and you can try ground turkey (turkey is better than chicken). Once he gets bigger he can eat quail and chicks too as they are lower in fat. Remember variety is key to any animals health. Lastly if the diet is too high in fat you can always give him more space or take him out regularly to burn off those extra calories. (just like with people).

    Finally what are you going to do when the Monitor decides that it doesnt want crickets anymore it wants bigger game? You would have to move to roaches I presume. Even then you are going to be feeding him a lot of those, so you will have to start a colony, not everyone will want to do this. The main problem with obesity is not the diet but the amount that people feed it. Most inexperienced people will feed reptiles (lizards and turtles) at a mammalian level. Could you imagine a snake getting fed once or twice a day? Well its not the food thats bad for the monitor its the frequency. Besides this is one of the most argued topics in keeping monitors and I doubt that anyone will be changing their minds based on this thread. I can still remember when I started working at the vets office (I am applying for vet school next year btw.), when someone came in with their 15cm bearded dragon and said it was not eating enough cause it was not eating 3 dozen crickets a day. LOL, good times ,good times.
     
  24. drgrey

    drgrey Embryo

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    13
    Whole prey, what a bosc eats in the wild, growth. Real info!

    First, here are some nutritional charts for whole prey items:
    http://www.nal.usda.gov/awic/zoo/WholePreyFinal02May29.pdf
    (whole prey has up to 35% crude fat by dry weight measure)

    Here is what V. exanthematicus is known to eat in the wild. (Bennett, 2003)

    [​IMG]

    Their dentition appears adapted to molluscs but lately recorded in the wild the main constituent of the diet is orthopterans, significantly Brachytrupes membranaceus:
    [​IMG]

    They grow to 6 grams. I'm told that when in season, availablility of Brachytrupes affects the price of beef. People eat them too.

    The bosc monitor is highly specialised. What applies to other monitors may not be directly applicable to the bosc. The bosc is reclusive and there is virtually nothing known about their behaviour in the wild. (The plural of 'anecdote' is NOT 'data'). They are believed to spend most of their non-hunting time in cricket burrows.

    The growth of the bosc in captivity is controllable by rationing. It is possible to achieve the same size in 3 years or 6 months, depending on the feeding regimen.

    The only available information re growth rates on the net is here:

    [​IMG]
    I hope this helps.
     

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