Ackies & Pinkies

[PhilK]

Hey all,

I bought a bunch of pinky mice from the pet shop today to vary my ackies diet from woodies a bit. I decided I would give the pinkies to the smaller ackie to boost its growth a bit and let it catch up - it is much smaller than the other.

Unfortunately it was NOT interested in it at all.. it ate the woodies with gusto but completely 100% ignored the pinky, didn't even tongue flick at it. The bigger ackie smashed it as soon as it got a whiff..

Any idea how I can get the small one interested in eating pinkies?

Cheers guys

 

[Snakeluvver2]

cut the pinky open That scent of blood should get them going

 

[PhilK]

I did poke the sharp pointed tweezers through it a few times to get the scent going, but that little one is weird.. it hasn't read the handbook on being a monitor unfortunately.

 

[Snakeluvver2]

Hmm never heard of a monitor that wont eat meat lol

 

[bredli-sli]

hey mate, i had the same problem, do it when there basking (might be mythical) when their heaps alert, and you gotta really piss them off with them, then they should eat it. it worked for me

 

[imported_Varanus]

You can also try scenting the pinkie with a woodie (so to speak) and jiggling it in front of him when he's in food mode. Pre- frozen, small whole fish make a good addition (less fat than a Pinkie). An insect based diet is probably best, though Pinkies may be a good supplement for breeding females.

 

[PhilK]

Yes they only get insects, but I thought pinkies for the little one to help it catch up.. pity he won't eat them.

They have been slack with eating though as it is cold.. I will try and do it when I see them out and about. I also think they have gotten used to the smell of the powder I dust the woodies with so I rolled the pinky in that but with no luck.

 

[Kristy_07]

Hi Phil, have they eaten other meat sources before? My dragon will scarf the odd piece of chicken but won't even look at pinkies... I know she's a dragon and you have a monitor, but maybe he just doesn't like pinkies? Have you tried anything else?

 

[Daniel_Penrith]

This prob a dumb question but what sort of fish? I will give my pygmy mulga monitors a try and my black headeds.

You can also try scenting the pinkie with a woodie (so to speak) and jiggling it in front of him when he's in food mode. Pre- frozen, small whole fish make a good addition (less fat than a Pinkie). An insect based diet is probably best, though Pinkies may be a good supplement for breeding females.

 

[imported_Varanus]

Just a thought, how old are they? I've had a few pairs in the past and my male animals always were a fair degree larger than my females! Perhaps food intake isn't a problem and you have a pair? Have you also tried crickets as another addition??

 

[imported_Varanus]

Hi D-P,

Any small "feeder fish" from your local pet shop, usually guppies, swordfish or one of the smaller barb species. If that's too pricey and you have a local creek nearby, "Gambusia" (a small, introduced pest species) will also hit the spot (and their free), but make sure you've frozen them prior to feeding to your monitors to eradicate any internal parasites they may be carrying (same goes for the pet shop varieties). Just as a precaution. I use to freeze mine for 60+ hours and never had any probs with fecal floats.

PS: I got the idea from Sdaji originally !

 

[Guest]

try them on a bit of puppy food and if they like it scent the pinky with some (worked on my scalaris)

 

[Daniel_Penrith]

Cheers mate i will head down the pet shop tomorrow

Hi D-P,

Any small "feeder fish" from your local pet shop, usually guppies, swordfish or one of the smaller barb species. If that's too pricey and you have a local creek nearby, "Gambusia" (a small, introduced pest species) will also hit the spot (and their free), but make sure you've frozen them prior to feeding to your monitors to eradicate any internal parasites they may be carrying (same goes for the pet shop varieties). Just as a precaution. I use to freeze mine for 60+ hours and never had any probs with fecal floats.

PS: I got the idea from Sdaji originally !

 

[mrdose]

Hm.. Might try the fish for my baby ackie

 

[PhilK]

Not too keen on trying fish as don't like petshop fish as a food source. Might try catching some.
Really keen to get it to eat pinkies though... I think food intake isthe problem as the bigger monitor is always out and about and happy especially during feeding time while the smaller is EXTREMELY skittish and runs at the sight of me.. He needs to be forcep fed through a crack on his hiding log to even get a feed and as such gets less food

 

[Kristy_07]

He sounds intimidated. Maybe you could try separating them until they catch up in size?

 

[PhilK]

Thanks for the suggestion but I don't think it is that.. On the few occasions he has stayed out for a feed he has certainly held his own against the bigger and even steals food from him. I think he is intimidated by me, not the other ackie as they interact just fine. It is only when he sees me or when I approach he gets wary and runs

 

[imported_Varanus]

I'm no expert, but the smaller, skittish animal could be a female. I know with previous monitor pairs that I've had (Spencers, Lacies in particular), the females have always been more shy and retiring (and smaller). I've also had a trio of Gillens, one of which I was initially concerned about as it was rarely active and seemed thinner and that turned out to be female! It soon caught up with the boys later on in life, however. Can't say I've noticed this with Ackies though, at least not in the early stages!

 

[cris]

On the fish issue, i avoid freezing when practical due to possible thaiminaise related issues. It is possible for fish to give reptiles parasites, so its a potential problem either way. Although if fed rarely frozen should be ok. Fish would be the best food for increasing growth rate.

As far as feeding it pinkies, live ones would probably work.

 

[Tsubakai]

For fish, go to your local seafood supplier and buy some frozen whitebait. My ackies love them (as do the turtles and the tarpon as you'd expect).