Feeding Monitors

[Bigblackdog]

I currently keep V.storri, V.gilleni, V.scalaris & V.tristis.

The menu consists of:
Pinkie Mice
Pinkie Rats
Woodies
Crickets
Asian House Geckos
Grasshoppers
Pal Puppy Food (in moderation)
all dusted with Calcium & Multi-vitamins.

Anything else I could be feeding these guys?
Here my male V.tristis enjoying brekkie...

 

[shada35]

just about sums it up.just young chickens about all

 

[ex1dic]

yeah definately consider day old chics

 

[herptrader]

I have been having trouble getting out Ackies to eat anything other than Speckled Feeder Roaches. (All dusted with Rep-Cal calcium and Herp-t-vite)

Keeping up a good supply of these is not too difficult a task but I would like to get them feeding on other foods... such as canned cat food or beardy pellets. The key issue seems to be that they are not overly interested in anything that does not move. Even if they kill a SFR and drop it accidentally if will not get eaten... because it stops moving.

 

[Bigblackdog]

Re: RE: Feeding Monitors

I have been having trouble getting out Ackies to eat anything other than Speckled Feeder Roaches. (All dusted with Rep-Cal calcium and Herp-t-vite)

Keeping up a good supply of these is not too difficult a task but I would like to get them feeding on other foods... such as canned cat food or beardy pellets. The key issue seems to be that they are not overly interested in anything that does not move. Even if they kill a SFR and drop it accidentally if will not get eaten... because it stops moving.

Never heard of that problem before (but I've never kept Ackies either!)
My Storrs (which are probably the closest I've got to Ackies are fed pretty much exclusively on Herp Shop's Speckled Feeder Roaches, although a mouse pinkie always goes down well, and if they're alive, they'll keep squirming until the bitter end. (yeah, yeah, flame away :roll: )

Good luck!

 

[cris]

I find rubbing meat on an insect allows you to feed them easily, even if the insect is dead.
You could also feed them small whole fish occasionally.
Maybe supplemented pieces of lean meat too.

 

[freerider]

Also don't forget boiled or raw eggs!!! This is one of my guys favorites

 

[imported_Varanus]

Hey Blackdog,

I also feed my Gillens fish fillets, usually whiting, flathead and silver bream; they hand feed and love it!! BTW, any female Gillens your willing to part with?(thought I'd ask on the off chance). Also, how do you avoid parasite transmission when you feed the Asian House Geckos?? (great idea IMO).

Cheers,

Varanus.

 

[Magpie]

My ackies get a mix of chicken necks, steak and woodies that is minced together then frozen.
Supplemented very now and then with calcium / D3.
They also get live crickets, roaches and mice.
Herptrader, I often find mine will eat it the next day, when it starts to smell a bit :mrgreen:

 

[Bigblackdog]

Hey Blackdog,

I also feed my Gillens fish fillets, usually whiting, flathead and silver bream; they hand feed and love it!! BTW, any female Gillens your willing to part with?(thought I'd ask on the off chance). Also, how do you avoid parasite transmission when you feed the Asian House Geckos?? (great idea IMO).

Cheers,

Varanus.

Hi Varanus.
The fish fillets sound like a great idea - thanks!
At the moment, I only have a breeding pair of Gillens, but judging by what they've been up to, I'm likely to end up with some more! :wink:
I'll keep you in mind.

Re. the Asian House Gex - the only method I've come across so far has been to tell the Tristis not to eat them if they're carrying parasites - so far they must all be clean!

Seriously, I'm not sure and that's why I was considering dropping AHG's from the menu.

Is there a 'wormer' available for Herps, similar to what is available for worming dogs, that I could use to negate this possible parasite transmission?

Or has the whole 'parasite transmission' thing been blown out of proportion?

Thoughts/experiences?

 

[Sdaji]

I also use moths, spiders, stick insects, mealworms, beetles, lawn beetle larvae, earwigs and whatever other creepy crawlies are available. I generally avoid using anything wild caught, apart from fish, which I freeze.

 

[imported_Varanus]

Cheers Blackdog,

Female Gillens seem as rare as hens teeth ATM so thanks for the offer.
My two are wrestling around their enclosure ATM so I'm pretty sure their both fellas!

Not to sure on a suitable wormer for something so small, but I have had Spencers that I fed wild caught insects/ arachnids that wound up with" Ascarid "worms so I no longer feed wild food items.

In the wild Gillens are known to eat other reptiles and often take the tails of Geckos if they can't tackle the whole thing, so , given that most parasites live in the organs/ body cavity, perhaps feeding just the tails of AHG's would be the go? OR, replace reptiles with fish (similar in taste and appearance some would say!!)

Sorry for the long post but hope this helps.

Cheers,

Varanus.

 

[nathanbrisvegas]

all my monitors eat all of what people have said aswell as egg and i feed everything live exept the fish and meats obviously but all pinks and insects are live :twisted: