Sand Monitor Vitamins

[Arka Mukherjee]

Just Wondering I bought a Sand Monitor 2 months ago and I was wondering what vitamins/calcium I should give him, as well as how many times weekly and how much. Just asking due to the lack of information on the internet.

Thanks

 

[Tobe404]

How old is the Sand Monitor? If it mainly has whole prey I wouldn't worry about giving it calcium/vitamin supplements.

Even for smaller Monitors as long as you give them chopped up Mice and / or organ meats (chicken heart/liver/gizzards/giblets/neck) and gut loaded insects.

That should provide all the vitamins the Monitor will need. Calcium will come from the bones of the whole prey items (Even to an extent from Animal organs)

I could be wrong on that. But out of the three Monitors I've had (One Yellow Spotted and Two Heath Monitors).

The Monitors where I didn't constantly cover their food in powders seem to of and are doing better than the Monitor that I did cover most feeds with powders.

Thinking back on it. Because the Yellow Spotted Monitor was big enough to take whole Mice from the time I got him (about 10 weeks old)..

I don't think I ever dusted any of his food with calcium/vitamin supplements. He turned out absolutely fine.

My second Heath Monitor (got him at just over 2 months old and he is now almost 4 months old) is growing fine and no signs of MBD.

He always eats more food when it isn't covered in powders so I only do it rarely as opposed to every feed or second feed.

Current diet is cut up chicken heart one day, liver the next, chopped up fuzzy - weaner mice (depending what I have on hand) the following day, insects, etc.

Hope this gives you an idea. Some people swear by using calcium / vitamin powders and other people and their Monitors have got on fine without them.

People can correct me if they think I'm wrong. I'm only going off of my limited experience.

Forgot to mention. I have used UVB with all my Monitors.

Cheers. Toby.

 

[dragonlover1]

I don't have sandy's, I keep Lacies so I assume the same applies. They are meat eat eaters, so whole prey supplies everything they need. On the odd occasion I feed bits of guts (hearts,offal etc.) I add calcium powder.
When they were young and ate bugs I would add calcium powder to most meals.
As for feeding schedules ,it depends on age/size. but since you don't say how old so how do we know ?
As juvies I fed every day, then as they aged I reduced feeding to a couple of times a week.
Now they are several years old I feed twice a week during summer and less during colder months(they live outside)

 

[Arka Mukherjee]

Thanks for replying everyone!

Head to tail he is around 45 - 50 cm long.