Your missing the point about diet. The approach of a varied diet is addressed in two basic ways.Hmmm at least two basic ways.

One is the insecurity of the keeper, like you mentioned. You do not understand what a good diet is, so you try everything. While you rationalize it well, your so off base. There is always the question of theory vs. repeated results. In this case, there IS repeated reliable results.

My recomendations are based of extensive experience, That is what is KNOWN AND PROVEN, rodents(mice) are PROVEN to be a superior diet. That is, generations upon generations of many many species of monitors. My own personal experience, not what I read or heard from some other yahooo.

To pacify some others, surperior means, amoungst the best dietary item. We can debate which is "the" best, at another time, if at all.

But that does not mean, thats all you should feed, its odd to me that folks tend to think in that old sorry, A or Z, that is, one way of the other. Rodents as superior as a BASE of any diet and even as a stand alone. All that means is, you can rely on it. Thats a freedom that should be understood and utilized. Of course, you can do things the hard way if you like. Or any other way.

The next area, that stimulaiton you mention, is a bit odd. If you kept monitors, any and all prey items stimilate them. WHats stimulating to them is a full stomach. kinda like my dog! What actually stimlates them is capturing and KILLING live prey items. And thats the truth!!!!!!!

The problem is, when dealing with a newbie, your making something simple, DIFFICULT. If I were a newbie, I would want to know what is PROVEN to work, so I could concentrate on what is actually questionable. Like conditions and substrate and dehydration, nesting and such, you know REAL problems. Just the subject of substrate or deep substrate needs lots of attention.

In this case, Diet items is NOT the problem, caging and conditions, normally are the problem. Newbies need to work on what the ACTUAL problem is, not what blows your shorts up. You say you think this and that about diet, great, your thinking which is what I do like to see in a keeper. But in this case, you do not have to think. Not about base diet. Of course, once your captive is thriving, you can play to your hearts content. Or think(theorize) until your ears turn blue.

Newbies really need to address the damage other keepers or importers have levied on their monitor. Its rare to recieve a non compromised individual monitor. In otherwords, most individuals you recieve are screwed up in some way. That needs your attention. Your full attention

About mertens, I have spent time watching them in nature. Crayfish, I am not sure they occur there, prawns is what they call them, yabbies, mudbugs, etc are local common names. But mostly crabs and fish, are taken. (personal observations)

They will take frogs by the millions. In the dry season, the above and in particular frogs congregate in ponds(billibongs, sp) and are harvested in mass.

Also, if a bird falls near or in the water, its taken, and if a kangaroo is hit on the road, they will consume it too. Again, monitors do not turn up their nose to a decent meal. It seems to me, what they do is, seek a steady reliable source of food and utilize it. COMPLETELY

Rubbish piles, chicken ranches, behind restarants, hotels, all attract monitors. Even fast food places. Of course the old picinic table monitors(Park monitors) are common in Australia. They consume garbage and do well. Its conditions that determine their overall health, dietary items, not so much.

They all seem to florish fine, if not better then their natural brothers. ITs not about the type, more about how much and how often. They then stay with that prey item until its gone. ITs what they do. Its why they stay at rubbish tips and picinic tables. A reliable food source.

But sadly, that is not the problem with captives. The problem is caging and misguided ideas about what a varanid is. They are a ectotherm raccoon.

Again, for newbies, it SHOULD be handy to know what WORKS, so you can work on what really needs work. Cheers

ps. All those neonates and more are a product of MICE.

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