mixed reviews on "whats best" for your monitor regarding food/frequency of feeding etc. both on this forum and "care-sheet literature"



I found - though I'm only speaking for myself - that my monitor, as he got older (2 years), was putting on more weight with a strictly rodent diet. (with great temps and plenty enough space to be active) Which presented a dillemma - do I cut back on his meals and frequency, or try something else?



Imagine you ate nothing but McDonald's big macs. Everyday, twice a day. In order to lose weight, do you stay with the big macs, but only eat one every 3rd day? No. you cut back on the burgers, and start eating salads.



It didn't make sense to me to cut back on a food item that was good, but causing some weight gain, and not change anything else. Therefore, the roaches. (I am breeding a colony) They are much lower in fat, and still provide good healthy nutrients. I can still feed my monitor everyday, as he LOVES being fed everyday (the pig), I've lowered his fat intake while still providing him with the essentials, and he gets to chase something around for a little excersize. I still feed mice - just less frequently.



So far, so good. I'm pleased with the results.



Savannah Monitors (yes, sorry "in the wild"dine on bugs. Mice/meat make up a very small percentage of their diet - it's only in captivity that we've introduced massive amounts of rodents to the diet of a Savannah monitor. Captive monitors can get FAT. Do I believe that an rodent/meat diet is the cause of that - well, yes. somewhat. (aside from temp/space). I might catch some heat for that statement - but I'm thrilled with what I have now (a healthy active monitor) so I'll stand by it.



The challenge with keeping a monitor (or any reptile for that matter) is that it's never A B = C. It is not linear by any means. There are constant changing variables and you have to be on the lookout for those all the time.

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