Posted by:
	      lizardheadmike
	      at Fri Apr 20 15:40:56 2007  	[ Email Message ] [ Show All Posts by lizardheadmike ]  
 Hello Dragonslayer, First, congratulations on acquiring a most spectacular monitor lizard.  You now own what I dream of every night...  Be aware, though, to some this is a monitor keepers nightmare- giant enclosures, enormous food bill, and a bad bite to boot.  Captive hatched imports are usually very calm and curious compared to their wild caught relatives...  Obviously, you have interest in getting this animal off the cheeseburgers and onto something more wholesome...  You may want to start by checking all of your temps and humidity level.  Typically, under ideal conditions a croc will eat anything meat, and I mean anything.  You can try leaving the dead mice in the cage on a tray(dish, etc) and don't offer the junk food for a day or two.  If this doesn't do it, eviscerate the mice(cut their guts open).  Hold one on your tongs(which I surely hope that you are using!) and let it sniff it a few times and then back on the tray.  Leave it alone for a while (you, out of the room for a few hours).   This should do the trick... Try rats also- you will need to convert later anyway.  One of mine can down 20 to 30 F/T mice at one meal- again, you want rats...BTW, no hand feeding- treat it like a venomous reptile and you won't be a casualty...- this species has had enough bad press!  Best to you- Mike  
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