Any other monitor. All monitors benefit from the same conditions, in CAPTIVITY. That is a choice of temps, from average room temps on the cooler areas(very handy) to a basking area around 135F.

The basking area temps are read on the surface not air temps. Reptiles of all kinds do not care(understand) about air temps, they care about mass temps. That is the temperature of the area they are in and on.

Your rudi like all monitors eat about anything. Mice are proven to exceed all dietary needs. Of course you can add other whole food items if you wish. But stay away for partial foods, meats, canned crap, turkey, etc. Oh except if its a whole turkey(chick)

Always remember YOUR rudi is the subject, not anything anybody tells you or what you read. Reptiles respond to the conditions they are in. And yours in ONLY in your conditions. Therefore will only repond in your own unique way. Do not make it fit a book or recipe, but make the book or recipe fit it. Your cannot change the monitor, but you can change the information someone told you.

It appears science forgot the above(the rudi is the subject) and science thinks it knows what the rudi is, better then the rudi.

About species, science has really screwed this one up. They WANT all species to be different, and they are, but not that much and not in captivity. Science(actually poor science) wants each species to be unique, which is wonderful, but its bit like different car types around the world. They all are about the same, some are automatic, some not. Some steer on the left some on the right, heck some steel hauling trucks steer in the middle. Some are desiel, some use petrol. Heck some are even electric now. But all in all, they all drive the same. To build them(science) they have different parts, to drive them, they are again about the same. Remember, your driving your monitor, not building it. Science forgot this.

The big difference is size, the big ones can eat bigger things and withstand more torture(our poor conditions) The little ones dehydrate faster. They cannot withstand so much torture. Ones from consistant enviornmets(wet areas), cannot withstand dehydration, ones for arid lands can. But in captivity, you shouldn't be dehydrating any species or individual.

About temps, its not about species, but about size, little ones can cool off faster(less mass to surface ratio) so they can take hotter temps. Larger ones cannot take as much heat(larger mass) cannot cool off quickly.

Water type monitors can and do take more heat, even the larger ones because, they can cool off quickly(jump in the water) Arid land monitors can only go underground, therefore large ones do not have an effiecent method to cool off.

In captivity, you do not have to worry about any of that. Give them a choice and let them decide and they will happily do so.

This my friend is where science falls flat on its collective face. They somehow think they know more about the animal then the animal does. And inspite of their near complete total failure to keep them in captivity. And odd set of circumstances if you ask me. They know it all, but fail at it all. I guess they got a A in class, but failed lab.

So I guess in that, there is some reason why you were told how NOT to keep monitors. But all in all it falls on your shoulders. And with your rudi. That is reality and there will be results.

In the old days I liked attitudes like yours, you know, I will do anything to get it right. Then after the years go by and I watched so many with that attitude fall flat on their faces, I changed, I actually hate that attitude now.

Those who want the BEST, often fail. I now understand why. They forget to just get something that works, even barely. You got to start with something that barely works, before you think your going for the best. If your a newbie, how do you know what is the best, you have no FFFFFF in, way to know what the best is.

So don't worry about the best, start with workable, then if you do well, improve a little at a time. your monitor will express the best results, not you.

Not to brag, but I have allowed the best results for over a decade and a half without ever worrying about knowing anything or trying for the best. And that dang science is still ramming their heads into their collective walls(failing). How would have thought science could be so dumb. I know, this is awful bold of me to say this, but guezzzzz, its been 17 years of great success and science is still ramming their heads into the wall, trying to tell a living animals what it is. Then, in 17 years, you would think they would simply copy me and reproduce the same results. Hmmmmmmmmm science is too egotistical to cheat. hahahahahahaha. which makes them even dumber. I also have been ranting like this for a decade or more and they still keep ramming their heads into the wall. The more I have success the more they ram their heads, hmmmm they are running out of walls.

That ramming is what gives you that false information. They are too bean headed to actually ask the animal what it is, they have to tell it.

OK, I apologise, I am using science(being pragmatic) they are not using science, they are simply bookworms reguritating garbage over and over. Thats why i call them false science. Science is to ask questions. Then recieve results. REPEATABLE RESULTS. These squeaky wheel scientists, ask the questions, but forgot to get results, sir, thats not science.

In simple terms, I hatched four species this week, that is more then any science guy in the world(how sad) thats not bragging, its simply results of an approach. And that sir is science. Cheers

ps, remember, to always keep your monitors as the center, not what anybody says. Your monitor will always tell the truth. But sometimes the truth hurts.

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