You just got to stop feeding it. Period. Its not what you feed it. First off, neither rodents or crickets are donuts, cakes and pies. Both are a natural whole food. If you were asking about partial foods like a single part of an animal, then I would recomend ditching that and sticking to whole food items(of many many kinds) After that its about the inherent design of the species.



No offense, but your not thinking in any way thats appliable to that monitor. They are not humans, period. So going on a diet is very silly.



Savs are designed to store fat and then fast. That allows them to survive several months of extreme dry season(varying lengths of time). Thats why they are build like they are. They evolved the ability to exsist over long periods of drought. This allowed them to live in the habitat they do. (with ball pythons). I mention varying lenghts of time for a reason. They can survive a long period of drought, but not two or three in a row. That will ware them down and they will fail.



So you feeding them anything on a regular schedule is pretty much foreign to them and will result in males getting fat. After they mature.



Also, not feeding them can be dangerous as the conditions have to be right or they will perish. Going that long without food can be very dangerous unless the conditions are right.



So I do not go long long periods with that type of monitor(albig complex). I often go a week here and there, or feeding once a week, then a couple of weeks without food. Only feeding heavily before any breeding attempts(to sire) Remember this is done, after they have grown up.



Females lay lots of eggs and this prevents them for getting fat.(in kept properly)



Oh and about those giving you advice. Why would you listen to them? Have anyone of them actually had longterm success? any success? or are they just like you, newbies giving newbies advice? I am not saying what they are, but before you listen to anyone, make sure they have results that support what they say. Because surely anyone and everyone says all kind of stuff. You see, its not their job to proof what they say, its your job to prove what they say, your the one asking questions(the one with the problem)Cheers

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