BONGO????? got me

There is one fact, this is a monitor forum. So I treat it like one. If monitors taught me anything, its this. They are not caresheet reptiles. That is, you cannot take information from a caresheet and apply it and have success over the long term. As in, caresheets are a place to Start, not meant for longterm use.

They(varanids) are a thinking mans reptiles(person/she/he/it, whatever) They require a constant change in tactics. That is, what "works" for young ones, changes as they grow, and does not work so well for older ones. That is, in a physical nature.

More importantly, monitors are, if I may quote Tom C, are a "complex behavioral beast". And they without question change behaviorally as they age. RADICALLY

So both physically and mentally, they radically change. This requires a very key ability. That is the ability to "THINK" the ability to use our grey matter. Not stick to a caresheet. So I do not give answers, I cause keepers to think. As that is KEY.

Books say monitors are solitary, when those books are kinda right, OLD individuals become solitary. The problem is, young producing adults are highly social.(where have we seen this before, hmmmmm everywhere) Then consider, the majority of reproduction(recruitment) occurs with young adults. Both in captivity and nature. A thinking person would concentrate on what????? young adults or old adults??? So why does science concentrate on old solitary adults???? got me, it doesn't make sense. But hey, thats science!

Why I say such things is, you must treat them as they require, on a timely basis. The timely basis changes as they age.

Again, old massive adults use heat in a much different way then smaller adults. ITs all about he ability to shed heat, not gain it. Just a little brain twister.

So you should keep an eye on the internet and see how many fail as their monitors age. Hmmmmmmmm why you ask, cause the monitors change and the keepers do not. OK, you asked me to rant so I did, and gladly so. Did I mention we saw 21 snakes in two hours last night. hahahahaha Cheers

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