I agree with the above, I have kept and raised many species of green lizards in the exact same way I keep monitors, and they too never needed or suffered in anyway from not having a UV bulb.

Also, when given a temperature range to pick from, things like iggies became less veggie and more lizard and bird feeders. Hmmmmmmm I also keep a breed a few torts and they too readily consume mice and crickets. They also consume the plants they are suppose(human opinion) consume.

A little history. When I started here, it was widespread that Savs could not consume mice, it gave them fatty liver desease. Look at older books, it was common knowledge. Also at the time, any basking area over 90F was considered insane.

But as soon as basking areas above 120F and averaging 135F became common(offered and promoted by me) fatty liver desease disappeared.

It does appear, under low temps, high protein food, rodents, birds, lizards, etc, are not properly assimulated and do cause liver problems. It appears thats so for more then monitors.

It was said that feeding high protien and or mice to torts will kill them too. And I am sure it did under low temps. It was said feeding mice to iggies would kill them too, and I am sure under low temps it would. The cure is simple, do not build a world around low temps. It is so stinking simple to allow any of these reptiles a little bit of a choice and see if they make them.

The reality was, if we offered Chams, torts, iggies, and monitors, hi basking temps, the dang things used them and used them to BROADEN their abilities.

The results were, they grew like rocketships, they produced like pez despencers, they lost all those silly problems like Respitory infections, mouthrot, MBD, and they could consume a much wider varity of food/prey without incurring any problems. Even things that were considered poor diets. like ungutloaded crickets. It appears it wasn't the crickets fault, it was the dang keepers REFUSING TO MEED THE ACTUAL mechanical needs of these reptiles.

My problem is and always has been, if I have a question, I ask the animals. That means, If I go to central america and see iggies, which I have seen in most of their range, or anoles and these animals commonly seek hot temps. I will believe those wild iggies, over some "nice fella" in a northern city. No offense.

A few months ago, I again visited several central american countries, and a few islands, like the dutch antillies. I took some pics of GREEN iggies basking/seeking extreme heat. One was a four footer, sitting on top this shingled roof, the temps were in the 90's, the roof was in the sun and it was SUNNY. I should have taken my heat gun, as WE ALL KNOW that roof was bloody hot. Well that stupid iggie stayed there all day. My question is, why is it still alive? Then I went to a Jeep rental company and its parking lot was full of iggies. I was taking pics of them and one of the workers asked me why. I told him, oh in the states, people thing iggies do not like heat, because they come from the jungle, he belly laughed and said, oh them americans.(we think we know everything, WHEN WE DON'T)

And yes, i do have pics.

To actual point is, when these animals are offered something that includes nearly a full range of that whey need, they behave and perform differently then when they are restricted to a tiny narrow band.

When in that tiny narrow band, we must administer all manner of fix it, cure it, and other(visits to the vet) in order to have them exsist.

No offense to your friend Susan, but having a few iggies for a few years is not accomplishment. And that is the big problem. All reptiles lifes are based on accomplishments.

They hatch, they grow up, they reach maturity, they perform as productive adults, they grow old, they die. They then have their offspring do it all over again. These I call "basic life events" Of course each catagory has lots and lots of levels of success. As in quality of each event.

But sadly, we are not here measuring who is more successful or recieving the best quality of these basic life events. As It appears I and a few others are the only few to even reach the bottom rung on the monitors basic life events. YET, its those have recieve less then those events that think they "know". They achieve a few years of life from an animals that can live for decades and they call that success. Sir, that is sad. Then they fight tooth and claw. And as you and others, fight in the face of superior longterm consistant results. And you think I am rude??????? You really need to think about this last sentence.

The ruddness is from beginers telling and fighting with those with longtern successful history. Thats rude, actually its more then rude. And yes, after decades of this, the frills have worn off my sword. I hope to allow you to learn or stop keeping monitors(killing them)

There have been several ladies here that nutured newbies, you know, baby them. of course that did not work. And once those ladies monitors died, they too disappeared. Or they grew tired of failing in their attempts to nuture.

Truthfully, I think I treat you as equals, I offer the information, and I expect you to "think about it" I do not have any need to baby you, or treat you with kid gloves. I will treat you as a mature adult. Thats what I would want and expect.

A funny thought, I or others, can write a great post, full of very useful information. All we need to do is include one little tiny slight or possible slight, or even offer the ability for the reader to almost feel slighted or offended. The following result is, 99.5648 percent of the time, the follow up post completely ignores all useful information and dwells on that slight or possible slight. Then it becomes a peawater match. Stick around, you will see it.

The ACTUAL truth is, if your a beginer, or you come here with a problem(help my monitor is dying/sick/comstipated) any useful information offered, will of course cause the person with the problem to feel slighted or offended. As they will be offered something that they should have already known. And, And, if that information is plain and simple and common sense, they then feel totally stupid and get totally peawatered off.

Well, thats natural. But there really is nothing I can do about it. You/they should get peawatered off, just not at me. ITs kinda a kick the gifthorse syndrome.

With all the mucky muck said, heres a "thought" you said you love to see your anole on its branch bobbing its head and popping is bubble(ok, I added that) You love that for many reasons. Its kinda what they do.

Yet, Your sav. used the earth like an anole uses bushes, yet you do not give it the earth it uses. They spend 90% or more of their active life underground like gophers or moles. Would you keep a gopher or mole in a cage without the ability to make their burrows/homes? Cheers

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