Yikes.... this conversation has gotten out of hand.

Believe it or not, I see where you're coming from and I think others do as well. But I think your missing the point.

Regarding diet:

1) We get that Daniel's study of Savs in the wild point to a specialized diet.
2) One study a specialized diet does not make.
3) We understand that the information should not be discounted either.
4) Experienced shows that medium sized monitors (WHO ALL HAVE SPECIALIZED DIETS IN THE WILD!!!) achieve minimum health levels (i.e. the ability to reproduce/lay eggs) best on a rodent diet in captivity.
5) There is ZERO evidence that suggest Savs are different
6) If you think differently, show us the evidence (that means pictures of growth and eggs).


Regarding brumation:

1) Of the multiple species of varanids Frank and others have successfully bred, none have required brumation.
2) Many of those species come from areas that are higher elevation and further away from the equator than Savs, which means that they go through higher temperature fluctuations than Savs, and are thus more likely to brumate than Savs.... yet they didn't require brumation for succesful captive reproduction.
3) Savs are found in low elevations near the equator, where seasonal temperature variations are least likely to occur, and thus brumation is least likely to be relevant for reproduction.
4) Savs have been successfully reproduced in captivity at least once and to my knowledge, brumation was not an issue.

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