I did and do understand what your original thread was, but I am afraid, I have proved hundreds of times over, that pinkies are great as a starter food for varanids and lots of snakes. So any further conversation is more or less useless.



I am, as we speak, raising numbers of monitors, and have for the last 14 yrs, on pinkies, without incident. It does not matter what has more or less or the same, a quail or dog lips, pinkies plus suitable husbandry, result in healthy growing monitors. Sir, that is science. repeatable tests with repeatable results.



So I added something related. The problem with diet and such is, it often recieves the blame for poor or unsuitable husbandry. As you confirmed, dehydration is cause for many problems such as gout. Its also cause for such deficiencies as absorption of nutrients. dehydration simply does not allow proper digestion.



If you lurked around this forum, its understood the root of most evil is, screen tops. They sir are the devil. As husbandry has progressed, its understood that varanids use much higher temps then previously thought. But using higher temps without experience resulted in many beginers cages becoming Beef jerky machines. That is, high heat, coupled with screen tops, cause unsuitable air movement that severely dehydrates all reptiles, but is exposed with varanids because of higher temps.



I discovered the connection between air movement and gout in 1975 while doing a critique on a reptile department. They had a very high incidences of gout. So I investigated.



Also, I worked in many zoos across the country as an exhibit builder. So I was exposed to many reptile departments. Unfortunately, I rarely built reptile enclosures. I got stuck with large cats and primates, got me!



If your intent is true, your intending to breed monitors, your going to need to grasp a handle, then many handles, one at a time. The problem I see is, you seem to be trying to support what you read with literature. The problem is, try supporting it with actual breeding programs. As the literature more or less stinks(sorry) Of couse, there is some good in most literature, but if you do not have the experience to draw it out, then its effectively useless. May I suggest instead of supporting your theories with literature, try supporting them with results. After all, thats your goal. After all, your goal is to practice something with measureable results.



Please reread, my first followup, I think your confused or I confused you. Our, the vet and I, discussion of gout and calication of hemepenes, was derived from looking at his paper, not in the paper. Thanks FR

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