Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I'm looking for information on how successful keepers/breeders have fed their juvenile Savannahs. I'm hoping specifically for info on prey selection, feeding frequency and quantity for juvenile to adult monitors.

I would regard a successful keeper/breeder as someone who has raised one or multiple monitors from at least juvenile age to healthy adulthood.

I'm asking here because most care sheets are contradictory, short on specifics, and/or originate from dubious sources.

Thanks for your time.

-Z

check out our caresheets and FAQ at our site, there is some information there.

for a growing monitor, you can feed just about every day. i would ideally like to see whole rodents and feeder insects (crickets, mealworms, and roaches) and that is it. we also use raw ground supplemented turkey, but the rodents and insects would be best.

forget all the nonsense about canned foods, dog foods, fish, lobster, peanut butter and bacon, stick with a proven, nutritious, affordable diet.
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robyn@proexotics.com

Pro Exotics Reptiles

Thanks for the link Robyn. I volunteer at a wildlife rehabilitation facility, and a juvenile (approx. 8" SVL) Savannah was just "donated" to us. The facility wants to keep the lizard to use as an education animal, and it's care has largely fallen to me. I've cared for adult crocodile and bengal monitors, but have very little experience with juveniles.
I'm comfortable with my cage set-up, but with all the debate on monitor diets, need some second, or even third opinions in that area.
Here's what I'm doing right now:

2x week - 1-2 mice or 1 med. rat
5x week - mealworms, crickets or occasionally other inverts.

I'm not adding calcium supplementation to the inverts, as I'm figuring the calcium will come from the rodents, but I am gut-loading.

Does this sound good to you? Anyone else have an opinion on it?

-Z

n/p