Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Thus far you go about posting as though you know something others do not. Do you really think this is the case?

Most of the people here are interested in captive reproduction, or that is their goal. There are a few who care about what monitors eat in the wild (after many years they still do not understand that wild monitor diets are not directly applicable to captivity for many reasons, i could go into that later).

So what is your goal? How are you accomplishing that goal?

When I first started out with monitors I got a sav. I then said to myself after a couple of months, I would like to try breeding monitors. I bought several monitors over a couple year span and decided that I did not want to work long term with those monitors (what I read about them was not consistent with my direct experience with them). I then bought a pair of Argus and a pair of Ackies. At that point I decided that what I was reading did not directly work for me (some of it did, much of it was decision making). Within 2 months I received eggs. Now that is easy, but why do others have such a hard time with it? People come on here and make a grand deal out of diets (making it harder than it is), how to pretty the cage up and make it look natural (making it harder than it is)and whatever else they can do to make it difficult.

So what does that all mean? It means that when you go and make decisions on the husbandry of your charges that you keep it simple (our brains are too finite not to). We feed what will produce maximum output in energy (typically whole foods like rodents). We do what works (experimenting, posting what you experiment is fine with a disclaimer, posting that it worked is fine when you have proven results and empirical evidence of that working).

Kingsnake allows us to post most anything we want on this forum, but are you posting to say things that will be beneficial or just to stir up muck? This is a beginner's forum, meaning that most of the people that post here are beginners. This means that they will be easily swayed by poor advice.
I am not in the least trying to attack you, I would just like you to put your words to use with your monitors (if you indeed have any).

andrew
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Varanus Creations

n/p

Ive made some really bizarre husbandy decisions based on what people suggested to me. As a complete newbie, its hard to know who to listen to. IE: How many sites reccomend feeding dog food vs. sites that dont?
My 1st two years of keeping monitors, i was very much in the dark....and that was after doing "research", and people reccomending this or that. I was one of those people that fed dog food, and kept my animals on newspaper. A local "monitor specialist" swore that if I fed rodents more than 1-2 times a week that my monitors would all develope fatty liver disease. That was just last year. My 5th year of monitor keeping, I only fed a "varied diet"roughly 50% insect, 25% beefheart, and the rest rodent). Now, I am where I am today...roughly 6 years of monitor keeping, and Ive FINALLY developed the husbandy methods that I use today.

It is HARD being a complete newbie. I wouldnt wanna go back there for anything.

Cheers to the Newbies!

Michelle

Then think about how hard it was for me being a newbie 17 years ago!My wife(then)saw this lizard at a pet shop and said it was 3' long.Needless to say,I bought it.It was a Sav that the girl working there wouldn't even pick up.She threw her shirt(an extra one)over it and it immediately bit into it and hung on for 45 minutes(after I paid for it!!!).They said it ONLY ate dog food.Well,it only ate LIVE mice and I had to sell it because the "wife" didn't aprove of thatBack then,frozen mice were almost unheard of and nobody sold them Now Computers and CHEAP frozen food deliveredGo figure.

That was very well put. I have been reading this forum for quite some time and I post every once in a while, but what I have found is pretty much the same as what you have found.

People (myself included) come here for advice, and it is important to understand that there is not one answer to a problem, that people go about things defferently and they all have different results. I personally believe that simplicity is the key, a friend of mine breeds argus, sands, and ackies with great success using a simple set up and a simple nutritious diet. However this may not work for another person.

As long as the people who use this site understand that there is not a "cure all" for breeding monitors then they will be ok.

Hey Andrew,

Although it is about as clear as mud, you and I are saying the same thing. I think context is the issue.
If we were to go back between 10-15 years ago (and assume that this forum existed - realistically we'd have to settle for snail mail via Varanews or be using one of the old bbs')

Lets further take the topic of substrate for captive monitors. If you or I were to post a request for opinions on using soil as a medium 10 years ago, the common response would outline that soil holds the potential for impaction, and may contain substances; (bacteria, pesticides, molds, fungii) that could prove potentially harmful to your monitor. People would recommend instead keeping your animals on newsprint or pine shavings. A daring few might recommend alfalfa pellets.

Today, we know what the response to that same question would be. My point is the same as yours. You do what works, and what works may not be what everyone else is doing. You illustrated that point, and your success with breeding bears it out.

I am not saying that I know something that other people don't. I am making the hippy/liberal statement that it's ok to question the status quo, and necessary to at the very least discussit. It's the only way to move forward, and in my opinion, the cornerstone for the existence of forums like this one. That said, as far as diet goes, I in no way advocate offering varanids grapes, or for that matter, chalupas.

Kudos on your successes.
See you in the pits ...