My juvi sav is eating 1 or 2 appropriate size f/t mice every other day.( he won't eat eat crickets at all). Because he eats mainly rodents I am concerned about obesity. He looks good and healthy and is not obese at all now, but I'm wondering if I feed him more will he be more mellow if he has a full belly, or will he gorge himself and still be a little nuts to handle. thnx, john
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Food and Aggression
wrknstnx
Apr 10, 2007 12:55 PM
Replies (5)
jburokas
Apr 10, 2007 05:14 PM
The problem lies in wanting to hold a monitor lizard (as in tame it), not in the diet. It's not in their nature to like being held.
nile_keepr
Apr 10, 2007 05:24 PM
My Nile once pounded through 12 mice in a 24 hour period, after not having eatten for about 2 weeks (had a family emergency and had nobody I could trust to go into my house while I was gone).
He wasnt anything close to sluggish afterwards, nipping at my fingers as I changed his water.
Most monitors just dont like being mucked with, fed or no.
wrknstnx
Apr 10, 2007 07:25 PM
Hey Guys, Thnx for replying right away. He's only a foot or so long right now, but even after I feed him, he likes to run up a chomp into my fingers any chance he gets. It's not painful at all, I was just wondering if he will mellow out one day. I thought I may not be feeding him enough, but that doesn't seem to be a problem. I think he just may like the taste of my fingers. I feed him in a seperate container, that's why I'm handling him after he eats. Thnx again, john
lizardheadmike
Apr 11, 2007 02:53 PM
Hello,
Your lizard is not set up properly. If it was, you would not be extracting it for feedings. This is a practice that is used when feeding snakes, particularly large constrictors. Do not do this with your monitor, you will run into problems as it becomes large(size not age). Less handling is better(for you and the lizards). This is particularly dangerous with the sharper, longer toothed large species. Best to you- Mike
SHvar
Apr 10, 2007 10:49 PM
Not a dog, do not mistake the 2 in any way. Theres no such thing as food aggression in monitors. If it does not tolerate handling and accept you as an individual dont handle it. This is what a monitor is.
By the way Ive had monitors eat 6-12 adult mice a day and never get obese, the environment is what allows them to make use of what they eat.
If the animal has a proper enviroment you wont see obesity.
