Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I was wondering if when feeding your monitor, should you try to feed it the largest rodent possible? or more smaller rodents? I figured they might get stressed out if it takes them a while to swallow it but i dont really know. All feedback helps - Joe

I've got a lot more snake experience than I do monitors but I feed my monitors the same way I've always fed my snakes; two or more smaller rodents rather than one big one.

I believe it's easier to swallow, less stressful on the esophagus (or whatever it's called in monitors), easier to digest, etc... I also believe you'll find out that they're more apt to eat smaller prey than larger ones, especially after having to struggle with one.

Merry Christmas!
HH
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Due to political correctness run amuck,
this ol' hillbilly is now referred to as an:
Appalachian American

If you feed them rodents that are too big your monitor might rip it to shreds before eating it. It makes a really nice mess to clean up. Certain individual monitors actually seem to enjoy it and will do it to rodents you may not have thought were all that much too big. You may want to stick with more smaller rodents unless you enjoy clening up innards that are spread about like spider webs.

you could throw a rotten dead pig in there and they'd eat it eventually. In fact I have requested I not be buried when I die, just thrown in my water's enclosure for a couple weeks.

Seriously dont worry about it. Try feeding him one almost too big and once it is half way down throw another live one in there. Now that's entertainment...

Tom

Yeah...messy entertainment...and smelly too. While you're at it try giving them really cheap hamburger that makes a nice mess coming out the other end. I learned that one with turtles when I was 12.

I figured such with the feeding, but i just wanted to double check. Thanks for the input