Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Today, we fed my B/T a decent sized rat. I'd say smaller than a medium, I believe it was about 1-1.5 months old. Anyway, she killed it with ease, kinda died instantly(She got the neck and head).. Anyway, it took her about 10 minutes for her to figure out how to get it down. She is 2'7" and this rat had to be AT LEAST 5" long. She eventually got it down and just went to bask under the heat lamps.

Now, my main question is, will a monitor take anything you throw in, or will it be like some snakes that know that they can't fit something down so they don't try to eat it? She was more than willing to eat it, but after she got done, I was very worried about how she acted, just laying down. Usually after eating, she'll head over to the water, sit there for some time, then go climb her wood and bask up high. I have never seen her just go poop out on the basking log...

Hello,

It will sometimes depend on the monitor for my experience if it is too big for it to handle they will probably back off and run away as for them anything that is smaller then they are are prey and anything larger a predator. Sometimes the monitor will try to tackle even a prey that is too large for it as the monitor sees that it really isn't dangerous for it or an unknown creature. I have baby niles monitor tackle adult mice. I have a 1.5 ft nile that only tackles adult mice and refuses to eat pinkies or little crickets, weird huh?

As a responsible owner, you're suppose to see whats best for your animals. Sometimes animals can't decide so you gotta decide whats best for them. A rat can be dangerous during times and can injure/kill a baby or juv monitor. Its up to you to decide whats best. GL HF

If its too big, and man does that stink bad!!!
Use common sense and besides they enjoy smaller meals better anyways. I was given these huge rats a while back, 4 of them one foot long each in the body, Sobek tried to eat one, after 20 minutes and it was down to the hips she puked it up. I gave the others to someone with an 8.5 ft alligator. If its bigger than their head you shouldnt feed it to them. Ive heard of monitors (a few choking to death also). They try to eat anything thats remotely edible and things that arent sometimes, like rocks, etc.
Ive had others puke up meals a bit too big in the past but never that big.