Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hi, just wondering how serious is it when your BT hasnt been excreting for 5 days after eating 5 pinkies in those days... Im taking him to the vet (im not cold hearted or problem-looker) but if i take him today, it can only be at 7:00pm and thats a bit difficult for me, so also wondering if he can wait till tomorrow morning. He´s only urinating but no excrements coming out.
Cheers,
Sheri

When you go to the vet make sure the vet does a fecal exam. The monitor is probably wild caught and therefore probably has an overabundance of parasites. You should also increase the basking temperature to 130 degrees Fahrenheit or more, and the spot is big enough for the entire monitor to use. Make sure the cool side is around 80 degrees Fahrenheit. Some people recommend even lower.

I had a blackthroat that would not eat much and would throw up. I took it to the vet and after giving it medicine every 2 days the monitor got better. The difference from before and after was drastic. That was my first monitor that was not a dwarf type, and I learned a lot keeping it. I ended up letting a keeper in CA have it. I never heard if he ever got it to breed his female or not.

Oh Yeah, the hair on a mouse will not hurt the monitor. You may want to try to give it mice of an appropriate size.

This Argus grew from 18 inches to 36 inches in 6 months by feeding it 1 mouse everyday while it was small.

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Ed

These heat lamps make my electric bill to high.

I did take him for fecal exam the first day i got him, and he did have abundant parasites...2 weeks later i took him again after medicine and the vet said he is free from em. Now i dont know if he has these problems because the 3 mice he ate dont fit through the digestive system or digestive problem....Oh and i tried raising the temperature but he goes to the cool side everytime i raise it above 110ºF
Cheers
Sheri

Weird, I have seen monitors eat things that I didn't even think would fit down their throats. I have never had a problem like that. Sorry I can't be of help.
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Ed

These heat lamps make my electric bill to high.

Be sure your temps are correct. Basking surface temps of 130-150. Note that is surface temps not air temps. Ambient temps can range from 70-90 from cool side to warm side.

If you raise the basking surface to 130-150 and he ignores it then your cages ambients may be to high, or the basking temps is not the surface temp but is the air temps. or he simply does not need to bask at that time. They do not bask all day long often they will only bask a few times a day.

As for feeding you may also be feeding to little to less. With young monitors they should be offered food often. Once or twice a day small food items. I feed my baby nile a fuzzy mouse once a day along with a handful of roaches or crickets later in the day.

Have you tried soaking the monitor ? I know when I first got my BT it ate alot and didn't go so I offered more food and waited to see 3 days went by and she was eating everyday and nothing coming out so I soaked her in the tub for about 30 min and when I came in to get her out she had gone. Now she has no problems at all. I think her problem was just stress from being in a new place but she's happy now and growing like crazy.

Ready for the solution that solved this problem?????
1
2
and...
3!!! I had to fill his bathtub a bit more, was to shallow now hes back to normal WOOHOO!!!!
Thnxs all,
Sheri

then you should probly check your humidity levels.

^^^^

Even if an animal is in a dry desert it still will look for certain conditions. Such as burrowing down to cool off, to keep warm, or to retain moisture.

With this species you do not want high humidity levels (say 80-90) but you dont want it too low (say under 50)and you certainly dont want the cage acting like a dehumidifier.

I am not sure how your setup is. If you have an open top type cage or one with too muchventalation. Then the heat rising from the bulb will rob the air of moisture leaving very dry conditions. These dry conditions can also rob your monitor of much needed moisture. Making the cage act as a dehumidifier.

Like I said this is only a guess from what other peoples problems have been. I have no idea how yours is setup.

Guess i should explain then the cage he is now is temporary until he can move into the big one im almost done building. It is a 68cm long, 39cm tall, and 42cm deep...again this is only till he grows too big for it, and then he can move into the one about to be FINISHED. It has ventilation on the sides, a mountain-like structure i built on the back left, next to the mountain is his lil burrow-shelter.A log on the far right, next to a piece of black tile under a heat lamp provinding UV as well. As for his drink and swim, i put him daily into the bathtub...ALWAYS supervising every moment until i see he is willing to come out, then i jus let him dry on my shoulder, to later let him hop into his cage again from my shoulder.
Hope it helps something
Cheers,
Sheri