Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hi I'm sorda new to monitors, well babies. I had only adults that peoaple have giving me and i cared for then found new homes. (as I am more into constrictors). I have been doing alot of research, an herpetology is what i want out of life I am only 19 years old. I have been studying reptiles since i was a good so i'm good natured. I want to be a field herpetologost or own my own reptile business an zoo. Any ways This is for shvar or anyother experienced keeper. What is the best feeding regimen for baby b/t I know every day I plan on twice a day but how much would you honestly think? Till the animal is full, or? You see iVe had adults an know what an how to feed them but not a growing baby, I am financial fit for the animal, an Know how to properly keep the animal so it may have a healthy an hopefully long life. But I want a proper feeding regimne, like 1 1/2 dozen dusted rickets in the morning an another in the evening or small cockroaches an pinkies/day chickin peeps/qual? Let me know please thank you

steve

Hello,
Shvar may be better qualified to answer this question as I too have had adults, subadults and juvenile black and whitethroats of different species and locales but have not raised to adult and kept these animals for the extent of their lifetime... But, I do believe that this will run consistent for all monitors: There is not and will not be a consistent regimen of feeding that you will be able to follow everyday of the week for the life of the animal. This animal is going to be constantly growing from the time it is hatched to the day that it dies and it's food requirements will change from day to night to day again. Look at it this way, if we say a baby eats a dozen crickets in the morning and a dozen dusted crickets at night- what about a big baby or a smaller baby?
Okay, what you are doing in your head right now is exactly what you have to do for your living monitor while you are observing it's feeding. Only you will see this monitor daily and only you can judge what is too much, too little or too big or too small... What I can tell you is that they will need more or less depending on what you are feeding them, as my monitors eat and poop out the crickets within hours after eating them- pinkies last longer. Look for that side wrinkle that runs the length of the body- you want that to stay stretched while it is growing and even as an adult it should stay gone most of the time. If you maintain feeding in this manner, you will find that your monitor enters a state of consistent shedding. As a further note, if you have only kept adult animals (and due to the nature of this question) I want you to strongly consider revising your current husbandry techniques(and I mean this genuinely). I had to step back and revise my entire program for lizards(-start by researching the archives: search FR-)and it was the best, most rewarding revision that I have made this year! The reason why I say this is because an under-metabolizing monitor will make long work of a small meal but the opposite is true of a properly provided for monitor. I'm glad to hear that you have researched the expense and the supplies are found easily as well(you will be building). I hope that this is helpful and I hope Shvar or Frank will clarify this further and hit if I missed before you get your babies. Best to you- Mike

Thanks for the reply, Yeah I have done alot of research on keeping babies to adult hood, For a baie I plan to keep her/him ina 40 breeder till he/she outgrows that( 1 month or more) But I have a 8x 4x 4 cage(built for a monitor) to last till it hits the 5 foot mark then i will build a bigger cage for the animal. I plan on puttin the animal in the 8 foot by the time it hits 2 feet. But as far as a feeding regimen goes, yeah i want to keep it full, but just wanted an experienced keepers opinion. A I have never cared for a baby monitor But i really want to, an watch it grow into a healthy adult. So I was just wondering certain feeding techniks(sp?) Ynak you for advice and I will follow it carefully. Also does feeding live prey( like people feeding ther monitor live mice an watching them chase it) does this affect there personality. This lady IS possilby selling me her baby b/t cause she doesnt have time to deal with its attitude( as far as i'm told) i'm willing to work with it an gain its trust but i'm pretty sure she fed it live animals to watch it cath it an eat it. so i want to swicth it to insects ect ect let me know that you guys think thanks

steve

Hello again,
I honestly hope that you will not be deterred by my reply to your message(as far as your interest in wildlife and monitors).
You should not get the monitor from the lady- I know that you will- but at least you should not get it yet.
You should go back to what you believe is the proper way to keep monitors and erase it all and start over.

No matter what you feed the monitor you should expect it to act like a monitor- attitude, hissing, hiding from you, and if you touch me... I bite you. No food item should or will ever change this. It is your job to feed this animal -even when he is 7 feet long and has a head the size of yours- and if he decides that he is going to try to take your hand each time you offer food, it is your job to feed and figure out how to keep your hand out of reach. Responsibility...
Your starting cage does not sound bad for space, but there is alot more to a cage than just space. I will not go in depth into this- if you e-mail me photos, I will tell you what is wrong and some possible ways to fix it- but again- this is all in the archives here. Be aware, AN 8 FOOT CATTLE TROUGH IS BY NO MEANS A HOME FOR A 7 FOOT LIZARD! I just want to stress that. You had better make plans now to close in the better part of the back yard. These are not just lizards, they are monitors. BLACKTHROATS AKA IONIDES MONITORS ARE ONE OF THE LARGEST LIZARDS IN THE WORLD! If building an enclosure that is at least an eight foot cube is not in the bugdet or is impractical, then the blackthroat should be also...

Take my advice please and research the archives under the "search forums" topic heading above. Plug in things like heating, feeding, FR, SHvar and others- find your answers, then find your lizard- you will be thankful and so will they. Best to you- Mike

I would not be asking the questions, If I did not want the answers lol. I know all about the requiremnets to keeping these animals About the right dirt,moisture,humididity,temperature an basking temperature. I am gunna start at 120-130(if that sounds right) for a basking temp an adjust it as needed to his needs as every monitor is dif. Yeah I decided i'm not gunna get the animal from her I will decide an pick my own( one witha good start with human contact) I am very aware of there personalitys as babies an very patient an will to work with them. the 8x4x is only temp, but iT is all I have for now till I feel the the animal grows out of it( could be at 1/12 - 2 ears of afe or sooner) But again its all I have better then what I see some people keep them in. I very confident that I can mantin one properly(or close) But just had the few questions that i stated in the beginning an you have been very helpful thanks

steve

Feed every day with a baby, they eat tons. Make sure the cage is set up to allow them to make use of it all, they grow like you could never imagine. Take for example as they grow, at about 3ft long mine commonly ate around 6-9 adult mice a day, or sometimes 6 chicken peeps. I prefer feeding may small meals as opposed to one large meal, until they are adults.
Attitude, thats a fun one, they vary from one to another, but dont expect them to be friendly, just hope and see what the animal chooses.
Ive recently reduced my collection to a single monsterously huge albig (Sobek), a 4ft male flaviargus (Stanley), 2 red ackies (darn, we never really named them), and our last beardie (Frodo).

My huskies take alot of time (and tons of exercise),they do not like being alone, or away from their alpha. Ive killed 3 pairs of sneakers and 2 pairs of hiking shoes in the time Ive had Duke who is now 71 lbs and not quite 18 months old, the little puppy tripled in size in 1.5 months to over 21 lbs already.