Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I'd like to vary my boscs diet a bit, but i have no idea how to prepare the eggs. Boiled? fried? scrambled? How do you guys do it and how do you offer them to him and how often?

Thanks
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Scott,
Proud owner of Porker the savannah monitor (currently 20inches, 550grams)

but that is just me and my pea brain.

when i was about eight and a couple years preceding and many years following, i read many books on monitors, watched all the videos, etc. i wanted one more than anything. my mom however would not allow me to have anything that ate rodents. the books suggested i could feed eggs and dog food. i thought, "i watched all those videos and they weren't eating eggs and dog food" they were eating live foods like snakes, rabbits, rats, birds and stuff like that"

so, i went out and caught some northern alligator lizards and bred those in a broken saltwater aquarium.

andrew
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VARANUS CREATIONS

Breeders and Hobbyists of Pilbara Rock Monitors, Kimberly Rock Monitors, Red Ackies, Argus, Argus x Flavi crosses, Gouldi x Flavi crosses, Argus x Gouldi x Flavi crosses, Jungle Carpet Pythons, Bredl's Pythons, Dunn's Pythons, Western Hognose Snakes, South American Boas, Atheris Squamiger, Leopard Geckos and rare Spiders.

I hear so many conflicting ideas that its hard to keep them all straight. Do you vary your diets any, or do you stick to just rodents? He ignores most insects since he reaches over a foot or so. I haven't tried roaches. I have no problem with feeding only mice and rats, i had just heard others saying they occasionally offer eggs, that's why i asked. Thanks for the correction.
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Scott,
Proud owner of Porker the savannah monitor (currently 20inches, 550grams)

i would stick with mice and rats (just me, and that has been proven to be effective here).

savs though easily become obese if the rest of husbandry is not kept up such as temps and humidity requirements, remember they are not desert monitors but grassland monitors.

andrew
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VARANUS CREATIONS

Breeders and Hobbyists of Pilbara Rock Monitors, Kimberly Rock Monitors, Red Ackies, Argus, Argus x Flavi crosses, Gouldi x Flavi crosses, Argus x Gouldi x Flavi crosses, Jungle Carpet Pythons, Bredl's Pythons, Dunn's Pythons, Western Hognose Snakes, South American Boas, Atheris Squamiger, Leopard Geckos and rare Spiders.

I don't personally feed eggs, but I have seen footage of monitors raiding croc nest, just my 2 cents.

but those have embryo crocs inside of them, thus whole foods.
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VARANUS CREATIONS

Breeders and Hobbyists of Pilbara Rock Monitors, Kimberly Rock Monitors, Red Ackies, Argus, Argus x Flavi crosses, Gouldi x Flavi crosses, Argus x Gouldi x Flavi crosses, Jungle Carpet Pythons, Bredl's Pythons, Dunn's Pythons, Western Hognose Snakes, South American Boas, Atheris Squamiger, Leopard Geckos and rare Spiders.

I was like you a while ago and wanted to "vary" my Bosc`s diet.

I listened attentively to the advice that was given and now She will not stop growing which is fantastic!!!!!

The overall consensus on Sav`s is fundamentally a rodent diet with Insects inbetween!

My Bosc is 9 months old and just under 30 inches nose to tail, most of that growth has been in the last 4 months since i changed to a rodent diet!

I personally feed her 2 adult mice a week and I use adult Locust in between (easier to get here in the uk than roaches!)

Remember to ensure that its getting enough excersise and that you temps and humidity are accurate as well.
After eating the mouse crush (my bosc) fattens right up and looks overweight but if all your temps and humidity are correct then they seem to digest it at a frightening weight and the belly goes back to normal!

Its hard to get it right because they will keep eating however much you put in front of them because I am sure in the wild food isn`t as abundant as in captivity so I guess its instinct rather than hunger that makes them to stock up when its available!

When my friend has them available he breeds birds and occasionally i get eggs from him that have embryo`s in them, I was told that these are much better than standard eggs, but if I am honest she only gets about one of them evrey month or two.

Stick to Rodents as a base diet and get some big bugs as well!

Only my opinion

All the best

Phil
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1 Varanus Exanthematicus, 1 Morelia Spilota Cheynei

Many species of monitors are nest robbers in nature and eggs are a part of their diet.

With that said, what we feed them in captivity is suppose to support them here. A diet of insects and rodents has shown to be only sufficient, but superior.

Raw eggs is not a problem with larger monitors, but how much is a question that has not been addressed.

I do include raw eggs with a couple species, V.varius, and, V.albigularis. I have not seen any problems with them. But I have not tested amounts. Like how high of a percentage of the total diet.

With lacies, they simply swallow eggs whole and gently, I often show this to company, as its very funny. But other species, simply make a giant mess. I guess thats where cooking eggs would be handy.

Again, I have not used or tested cooked eggs.

The problem with things like eggs and turkey diet, because of how handy they are is, they are often overused. Too much of a good thing.

I feel the problem with both of those is rotting, they both seem to rot at the drop of a hat. Like by the next day. That turkey is some nasty stinky stuff after a day in a hot cage.

Remember, I have not seen a need for eggs for any reason. But it is fun. I have not seen any reason to feed turkey diet, I did try.

I got yelled at, by people on this forum for feeding live rodents/food items. My opinion on dead food and prepared foods is, if you have to do that, then you may be better off with another type of reptile, like a little tort or an iggie or something. Those reptiles are wonderful and do not murder for thier exsistance, Monitors do by design.

On a forum with such diverse people, about everything you do will be wrong(for some people) The point is, how good is it for the monitor? F

.

I don't see any harm in feeding your monitor eggs every once in a while. I do it occasionally (hmmm, it's Sunday morning and I'm making scrambled eggs so I think I'll make some for the lizards). I just mix the egg up with some of the crushed shell and stick it in the microwave until it's scrambled (about 20-30 seconds). Makes a nice treat if they like it. There's nothing wrong with it if their staple diet is complete and balanced. Billy

>>I'd like to vary my boscs diet a bit, but i have no idea how to prepare the eggs. Boiled? fried? scrambled? How do you guys do it and how do you offer them to him and how often?
>>
>>Thanks
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>>Scott,
>>Proud owner of Porker the savannah monitor (currently 20inches, 550grams)

Every once in a while I provide some scrambled eggs (with the shells mixed in the eggs) as a treat for my monitors. It is not however a big part of their diet. I only provide them with eggs every couple of months. The rest of the time they feed on mice/rats and roaches.