Reptile & Amphibian Forums

i am curious as to what kind of "wet"dog food is safe for ionides to eat,and what brand gets the best feeding response from personal experience,thanks...

They are mammals not reptiles first of all. Its like feeding a snake dog food, would ya? Dog and cat food has dyes in it that have been known to settle in the organs of reptiles because of a slower metabolism, not only that worst of all is the ingredients, the majority of all dog and cat foods (dry) are processed grain products (cereal, bread). This is done to reduce the smell and frequency of a dog or cats stool and to help mask loose stools etc. Feed monitors whole animal foods (mice, rats, chicken and quail peeps, hissing/lobster/etc roaches and so on). Processed foods are also full of sugars and cause tooth decay (note alot of people now having to brush their dogs teeth). Its is cheap and easy to feed whole animals to a monitor but it can be an expense, one that must be considered before ever getting the animal. Most dry dog foods are cereal soaked in meat fat for flavor with vitamins added.

didn't know it was so damaging to give dog food,i also wasn't trying to be cheap by adding this in the diet i just wanted to give him more balance,i also am not looking to feed him primarily rodents and poultry(hair impact) or what i shouldn't worry about that because it's "monitor food"and monitor food is for monitors?

Impactions do not happen in healthy monitors from hair, feathers, substrate, rocks, gravel, etc etc etc, they happen in unhealthy animals that cannot properly digest because they are being kept improperly. I didnt say you were trying to be cheap, but since you implied it, (quote from FR) "If the glove fits, then wear it". I responded to help you out so you could understand that dog food and cat food are made for dogs and cats, not monitors, or any reptile for that matter. Something to also think about, there are no laws, rules, or regulations that say whats in that ingredient list on dog or cat food is actually in it, because its not made for human consumption. They get around that by stating on the containers "not for human consumption". I remeber a rodent breeder stating once to look at the organ in a rat thats been fed the average dog food most of its life, you will find the red and brown dyes that are used to color the dog food staining some organs, if the rats store it in their organs what happens when your monitor eats that dog food??? After all they have a much slower metabolism than a rat or a dog. Its your monitor, do as you please but Im warning you that it is not at all good for them. Alot of petstores will lie to you and say they eat dogfood etc so that the animal gets sold quicker and out the door, it makes them sound cheaper and easier to care for that way, but if you order rodents bulk, or breed your own they are a whole world cheaper, as well insects.
Monitors are oppurtunistic predators that eat many things to survive in the wild, but in captivity we feed them rodents, birds, insects, etc because they need no vitamins or calcium added (except insects) and are a perfect compact food source that provides everything they need at a low price. Food as a matter of fact is only one major expense involved with keeping monitors properly, proper caging, vet bills, etc are all very expensive. Trying to set you in the right direction, there are alot of misleading care sheets etc out there.
The pic below is one of my babies (taken during the early winter), she is outside on a daily basis in temps above 40 f for 30 minutes or more, so is her older half/brother/ uncle, just examples of how they live normally with conditions that seem to cause RI's in many captive monitors, and also note that Ive never in over 12 years had an impaction occur in any monitor Ive ever had, dont get me wrong Ive made many many mistakes with my monitors over the years, but never have I had an impaction, that tells me that is a problem with a animal that must be ready to give up completely from long harse absurd abuse, "one foot on a banana peel, one in a grave", lord knows my husbandry was very bad at one time, so bad would it have to be to have impactions occur?

wow, if the gloves fit...me stating that im not trying to be cheap wasn't triggered by any implication on your part,i posted a question on this forum to just get an answer,not rub somebody the wrong way or get a condescending response...also thanks for the "caresheet",it's one of few that i have read lately,which is the reason for me asking the question in the first place,on some of these caresheets it says "it's ok to feed your monitor canned dog food,but only certain kinds" or "it's ok once in awhile,for the fact that it is rich"on the few caresheets i found NONE of them said it was wrong or harmful,so here i am embarrassingly assuming it's ok,anyway you told me a reason not to feed my monitor canned and that's enough for me,anyway great looking monitor...

Dont read anything into my posts/responses that is not there. Im just trying to help you, and responded to your statement about not being cheap thats why I quoted "if the glove fits where it". As far as carsheets go, ProExotics has the best on monitors, care sheets can be wrong by individuals also but its a general husbandry thing.

the additude of your post seemed condescending to me,if you didn't mean to be then i sincerely apologize,about the caresheet thing,that's what i was getting at,i believe you even if i didn't believe you,you gave me cause to doubt those caresheets,i am the kind of person that would rather avoid a predicament if possible so i'm just not gonna try canned food period,thanks for the advice i appreciate it...