Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I have 3 females and 1 male all in a 6 ft long, 3 ft high enclosure. One of the females attacked a bigger female and tried to eat her, I am not kidding, she had her entire head inside the mouth, anyways was that at all normal? Could it be just the individual, and that she decided to attack and kill then try to eat my other female. As you know storrs are expensive and I just dont want to lose any more storrs to the female should I keep her separate? She is in a 20 gal for now, also if I should keep them separate is a 20 big enough?

Tony Butler

I don't have Storrs, but have been researching them. I have been told by two different people similar stories of cage mate aggression. Perhaps some of the more experienced people could comment??? How do you breed them if they have a penchant to kill each other?
One person I talked to decided against purchasing a pair due to this potential problem. If I get one, it will probably be a single, not a pair. Good luck, keep us posted!

Pam

Joe Lewis @rare earth inc. breeds them and has spoken briefly to me about them, their cagemate agression habits being the topic. Drop him an E-mail he has always been helpful to my inquiries. Goodluck, Clint

Hi Tony,

Frank warned me years ago...BUY HATCHLINGS!!!
Raise them together. Let them decide who's with who and adjust accordingly.

I bought some here and there. I changed substrates weekly. I switched cagemates every other week. Out of the original six I had over the last two years, two of them (females) are in the freezer and the other four, are in separate enclosures!

Like you, I've also had one try to eat his cagemate's head. This happened after months and months of what seemed to be peaceful co-existance. I also remember an incident where a female tried to disembowel another female living in her enclosure. No doubt, I believe that these are one of the toughest varanids to breed but well worth the effort. Just plan on the occasional setbacks and few tears.

Hang in there.
Lou~

Hi Lou, Your right raising from small is very important. But please keep in mind, this applies to all species. Storrs are just a tiny bit more stubborn then some, but are not different.

Some species, simply mentally stress out, instead of the storrs physical exhibit. But indeed its the same.

What makes Storrs such an enjoyable species to work with is the same as what makes them a pain, somehow, they think they are tiny Komodos. Tough little fellas.

I have had good success with groups which included several males. Its simply a matter of doing your homework. Good luck FR

by doing the homework? (sorry, just got back from drinking a few AMF's). the first time I drank them my buddies didn't tell me what AMF stood for, after four of them then they told me, I was a little gone by then. lol

I am also interested in storrs. What concerns me though is proper conditioning as to alleviate the fighting that so often occurs. Do you think it is mostly cage size? if not, what? food?

looking forward to responses,

andrew