Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Just had a question on what a good diet for a croc monitor is. He's doing great eating mice and rats but I just thought a variety might be a little better. I asked a local pet store about it once and they told me that wet dog food is great for them, as far as i know wet dog food isn't even that good for dog's to often due to the high water content and lack of anything helpful. Maybe i'm wrong please let me know thank you!

Hi,
I like your logic, and you are quite correct - there is no dog food in PNG where V. salvadorii would eat it; there is the New Guinea Singing Dog (Canis hallstromii), but it is not really a dog, but a dingo-like species, and the only potential competition to a V. salvadorii. There is no good data on natural dietary menu for V. salvadorii, but their teeth and mouth say it all = BIG prey, like that seen with V. giganteus, V. varius and extreme southern Australia V. rosenbergi....big mouth, long teeth and lightening fast = a apex predator that ambush prey from above killing them with bites to neck/face and dispatch them before going back into the trees to hide, relax and wait for more prey to pounce upon. Cool animal huh...and yes, they attack people as they would a pig, singing dog or cassowary.
cheers,
markb

i have to say i think my biggest mistake with my croc has been inadequate humidity...i know you mentioned 90 percent a while ago...is that right???anyway my croc has a prolapsing hemi...going to the vet on the 29th...i now understand that it could have been caused by poor humidity...is it always at 90 percent humidity in the wild or is there a dry season???as far as food goes i feed mine rats...also...when measuring bone density and calcium levels.... do you think crocs need uvb and uva light to inable them to make calcium???...billy

Hi Billy,
I too have heard of prolapse being from a dry climate, but I am not sure - I have never seen it myself, and glad as I find that utterly gross....even I have my limits, although rare. Whole food is best whenever possible, and if live, gives the animals the "hunt" skills they get in the wild, and more needed, exercise! Nobody wants a flabby salvadorii.

In PNG it is wet and wetter - check out any atlas or on web weather page and type in Port Moresby or Marauke and those localities will give you temps and humidity levels...

good luck,
markb

Just wait a bit and you can feed him rabbits and guinea pigs and whole chickens. Yummy!
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Eryx - All the fun of a boa in a convenient pocket size!

thanks fo the help.