Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Ever been in one of situations where you think you have everything planned out? But then the unexpected comes from somewhere and you have to rethink everything?
I have one of those situations.

It's this; I have decided to aquire an Argus monitor, I have everything in place to care for this animal with the exception of food.
In the past I had success feeding my younger monitors Hissing Roaches, they breed easily, so having a readily available food supply was never an issue.
My thought was to begin another Hissing Roach colony, when I explained my intentions to my wife, she immediately put her foot down. She has little problems with herps, no problems with frozen rodent or bird in the freezer, but the idea of large insects in the house is a certain: No Way!
I began sharing the idea of crickets, lobster roaches, etc but to no avail. No living insects, not in the house, not outdoors, not anywhere.
Well it boils down to this: I'm out of ideas. Monitors eat alot as hatchlings, Argus especially (in my experience) eat alot period, and not having a insect supply on hand just isn't good for the monitor. As the Argus grows, sure I can increase and move over to all-rodent / meat diet eventually phasing out the insects, but it doesn't cover that critical first year of life.
What options am I missing? What else can you feed a juvie - sub-adult Argus?
What did others out there in my position do?

Remember all your responses welcome,

-Kit.

While it may be inconvenient and more expensive, you can always make the trips to the pet stores. That's what we do to feed our timor and ackies. It's a pain, but we live in an apartment and it would be even worse to try and breed crickets or the like here. Do you live that far from a pet store? If you really can't do that, maybe you should get an argus that is big enough to do the rodent diet.
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"no time for the old in-and-out love, i've just come to read the meter"

Emily
npoh.egomantra.com

Mice is the best prover food item you could feed an argus, from hatchlings to old adults. Of course there are other food items you could add if you wish. F

Can a hatchling Argus tackle a small fuzzy?
The reason I ask is because the conventional answer regarding pinkies is that they are nearly devoid of nutrients, mostly fats and trace elements, fuzzies and larger are a far more complete meal.
Can you post your feeding routine for your hatchlings? Much gratitude for your guidence on this issue.

Thanks!

-Kit

I really do not understand why anyone would think pinkies are less then satisfactory. I have raised hundreds of monitors with pinkies being the main element of their diet.

Part of being successful with monitors, has been breaking thru old wifestails. Monitor Husbandry are full of them. Most likely the problems people have had with their neonates is a husbandry problem, not a pinky problem.

Will you please explain why pinkies would be less nutritious then a fuzzie or a young adult or old adult?

I do not recomend pinkes for a staple with odatria, the reason, it does not work as well as crickets. You see, its about how it works, not how we talk about it.

When we feed mice(all ages) we do not suppliment. We always suppliment with crickets.

I too, at one time did not know what worked and what didn't, but after many years of breeding and raising many species of monitors, I have perfect comfidence that a mouse diet is as good as it gets. Anything you add to that, will only detract from the diet. Of course, we do not use old fat retired mice, we use healthy mice.

In the end, monitors have showed me that mice are a great diet, and until someone comes along or I find something better. I have to say, mice has proven to be the best diet. Please remember, that statement is based on most species not all. In particular it works for the gouldi complex. Thanks F

Well it comes down to this:
Pinkies consume milk, thus, that's all they are made of. Milk, and what comes from milk? Why butter of course! Or cottage cheese!
So pinkies are like feeding monitors butter or cottage cheese as a staple diet, can people live on milk or cottage cheese alone? No, thus feeding pinkies is bad for monitors.

See how that logic works?

For the record I'm being sarcastic, but if you're wondering where this misinformation comes from, generally, it comes from this line of reasoning.
From a certain point of view, it does seem logical, but you would have to ignore things like how the pinkie it metabolized within the monitors system.
So now you see why I want feedback from people who work with these animals everyday, rather than the simplistic reasoning of those that you can find on the web or elsewhere.
Your info was most helpful.

Thanks!
-Kit

Sounds good to me. Except, i thought that the meat was meat, and the guts were guts, and the bones were, OK little bones, and that big white ball, looks all the world like calicum. Hmmmmmmmmmm.

Heres the funny part, I could care less if pinkies were made of tofu, why should I care? I do know from experience, that when I feed baby argus pinkies and lots of them, they grow like weeds. So for me, the wonder of what pinkies are, ends there.

Of course, if you are merely looking for a way to not have an argus, which is the subject of the original post, then simply don't get one. Its that easy. no need to disect pinkies. Good luck F

My question is, what do those of you with Argus monitors feed your hatchlings?
I anticipated the question would be answered with many people stating insects, since I cannot keep a ready supply of insects, I need to know what else you feed them. I would like this information from those of you that breed Argus, but I am not one to turn down information regardless of source at the moment.
Just wanted to clarify that point.

So, do you feed your hatchlings exclusively pinkies? If not, what else do you feed them? How often?
That's the information I need to insure that an Argus youngster I own is getting the proper foods it needs.

Thanks,

-Kit

I think argus are not for u. You do understand that pinkies are mice, don't you.

Also that i had mentioned that I raised many of this type of monitor on pinkies in the following responces.

With that said, all I can say now is good luck. F

Sorry about that FR, I guess I was asleep at the wheel there.

Many Thanks, and yes thanks for the Luck, obviously I'm going to need it.

-Kit

"My question is, what do those of you with Argus monitors feed your hatchlings? "
"I anticipated the question would be answered with many people stating insects, since I cannot keep a ready supply of insects, I need to know what else you feed them."
"I would like this information from those of you that breed Argus"

He answered the first part completely mice, pinkies,fuzzies, adults etc. He answered the second part with mice same as before. You were answered these questions including the 3rd part by someone who breeds argus and many other species.

Kit,

I have two argus, that were hatched in Jan. 2003. Both can take adult mice now, but I still feed small adults or hoppers most of the time. If you don't have another reason to feed insects, I wouldn't bother. I have and still feed supplimented crickets every once in a while, but only when I feel I have too many crickets. They are not ackies, and have always easily taken pinkies, and were moved to larger food (fuzzies) fairly quickly.

--Robert

Thanks Robert, my problem appears to be solved.
Having not worked with Juvenile Argus only adults, its hard to imagine their hatchling size.
All I have to worry about now is dealing with their boldness and speed, after caring for a Bosc monitor for eight years, I'll have to remember these guys like to move.
Well the wife will be pleased.

Thanks Again,

-Kit