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Can ackies be maintained on rodents as well or is an insect diet "better" for them.... or a mix of the two? Just a general question really since I don't have ackies though I plan on getting a couple sometime... I know hatchlings would probably need mostly insects or chopped up pinks (rat/mouse) but I'm wondering which is better to maintain them on in everyone's opinion. I'd have an easier time maintaining them on rodents than insects....but I'd do whats better for them in the long run...
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Lucien

1.1 Columbian Redtail Boa (BCI)(Sutekh and Isis)
2.1.2 Leopard geckos (2 Blizzards (Caine and Goliath), 1 Tangerine Albino (Tequila Sunrise ...Tiki for short) and 2 dbl. het blizzard x tang albino (Malice and Mystique))
0.1 Savannah Monitor (Kiros)
13 rats
1 Gerbil
2 Dogs (Loki and Storm)
2 cats (Sahara and Hercules)

>>Can ackies be maintained on rodents as well or is an insect diet "better" for them.... or a mix of the two?A varied diet of insects as well as rodents is always best for monitors since each item offers something that the other does not. Just provide as many options to them as you can, worms,crickets,roaches,pinkies, etc. and you'll be fine Just a general question really since I don't have ackies though I plan on getting a couple sometime... I know hatchlings would probably need mostly insects or chopped up pinks (rat/mouse) but I'm wondering which is better to maintain them on in everyone's opinion. I'd have an easier time maintaining them on rodents than insects....but I'd do whats better for them in the long run...
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>>Lucien
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>>1.1 Columbian Redtail Boa (BCI)(Sutekh and Isis)
>>2.1.2 Leopard geckos (2 Blizzards (Caine and Goliath), 1 Tangerine Albino (Tequila Sunrise ...Tiki for short) and 2 dbl. het blizzard x tang albino (Malice and Mystique))
>>0.1 Savannah Monitor (Kiros)
>>13 rats
>>1 Gerbil
>>2 Dogs (Loki and Storm)
>>2 cats (Sahara and Hercules)
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James Grigsby - " When you try of all your forces to make your own way, you will help some of others and will be helped by others. As long as you do not make your own way, you cannot help anybody, and nobody can help you. " (Shunryu Suzuki)

With mice and turkey/egg meals an Ackie will have runny stools. Is this good for a monitor, I don't know, I don't like the looks of it, seems wrong/unnatural. It's also impossible to clean up. If you use wood stacks, one should consider the amount of liquid soaking into the fibers, making very unsanitary conditions. With a cricket/roach based diet the stools are very well formed, with minimal liquid content. I feel that crickets/roaches are variety enough, especialy when you feed the insects a variety of greens, vegs, and fruits. What the insects have in their gut makes up a certain amount of the nutritional value as well. Even still, I feed my trio mice or cooked turkey/egg every three or four weeks. These have been my observations over the last 6 months or so, I've given you my thoughts on the subject, draw your own conclusions. goodluck, Clint

I agree with Clint. I feed mine mostly insects, dusted. I feed the insects well, so they would be a good source of nutrition. I feed mine pinkies about every three weeks. The only one who really seems to relish them is the big male, the others don't get real excited, they seem to prefer their insects. I also feed the turkey diet mixed with a scrambled egg twice a month. They all seem to like it, and I have not had problems with runny stools since it is fed so infrequently. The dwarf monitors seem to fare best with a diet based mostly on insects in my limited experience. Good luck.

Pam