Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I have a well started V doreanus. Is it OK to feed an all rodent diet or do juvies need incects at first to fair well?
Kevin

Mine do well on rodents and an occasional roachs, just try to feed your colonies dandelions, clover, mustard greens, buck choux, Napa cabbage, carrots, apple and oranges
You are what you eat

Roaches seem to hide and never get eaten. Any sugestions?

Well I feed hisser with thongs only, your doreanus will eventually allow you to feed him this way in time, other roaches like discoid's can be left in a bucket placed under overhanging branch.

My friend sitting beside me as aim writing suggested drowning your roaches and simply leaving them in the feed bowl, this will ad water to the meal. Never tot about this one! Will try it tonight

So feeding just pinks for now is OK? He is very shy but will take pinks from forceps. I have been feeding a pink a day for a few days and then giving him a few days off and then back to a pink a day for two or three days. Does this sound good?

"It" has a bunch of cork bark hides and some high basking perches and seems to be comming around. No surprize, he runs for cover when I enter the room. My rudicollis on the other hand could care less if I see him but he is a few years old now but never seemed as nervous as this doreanus. I don't care if he is ever hand tame but it would be nice to see him occasionally. Would you say most doreanus are super nervous as juvies and will it most likely get more comfortable and stay out in the open more as it matures?
Kevin

Yes feeding pinks is no problem, however it seems to me you are feeding to little!
I can only say how I do with my Collection, others may have a different view!
First let me explain a few variable in feeding captive monitors, feeding adults is quit different them babies or young monitors, as they don’t have the same requirements, reproduction and sustaining reproduction events (egg production) (recruitment) is the sole purpose for any adult monitors to feed, on the other hand the nutritional needs of neonate is to promote growth and get out of infancy as soon as possible. All baby monitors are in the same race for maturity (it’s a dangerous world for babies), When kept in groups most species react in the same manner, feed them plenty and they will be placid and happy and grow up with minimal competition, feed them a little less and nervousness will start showing up, feed them even less and you will see feeding frenzy food competition witch will escalate to dominance for everything water, basking, hides, Starve them and they will kill each other in no time. Apply this even for single monitors.
A well fed doreanus will reward you with trust and soon won’t even bother hiding from you, my doreanus are excellent display even with plenty of cover.
Once they start showing sings of aggression (survival mode) they carry it a long time, so keep on top of it.

I don't see how it works like that, I think its more about how your individual monitor reacts to what you feed them. If the monitor grows and thrives on an all rodent diet, then thats great. But if your monitor prefers to eat insects of any type and is not a good rodent feeder, then I would recomend feeding both. Its all about how your monitor in your conditions reacts. Not really about what you want.

I believe a diet of mice, is fine and could be relied upon to give all thats needed. But that does not mean thats all you should feed, I am sure, the monitors would not mind a little variety. Even if its not needed. Thanks FR