Reptile & Amphibian Forums

For those who dont know my monitor is about 11 months old at 11.5 inches (w/tail). I was told to start feeding him pre-killed fuzzies (which I just started doing today and he loves). I was told that I can only feed my monitor a mouse once every other day and in between those days, I should feed insects b/c that is what I should start feeding him since he is in his "rapid growth stage" which I was told lasts for at least 2 more years. I have found my monitor likes snails and I asked around and I hear they are a great source of calcium like mice. Is this true and can I feed him snails once and a while? And no I will not always feed snails every other day, I mainly feed crickets when it comes to insects.

np

I always find them in my backyard in my fathers tiki bar. I only plan to feed them to him once and a while as my monitors diet is mainly crickets and small mice now.

Hi,
If your monitor is a b/w throat, they eat them in Africa (Achatina fulica), so why not give them the common European Brown snail (Helix aspersa) we have here! When I had albigularis I gave him/her those everyday, upto 50/day, as many as I could find around the garden (california) of my house/neighbors houses as well. I used to pay the local kids 1 cent/snail and that brought me alot of snails!

Escargot!
markb

No hes an 11 month old Savannah at 11.5 inches and counting. 50 a day, wow. I have collected 3 that I plan to feed tomorrow, and on tuesday I am giving him a thawed small mouse.

I think garden snails are a risk depending on where you live. I live on long island and there are so many pesticides in the ground it could be harmful. A few snails might not afect your lizard but there is the possibility of bioaccumulation.

Hey I live in Long Island too! No we dont use any pesticides here in my yard. There are tons. I dont plan to feed him them regularly. Like I said before, his diet will consist of prekilled rodents and crickets.

You will be surprised how much they enjoy snails, and as they really do not eat rodents in their natural diet, and if your snails are pesticide free, why not go with the snails and insect diet, which is more accustomed too its GI tract, and you do not have to worry about fur problems and all that....when they eat the snails, the smaller ones they will swallow whole but the larger ones they will peel the shell off and eat only the gastropod...fascinating!
Good luck,
m bayless

hahahahahahaha