Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hello. I currrently keep a pair of ackies, who I have had since december. They are growing fine but I would like to try to add things into their diet to help make for healthier animals (I realize they may be somewhat set in their ways, but would like to try). I currently only feed crickets, ground turkey, and some other insects that I find available evry so often. They have never taken much interest in mealies. If anyone has anything their ackies seem to enjoy, or that may be good for mine, please give me some advice, as well as how to possibly get my animals to eat it. Thanks for any advice!

Most monitors will readily accept rodents. Insects only (unless supplemented with vitamines, which I recommend) does not provide enough nutrition for your monitors. Rodents have bones, meat, organs...etc to provide appropriate levels of all nutrients.
You might want to choose an appropriate sized rodent, I prefer F/T and hold your breath...cut up! The reason I choose to do this is because when the monitors are small, I don't like messing with pinkies all the time. I feel like I get more for my money with larger feeder rodents and cut them down to pinky sized parts if that's what the monitor needs. I'm not saying go and buy a jumbo rat for your 7 mo. old ackie, but a med - large sized mouse would be the same volume as dozens of large crickets. Rule of thumb, if the monitor can't swallow the head whole, it's too big. Cutting it up also makes digestion easier, it's kinda like chewing the food for your monitor...mechanical digestion.
Pinkies, or fuzzies are fine though if you have a problem with cutting up larger ones. They may be easier to digest as well, but for a larger monitor, why not feed it 1 $2 rat cut up then 6 $1 mice? I just find it to be more cost effective.
Other possibilities could be small chicks (when monitor is larger), roaches,...etc.
Any warm blooded feeder, like mammals, avies...ect could be used. There are a number of distributers out there, I would suggest rodentpro.com as worthy of having a look.
Hope this helps,
Tim

I did this for a blackthroat and argus which both ate very large amounts, an ackie would be an entirely different story.

Tim

Thanks very much for the advice. I will give it a try, considering I have some frozen pinkies already. But as you stated I should do, I do add vitamins to my insects and such. Thanks again!

i'd definitely offer some pinks.
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1.2 Mali Uromastyx (Ricky, Quinn, Anna)
1.1 Yellow Ackies (Eddie, Roxie)
1.0 Timor (Zealot)

Emily
www.egomantra.com/npoh