Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Would anyone with input please give it as to how much to feed your savannah. There are so many conflicting opinions. My larger monitor has always been happy with the amount of food he has relieved. He is healthy to me. Our little on always seems to want food. I was told that I am not feeding him enough so I was just wondering what other monitor owners have had work for them. I prefer to feed live whole food. They regularly receive mice, crickets, superworms, and occasionally gold fish. Does anyone else have suggestions for whole live foods? There cages have vents that are not sealed at the top so I can not have anything that can climb. Also does anyone know of good books or magazines on monitors, specifically savannahs?

Thank you,
Christina

You MUST have this book...

"The Savannah Monitor Lizard--the truth about Varanus Exanthematicus"

By: Daniel Bennett and Ravi Thakoordyal
Published by Viper Press
www.mampam.com

This is the only "savannah monitor book" that deals specifically with v.exanthematicus --the others group all grassland monitors together, treating them as though they were so similar that the species doesn't matter. They treat Blackthroats and Sav's as though they are the same species (yup, that's almost criminal)

That said, the other books were helpful when taken with a grain of salt
lemme know if i you need more info
btw -it costs around $12.50 (cheap)

P.S. superworms suck -(nothing but fat)

Hi there

It's really hard to tell you how much you should be feeding your monitor. This depends on many different things. You say that the younger one always seems to want more food. How young is it? I feed my juveniles as much as they can eat but my adult males get only enough to keep them healthy because they can and will eat a lot of food if you let them.

My adult females however get more food than the males.

So you see it's a decision you will have to make based on what you see happening with your monitors.

It sounds like you've done well with the larger one so use that as a guide.

The book mentioned in this thread is one that I co-wrote and would recommend for basic husbandry requirements along with some great natural history.

Cheers
--Ravi--
www.themonitorspot.com

The Monitor Spot