Varanus Salvator (water monitor) advice...

[james.w]

If he sees the live fuzzy, than yes it may peak his interest, but if he is hiding he may not see it.

The setup does not need to be attractive, but should maintain itself for the most part. I rarely mist my enclosure and my humidity never drops below 70%.

 

[babyyitslove]

OK cool! So I'm excited to see if he eats tomorrow! How often should I feed rodents if I find that that's all he is interested in right now?

 

[james.w]

I was feeding 2 small mice every day. Now that I can get him to take roaches from tongs, I feed roaches a few times a week and mice the other days.

---

Here is a link from another forum about my water monitor enclosure. For some reason I can get the pic to post here, so I'll just give you the link.

http://www.reptileforums.net/forums/showthread.php?84531-Salvator-enclosure

 

[babyyitslove]

Wow! That's a nice set up! It almost makes me think I should just work on the large enclosure.

How do artificial plants works for you?

 

[james.w]

Artificial plants are amazing. They offer great cover and I don't have to water them or replace them when they die.

---

Can you post some pics of your setup?

 

[jdpFL]

^ yep....and I like to mist artificial plants, keeps humidity high without soaking down the substrate too much and risking mold.

 

[babyyitslove]

I sure can. Petrie is out basking right now, so I'm afraid to move LOL. But when I get up and around, ill snap a few.

 

[james.w]

How is he doing??

 

[babyyitslove]

He's doing incredible!
I haven't had a chance to post pictures of the set up yet, as I've been working non-stop for what feels like a damn decade!

He's eating his live hoppers one every other day or one every two days. Poopin good in his water, and venturing out a bit more often. He's no longer skiddish from just a movement in the room, but now we have to walk to the enclosure and look in to cause him to hide. Its progress.

He hasn't put on much weight, but he does look healthier.
He's much more active when held (to remove water dish and refresh it)... doesn't just lay there and play dead. He tries to get away and be FREEEEEE!

still not handling him for any other purposes, though. That will come with time =0)

 

[james.w]

That's good to hear. Have you tried any insects for him? I would still like to see enclosure pics when you get a chance.

 

[babyyitslove]

We've still been tossing large crickets in. Whether he eats them, they drown, they just die. ... we don't really know. We always see quite a few floaters... so its kind of 50/50.

We offered feeder fish.... and they also just became floaters LOL.

He only seems to be interested in brutally murdering hoppers for dinner. Yet, we've never actually seen him eat. So unless the hoppers are teleporting out of there, his belly stays happy =0)



Ill see what we've got going on this weekend, and if we finish up cage cleaning and building, ill post pics.

 

[james.w]

Yeah I gave up on crickets, what kind of fish are you using? Once you can get him to eat off of tongs, you can try dubia roaches. Mine goes crazy for the roaches, but they get lost if I just put them in so I only feed them from tongs.

 

[new2tegus]

I'm just wondering if someone has posted the link to the monitor taming. I'd grab a pair of tongs and use those to get the insects or fuzzies near him. just get him in the water so he can get something to drink. I don't have a monitor,and haven't since my sav,so I'm just guessing,but follow what james says.