# my lacie isnt eating



## rav3r23 (Feb 12, 2014)

hi i have not long gotten my first lacie and he has pretty much refused most food since i got him and seems to have lost a bit of weight in the past month any help would be fantastic tried him on meat fruit and veggies he seems to have taken a little bit of the greenery but not much meat ive thrown a couple of chicken necks in his enclosure and hopefully he will take them in the next day or so and he also doesnt seem interested in eggs
would really appreciate some help
cheers


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## saintanger (Feb 12, 2014)

what was the previous owner feeding him? maybe contact them and ask what they were feeding him.

also whole food items are better for them, how old is your lacie? try mice, rats or whole day old chickens.

i also have never heard of anyone feeding fruit and veg to a lacie.

what temp is his basking spot, what size enclosure, do you have a uv light and do you give him calcium?


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## saximus (Feb 12, 2014)

Monitors are carnivores. Don't feed it greens. 

How old is it? Are you attempting to hand feed or are you leaving the food and leaving the area? Younger monitors are very skittish and don't typically respond well to human interaction.

What are your temperatures like? It needs to be hot at the basking spot. Much hotter than most people expect. 

What sort of research did you do before getting it?


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## rav3r23 (Feb 12, 2014)

hi guys hes in an aviary havent got a basking lamp in it i was going to put one in in the next few weeks seeing as its been pretty warm and he was on chicken necks from what i was told and whole rats or baby chooks was my next thing i was going to try i left a couple of chicken necks in there and have left him alone so he would hopefully eat them in his own time and no not hand feeding i tried once but he didnt want a bar of it
i read today that people have theyre basking lamps at like 50 degrees celcius so im thinking i will go put a light on him tomorrow as i dont havee one in there yet and after reading that sounds like it could be where my problem lies and i didnt know about the greens its my first monitor as i was never allowed one growing up so still learning everything about them but the greens are out of the enclosure now thanks guys


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## RSPcrazy (Feb 13, 2014)

I've seen your profile picture somewhere before? But I can't for the life of me think where?

Anyway. First off, a Lacie monitor is by far the worst choice of a first monitor. They get very big, need a lot of space, eat a tone, are harder then most monitors to keep and if you get a bite (even a small bite), you'll more then likely end up in the hospital getting stiches.

Now, lacies NEED a very hot basking site, otherwise they can go off food and even cause more serious problems. For hatchlings, 45-55c is a good range, for bigger monitors, 55-65c is a good range (don't worry if it gets hotter then that). But bigger monitors need the basking spot spread out over their body (this is done by using multiple heat lights next to each other).

Do not keep it on sand! Lacie's need a deep moisture holding substrate. Like coco-peat, leaf litter, "kritters crumble", etc. When lacies want more moisture, they will dig down into the bedding.

As well as the basking spot, The proper diet is extremely important. Lacie's should be fed on nothing else but whole bodied small animals, e.g. Rats, mice quails, chickens, etc. meat itself, is not a good diet for a Lacie, because lacie's get their main vitamins from the organs in those animals, not the meat.

I had a Lacie that had metabolic bone disease, due to the previous owner feeding her nothing but chicken breast and the occasional mouse (1 every 2 weeks). Her nose had bent straight down and she couldn't eat on her own.

Here is a link to her thread.
http://www.aussiepythons.com/forum/general-reptile-discussion-42/lace-monitor-mbd-graphic-169275/

Unfortunately, she past away a little while ago, due to organ failure, because her MBD was so severe, it had caused permanent damage to her organs.

Also, you don't want to forcefully handle your Lacie, they are naturally curious and will come to you if given time. This way you will have a Lacie that trusts you and allows you to handle it.

Another reason why it might not want to eat, is if it doesn't have suitable hiding options. Young lacie's need multiple hides and you should NEVER forcefully remove it from its hide (you're trying to build trust after all). A young Lacie should be able to move from one end of it's enclosure, to the other end, without being too exposed. You may not see it for 6 months, but once it starts hanging out (without hiding) while you're around, you know it's not seeing you as a threat.

Good luck, you'll need it.


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## JAS101 (Feb 13, 2014)

rav3r23 said:


> hi guys hes in an aviary havent got a basking lamp in it i was going to put one in in the next few weeks seeing as its been pretty warm and he was on chicken necks from what i was told and whole rats or baby chooks was my next thing i was going to try i left a couple of chicken necks in there and have left him alone so he would hopefully eat them in his own time and no not hand feeding i tried once but he didnt want a bar of it
> i read today that people have theyre basking lamps at like 50 degrees celcius so im thinking i will go put a light on him tomorrow as i dont havee one in there yet and after reading that sounds like it could be where my problem lies and i didnt know about the greens its my first monitor as i was never allowed one growing up so still learning everything about them but the greens are out of the enclosure now thanks guys



ok I have a few questions , what state are you in ? the reason I ask is because im in vic and I have no basking light in my boys big outdoor enclosure . can you take pics of your aviary , as I am interested to see the setup of the logs and basking spots and hides too.


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## rav3r23 (Feb 13, 2014)

hi thanks for the replies ive read up so so so much more on them and have figured out what a couple of the problems might be ill be investing in those heat lamps today or tomorrow and making sure hes more comfortable as in more hiding and less interaction also going to get a couple of rats or baby chickens and just leaving them in his enclosure and just leaving him alone
as for the substrate would i be able to collect leaf litter from the bush across the road for him ? caus there is plenty over there ?
and i cant upload pictures atm but will be as soon as i can btw im in queensland
thanks alot for the help guys i appreciate it looks like ive got my hands full with this one lol not like any of my other snakes and lizards growing up


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## imported_Varanus (Feb 13, 2014)

Try and get flood lights as opposed to spotlights as the latter will concentrate the heat in one spot and the monitor may recieve thermal burns. Avoid outdoor floods, however (38 par) and go for 80 degree instead. A bank of say 3 would be better than one, just to cover the snout- vent of the animal.

Good food choices there and leaving him be, with plenty of hiding options (the more, the merrier) is the way forward.

Leaf litter's fine as long as your local Council hasn't used any pesticides in the area. Provide 150mm plus of substrate, if possible to allow for some humidity.

Pics would be good!...good luck!!


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## RSPcrazy (Feb 13, 2014)

rav3r23 said:


> hi thanks for the replies ive read up so so so much more on them and have figured out what a couple of the problems might be ill be investing in those heat lamps today or tomorrow and making sure hes more comfortable as in more hiding and less interaction also going to get a couple of rats or baby chickens and just leaving them in his enclosure and just leaving him alone
> as for the substrate would i be able to collect leaf litter from the bush across the road for him ? caus there is plenty over there ?
> and i cant upload pictures atm but will be as soon as i can btw im in queensland
> thanks alot for the help guys i appreciate it looks like ive got my hands full with this one lol not like any of my other snakes and lizards growing up



It's probably best, that once you have him setup properly, you leave him alone and don't try to feed for a couple of days. This is because he will still be stressing out and needs a bit of time to adjust to his surroundings.

You will notice a big differance in feeding response once on whole bodied animals. If I feed mine chicken necks, they will move pretty slowly and casually take the necks. If I feed rats, they smell them and explode with excitement, there's no calming them down until they are full.

And yes, you can collect leaf litter from the bush.


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## imported_Varanus (Feb 13, 2014)

Quick feed tip: cut up the food item (mouse, rat, bird) into bite size pieces and leave it in the cage in a shallow bowl, then give it some peace and quiet. You'll know the animal's eating when you see the bowl empty.


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## rav3r23 (Feb 13, 2014)

awesome thanks alot guys i know i sound like a complete twat as this is the first lacie ive ever owned well first monitor ive ever owned and was just going off things ive heard word of mouth from a couple of the guys around the neighborhood and after owning reptiles most of my life i shouldve known better and done the propper research but ive deffinately learnt my lesson here he will be well looked after like all my other reptiles past and present thanks again guys really appreciate the help will get pictures up when i can


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## Pythoninfinite (Feb 14, 2014)

If your aviary is properly located with regard to sun & shade, you shouldn't need heat lamps in an outdoor location. Using 2 or 3 floodlights to heat a monitor outdoors is going to dramatically increase your power bills. It could cost you hundreds of dollars more each year.

Jamie


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## rav3r23 (Feb 14, 2014)

i was thinking the same thing because where its located there is sun and shadeabout having the basking lamps at 50-60 degrees i was thinking i should put them in anyway for when its not sunny or cold


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## Pythoninfinite (Feb 14, 2014)

I'd be inclined to let it live a natural routine outside without artificial heat, most days in the warmer months it will be out & about, overcast or cool days and during the cooler months, it will be secure (and UNDISTURBED, this is important) in one of several draught-free hides you should have provided (deep hollow logs etc) until the weather warms up. Lacies are one of the last of the reptiles to come out in spring, and fold up quite early when the weather cools as well. Providing heat for a large lizard in an outside setting will cost you a fortune.

Jamie


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## critterguy (Feb 14, 2014)

One thing not mentioned is to sterilize the leaf litter if obtained from the bush to get rid of any ticks and mites, since getting so much you won't be able to just microwave or oven cook the stuff like I do for the stuff for insects. 
Maybe put in a large bin with hot water, take out to cool it down before setting it up for the bud.


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## andynic07 (Feb 14, 2014)

critterguy said:


> One thing not mentioned is to sterilize the leaf litter if obtained from the bush to get rid of any ticks and mites, since getting so much you won't be able to just microwave or oven cook the stuff like I do for the stuff for insects.
> Maybe put in a large bin with hot water, take out to cool it down before setting it up for the bud.


I would think that it would be a waste of time since you will just put it on the floor outside again.

- - - Updated - - -

Not that I even bother sterilising any of the stuff that I find for my reptile enclosures.


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## jbest (Feb 14, 2014)

hey IV are you saying to use par38 or not to sorry got confused there. And if not par38 what bulbs are they called that you are recommending. im putting together a big ackie tub and am trying to work out what the best heat is. whats your opinion on mvb? sorry to get off topic


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## imported_Varanus (Feb 15, 2014)

jbest said:


> hey IV are you saying to use par38 or not to sorry got confused there. And if not par38 what bulbs are they called that you are recommending. im putting together a big ackie tub and am trying to work out what the best heat is. whats your opinion on mvb? sorry to get off topic



The par 38 have a pentagon type shape in the middle, despite being referred to as floods, which acts like an intense spot and has recently caused thermal burns on my male Lacie. They worked fine for several weeks when the ambient was high, but the Lacie stayed put for too long under the lamps on cooler days, obviously trying to warm the rest of his body, hence the burns. 80 degree floods work well (and there cheap) as do halogen floods. 

Regarding MVB lamps, likely not necessary, but I've always erred on the side of caution by supplying one: MegaRay self-ballasted or ExoTerra "Solar Glow" 125W in combination with 50-75W halogen floods. Should work for Ackies as it does for Lacies as long as you adjust your hotspot to the optimum temp.


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## jbest (Feb 15, 2014)

Jesus IV thats a lot of heat and power lol cheers for the advice


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## imported_Varanus (Feb 15, 2014)

This was for a 1200mm Lacie (hence the bank of lights) and is the only heat provided in an 8'x4'x4' enclosure. Plus she had the run of the house at the time.


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## critterguy (Feb 15, 2014)

Sorry, thought it was for a small lacie and a indoor enclosure.


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## rav3r23 (Feb 16, 2014)

will do thanks very much for the advice


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## Pythoninfinite (Feb 16, 2014)

critterguy said:


> One thing not mentioned is to sterilize the leaf litter if obtained from the bush to get rid of any ticks and mites, since getting so much you won't be able to just microwave or oven cook the stuff like I do for the stuff for insects.
> Maybe put in a large bin with hot water, take out to cool it down before setting it up for the bud.



Absolutely unnecessary, for both indoor or outdoor enclosures. The prospect of "ticks and mites" (what sort of mites by the way?) being a problem for Lacies of any age is zero.

Jamie


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## critterguy (Feb 16, 2014)

Wasn't sure if there were mites you needed to worry about for monitors, I know there are ones to worry about for skinks and the food insects (I breed various insects and do captures for sales of mantid, centipedes etc), mite outbreaks in the insects containers happen pretty quickly.
If the ones that bother skinks aren't a worry for monitors and ticks aren't much of a worry than don't worry about it, am used to having to sterilize substrate for the insects from nematodes and mites and sterilize logs etc from my reptiles.

Here's a short thing from a vet about reptile mites, I assumed monitors would suffer from them too as skinks and snakes can, they all shed, one of the things the mites can affect.
Reptile Mites - Karingal Vet Hospital


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