New Ackie & monitor UVB question

[Smittiferous]

I don't know whether to do mince or mice now haha

Do both. Mix and match. Alternate. Nothing wrong with varying the diet as long as it’s healthy. I do with all mine, they get fed all sorts of things. Works out cheaper too, bulk rodents can cost a lot.

 

[Foozil]

Do both. Mix and match. Alternate. Nothing wrong with varying the diet as long as it’s healthy. I do with all mine, they get fed all sorts of things. Works out cheaper too, bulk rodents can cost a lot.

Will do.

 

[Flaviemys purvisi]

I (personally) wouild definitely provide UVB lighting for any diurnal basking reptile. Sure, yes, some D3 is acquired through the diet but there's no supplement for the sun... natural sunlight a few times/week is best but if it's not going outside regularly, the artificial UVB lighting would be good, I use Mercury vapour basking lamps. Diurnal Basking reptiles like lizards and turtles take the bulk of their vitamin D needs from the sun. Supplementing through diet may be simpler for us but why deny a creature that's evolved to soak up the rays that privilege?

Keep the UVB I say. It's certainly not going to hurt.

 

[pinefamily]

No it's not going to hurt, but monitors are one type of reptiles that can live without UV provided. As long as the diet is correct.

 

[Flaviemys purvisi]

Because they can probably doesn't mean they should though right... ? It seems, to me, a lot simpler and less hassle to slap a decent UVB light in an enclosure than it does to frick about with supplements in every second feed and risk adverse health problems. You wouldn't even save any $$$ doing it that way either...

Providing a natural varied diet and UVB without supplementations will always be better for the reptile rather than no UVB lighting and instead, cramming them full of supplementations at every second or third feed. The problem with multi vitamin and calcium powders, sachets etc is they cause a drastic and extremely rapid rise in the blood levels of whatever is being supplemented and that isn't natural or normal and has been directly linked to gout in reptiles, hypervitaminosis A, D etc and hypecalcemia. I don't dare use any dietary supplements for my frogs and turtles, have never dusted an insect. Just provide a normal natural variation in their diet, UVB lighting and some time in the sun a few times each week and let nature do what it does best.
[doublepost=1517978465,1517978228][/doublepost]Just like we can't supplement a good breakfast with 3 cans of redbull.

 

[saximus]

Perhaps dietary supplementation should be placed in the same category as sunlight supplementation (aka UV bulbs) then
I've never provided UV or dietary supplementation and raised plenty of healthy monitors indoors.

It's fine if OP wants to do it (these globes certainly provide a nice hue for display purposes) so long as he understands that it's about as "necessary" as providing UV for a python. I just hate seeing people hoodwinked by uneducated/dodgy salespeople with respect to these things and thinking they HAVE to do it.

 

[Foozil]

Thanks for the help everyone. At this point I'm on the side of not needing UVB so I understand how necessary it is, and as I said in the first place, it was put in there just to make the enclosure look nicer.

 

[Flaviemys purvisi]

Perhaps dietary supplementation should be placed in the same category as sunlight supplementation (aka UV bulbs) then
I've never provided UV or dietary supplementation and raised plenty of healthy monitors indoors.

You could definitely do that if they get regular outdoor time in the sun.

 

[Tobe404]

Do both. Mix and match. Alternate. Nothing wrong with varying the diet as long as it’s healthy. I do with all mine, they get fed all sorts of things. Works out cheaper too, bulk rodents can cost a lot.

I'll second this. A varied diet is always good. Although mine mainly gets chopped Chicken Necks/Dusted Woodies/Whole Mice. I've also given him Huntsman, Centipedes, Some giant Cricket like creature. Never refuses anything. I'm even half tempted to cut up some Prawns we have and see what he thinks of them.

 

[Smittiferous]

I'll second this. A varied diet is always good. Although mine mainly gets chopped Chicken Necks/Dusted Woodies/Whole Mice. I've also given him Huntsman, Centipedes, Some giant Cricket like creature. Never refuses anything. I'm even half tempted to cut up some Prawns we have and see what he thinks of them.

I'll often divvy up leftover bait (prawns from the deli) amongst my monitors rather than let them go to waste. They destroy them. Literally. Guts everywhere from thrashing (unshelled) or they just disappear in a flash (shelled). My mertens has a soft spot for them. Sometimes the enclosures smell a tad fishy afterwards though

 

[Flaviemys purvisi]

I go through about $30 worth of prawns a week thanks to the turtles. Lol

 

[Murph_BTK]

No it's not going to hurt, but monitors are one type of reptiles that can live without UV provided. As long as the diet is correct.

Do both. Mix and match. Alternate. Nothing wrong with varying the diet as long as it’s healthy. I do with all mine, they get fed all sorts of things. Works out cheaper too, bulk rodents can cost a lot.

Bang on with these quotes I was going to write this word for word. I guess they can have their time in the lime light [emoji4]..
Mix the foods .. I treat them like my own family no one likes eating the same food day in day out.. you could also think about a small outdoor enclosure that you could place the ridgy in and that way the sun could be soaked up by him/her and also it's a stimulant for the animal.. New smells and exploration etc.. *please note once it's bigger and settled in.. I do this with my snakes and ackies and touch wood have had no issues [emoji16]..

PS more pics also

Instagram: murph_BTK

 

[Foozil]

Bang on with these quotes I was going to write this word for word. I guess they can have their time in the lime light [emoji4]..
Mix the foods .. I treat them like my own family no one likes eating the same food day in day out.. you could also think about a small outdoor enclosure that you could place the ridgy in and that way the sun could be soaked up by him/her and also it's a stimulant for the animal.. New smells and exploration etc.. *please note once it's bigger and settled in.. I do this with my snakes and ackies and touch wood have had no issues [emoji16]..

PS more pics also

Instagram: murph_BTK

Thanks Murph! I'll get some more pics now

 

[Flaviemys purvisi]

you could also think about a small outdoor enclosure that you could place the ridgy in and that way the sun could be soaked up by him/her and also it's a stimulant for the animal.

Perfect.

 

[Foozil]

Here you go, @Murph_BTK:

 

[Murph_BTK]

Good stuff matey .. I love my guys they are so stupid and yet smart [emoji849]

Instagram: murph_BTK

 

[Foozil]

Cute!! Are they sexed or too young?

 

[Murph_BTK]

Cute!! Are they sexed or too young?

Too young from my understanding.. I will have them outsife this weekend as it's to be 35+ so I will add some more pics and show off the new outdoor enclosure they can run around in..


Instagram: murph_BTK

 

[Foozil]

Too young from my understanding.. I will have them outsife this weekend as it's to be 35+ so I will add some more pics and show off the new outdoor enclosure they can run around in..


Instagram: murph_BTK

Sounds good! I'd love to make something like that for him but he'll probably escape

 

[Stompsy]

I'd have to disagree with this statement. A diet of whole animals negates the need for the UV.

I don't like the idea of mince. If you can stomach it, chopped up adult mice are the go. That way they get the fur, bones and organs - specifically the liver where they get all the Vitamin D they need without the requirement for UV. If you do it with a sharp knife while they're still frozen, it's not too difficult or gross. Once he/she is a bit bigger you don't need to chop them up any more.

Oops!

I have everyone under uv as most places say it’s beneficial! Soooo much conflicting information!

Regardless, I guess it can’t hurt, so they’ll stay under it... but it’s food for thought when the bulbs age..