Water Monitor HELP!

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Originally Posted by jere000

Wow I'm surprised no one put this take it to a vet raise the temps also what is his humidity and how big is the monitor and its enclosure, and what is it eating and how often.

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Greg and I have both asked for specifics as to how the monitor is being kept. In fact, mine was the first user comment in the thread.

The majority of issues monitors have in captivity have to do with husbandry errors. Temperatures, diet, cage structure, humidity levels, stress and lack of security, etc. If they go off food, it's for a good reason and is usually caused by lack of safety. Survival from predators (including humans) trumps eating.

While "take it to a vet raise the temps" is a wonderfully generic response, again it would be nice if some more specifics about the animal's conditions were available, that would help us tailor the response.

For example, now that we know the monitor is being kept in a fish aquarium which cannot hold humidity worth anything, we can assume dehydration as a primary factor and make recommendations to construct a proper enclosure, but without seeing photos (such as a photo of the animal), we can throw out educated guesses all day long and possibly get nowhere.

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Originally Posted by allergenic

Greg and I have both asked for specifics as to how the monitor is being kept. In fact, mine was the first user comment in the thread.

The majority of issues monitors have in captivity have to do with husbandry errors. Temperatures, diet, cage structure, humidity levels, stress and lack of security, etc. If they go off food, it's for a good reason and is usually caused by lack of safety. Survival from predators (including humans) trumps eating.

While "take it to a vet raise the temps" is a wonderfully generic response, again it would be nice if some more specifics about the animal's conditions were available, that would help us tailor the response.

For example, now that we know the monitor is being kept in a fish aquarium which cannot hold humidity worth anything, we can assume dehydration as a primary factor and make recommendations to construct a proper enclosure, but without seeing photos (such as a photo of the animal), we can throw out educated guesses all day long and possibly get nowhere.

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Since it's been a month, and drool is never good. BG thinks the best thing for this animal right now is making sure the temps and humidity are right, and take it to a QUALIFIED VET ASAP. A Qualified VET can tell him how to care for it properly.

Big Gunns doesn't think that animals "usually" go off feed for lack of "safety"(it is a cause though). It's usually husbandry(which can include "safety") that's the problem. Temps and food it basically doesn't "like" are bigger problems when it comes to a Water Monitor. BG does agree that a scared animal may go off feed though.

Get this animal to a Vet ASAP.

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Originally Posted by allergenic

Greg and I have both asked for specifics as to how the monitor is being kept. In fact, mine was the first user comment in the thread.

The majority of issues monitors have in captivity have to do with husbandry errors. Temperatures, diet, cage structure, humidity levels, stress and lack of security, etc. If they go off food, it's for a good reason and is usually caused by lack of safety. Survival from predators (including humans) trumps eating.

While "take it to a vet raise the temps" is a wonderfully generic response, again it would be nice if some more specifics about the animal's conditions were available, that would help us tailor the response.

For example, now that we know the monitor is being kept in a fish aquarium which cannot hold humidity worth anything, we can assume dehydration as a primary factor and make recommendations to construct a proper enclosure, but without seeing photos (such as a photo of the animal), we can throw out educated guesses all day long and possibly get nowhere.

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Whoops sorry i put two sentences together i meant no one said take it to a vet the rest was just questions that might help i did'nt mean no one asked for specifics.

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Originally Posted by Big Gunns

Big Gunns doesn't think that animals "usually" go off feed for lack of "safety"(it is a cause though). It's usually husbandry(which can include "safety") that's the problem. Temps and food it basically doesn't "like" are bigger problems when it comes to a Water Monitor. BG does agree that a scared animal may go off feed though.

Get this animal to a Vet ASAP.

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The number one reason a monitor will stop eating is stress.There are a number of thing that could cause the stress,temps to low or high,the humidity is to low,or lack of safety.A monitor kept in a fish tank with no place to hide,and an owner trying to force themselves on them,they are going to stop eating.Lack of safety will cause a monitor to stop eating,in fact it is common for young Water monitors to regurgitate when they become stressed

greg

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Originally Posted by gbassett

The number one reason a monitor will stop eating is stress.There are a number of thing that could cause the stress,temps to low or high,the humidity is to low,or lack of safety.A monitor kept in a fish tank with no place to hide,and an owner trying to force themselves on them,they are going to stop eating.Lack of safety will cause a monitor to stop eating,in fact it is common for young Water monitors to regurgitate when they become stressed

greg

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So what you're saying is basically what BG said, just in a different way. We can go back and forth on the number one reason(if your husbandry sucks the animal will be "stressed")....whatever way you look at it...this animal needs a Vet. "Stressed" animals don't usually "drool" though, they get skinny and die. Animals that are kept too cold, usually "drool".

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Originally Posted by onlyjays9p

Sorry I cant provide pics he told me about it over the internet so... He's had him since it was a juvi and now its a good size but yea I do remember him keeping it in a glass tank with screen top.

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Big Gunns thought he read this. It's not a baby and it's been kept in this enclosure for a while, so BG doubts it's "stress". It probably(we don't know since this is second hand) has an RI from poor husbandry(kept too cold).

I'm not arguing with big guns,what I'm saying instead of giving band aid advice get to the root of the problem.You can take it to the vet,and the vet can make him right but if you don't fix the problem your back to square one.

greg

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Originally Posted by gbassett

I'm not arguing with big guns,what I'm saying instead of giving band aid advice get to the root of the problem.You can take it to the vet,and the vet can make him right but if you don't fix the problem your back to square one.

greg

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Thats if you can find a qualified vet that knows something about monitors. Finding good herp vets can be quite a challenge

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Originally Posted by gbassett

I'm not arguing with big guns,what I'm saying instead of giving band aid advice get to the root of the problem.You can take it to the vet,and the vet can make him right but if you don't fix the problem your back to square one.

greg

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Big Gunns didn't give any "band aid" advice.:P If he takes it to a "qualified Vet". The Vet is clearly going to tell him what he's doing wrong with his husbandry. We can't tell him, because we are getting this info second hand. We don't know how he's keeping it exactly.

No worries about arguing with BG.....everyone understands you're gonna lose.:rofl:


ps. "lose". This word means you're not gonna win. This is the correct spelling everyone. It is not spelled "loose". This is BG's new mission in life...to make sure everyone can spell "lose" correctly.:D

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Originally Posted by Big Gunns

If he takes it to a "qualified Vet". The Vet is clearly going to tell him what he's doing wrong with his husbandry.

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Here I'm going to disagree with you.As stated by Dan it will be hard to find a qualified vet.There is only a small handful of people who work with them in the field,let alone know how to properly treat monitors.Most vet will treat all reptiles the same,even the ones who specialize in reptiles..Most vets are following outdated information,so they would have no clue on proper husbandry.Keeping and understanding monitors has come along way in the last ten years or so,

ps I have 5 kids,I dont lose

greg