Feeding wild bugs?

How safe is it to feed my savanna monitor bugs from outside?
I've seen a few people using soil and materials collected from their own yard to build enclosures, as well as worms, slugs, and crickets found outdoors, so I've wondered about the safety. I've always used stuff out of a package, from the pet store, or things I've raised myself like roaches and meal worms.

Is there a risk for parasites or other problems if I feed her bugs collected outside from my yard?

Thanks.

I would expect there to be parasites from the insects outside. Wild critters are used to the bacteria and thing of the wild prey items and unless you keep outdoor enclosures you CB raised animals would not be adjusted to that and I would expect some issues to arise. I personally would not risk it.

The potential gain in diet variety does not offset the risk. I would just bring in a variety of raised bugs. To add variety to what you raise your self.

Thank you for your input. :)

I tend to agree with kitedemon. What types of bugs do you wanna feed them from your yard? Crickets can be bought from the petstore. A raised planter filled with dirt could be a good place for you to raise worms to feed your monitor. Just stir in a little food scraps occasionally and i think thats basically all they need.

Parasites and life cycles

I have to really ask how many of you have thought all of this through. Niles and Savs are wild caught, they thrive in the wild on a diet of - insects. For the most part, the parasites/chemicals found on wild grasshoppers in Africa make anything they would find here look tame.

I have always fed my monitors wild caught grasshoppers from a local park and never had issues with them, I also feed wild caught fish and mice.

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Originally Posted by MMReptiles

I have to really ask how many of you have thought all of this through. Niles and Savs are wild caught, they thrive in the wild on a diet of - insects. For the most part, the parasites/chemicals found on wild grasshoppers in Africa make anything they would find here look tame.

I have always fed my monitors wild caught grasshoppers from a local park and never had issues with them, I also feed wild caught fish and mice.

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I don't live in Africa, the OP doesn't either I believe Mechanicsville is in Virgina? Either way the parasites and such from an African population are not going to be the same as a North American one.

I can't speak about other regions but all the Savs near me are captive breed.

I would assume that you also have two fecals a year done as well? (one not being 100% certain there are no parasites.) It is almost certain there are some parasites, this would hold true for most of a wild population.

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Originally Posted by kitedemon

I can't speak about other regions but all the Savs near me are captive breed..

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Really??

You have been lied to.

Unless there is a name of a breeder, it never happened. The only breeder in Canada I am aware of is Ravi Thakoordyal, and he got out of breeding Savs a few years ago.

"Captive farmed" simply means that a wild gravid female is captured, she lays her eggs, then mom gets shipped off to the skin trade or just dumped on the ground wherever....

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Originally Posted by kitedemon

I don't live in Africa, the OP doesn't either I believe Mechanicsville is in Virgina? Either way the parasites and such from an African population are not going to be the same as a North American one.

I can't speak about other regions but all the Savs near me are captive breed.

I would assume that you also have two fecals a year done as well? (one not being 100% certain there are no parasites.) It is almost certain there are some parasites, this would hold true for most of a wild population.

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Again, you think any of the parasites here in America are overly "dangerous" to a large monitor? I doubt it, most of them aren't built to use an animal such as a monitor as a host, let alone withstand the stomach acids that a monitor has. Now if you were taking say, an African species and putting it in Asia, I would worry about water monitor parasites negatively affecting a nile monitor.

I don't have fecals done, there really has never been concern to, look at the nile population in florida and how much it thrives eating all sorts of wild/imported garbage, and they are still fine.

I don't know that much about monitors really I don't keep them. I am confident in saying that if you feed wild bugs your pet will have parasites. Generally speaking parasites are not really a problem until there is a small blip and you get a population spike. I don't know about Zoonosis with lizards but there are a handful of things snakes can pass along.

Feed what you want, the OP question was is there a risk of parasites? The answer is yes. Deny that fact as you want but there is one mountain of evidence you will need to deny. Wild bugs carry parasites there can be no argument here. Is there a chance of passing along parasites? Yes I am fairly certain of this too. So the answer is yes there is a chance that feeding wild bugs will introduce parasites.

Not were they there to start with, or if they is harm, just is there a chance? Well yes, I am quite confident in saying there is a chance. I know some of the best herp vets in the business suggest fecals at least once a year. I agree this is good practice to keep an animal healthy and in top condition. I there is a single source of savs here in my area and I was told flat out yesterday they are breed in captivity and are not gathered from the wild in any way. I trust the owner I spoke to and believe him (he is a RCMP officer so chances are good) I can't say for other locations but in my area most are CB.

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Originally Posted by kitedemon

I don't know that much about monitors really I don't keep them. I am confident in saying that if you feed wild bugs your pet will have parasites. Generally speaking parasites are not really a problem until there is a small blip and you get a population spike. I don't know about Zoonosis with lizards but there are a handful of things snakes can pass along.

Feed what you want, the OP question was is there a risk of parasites? The answer is yes. Deny that fact as you want but there is one mountain of evidence you will need to deny. Wild bugs carry parasites there can be no argument here. Is there a chance of passing along parasites? Yes I am fairly certain of this too. So the answer is yes there is a chance that feeding wild bugs will introduce parasites.

Not were they there to start with, or if they is harm, just is there a chance? Well yes, I am quite confident in saying there is a chance. I know some of the best herp vets in the business suggest fecals at least once a year. I agree this is good practice to keep an animal healthy and in top condition. I there is a single source of savs here in my area and I was told flat out yesterday they are breed in captivity and are not gathered from the wild in any way. I trust the owner I spoke to and believe him (he is a RCMP officer so chances are good) I can't say for other locations but in my area most are CB.

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You freely admit to not knowing anything about monitors, you even admit to not knowing anything with zoonosis and lizards! Here I am saying north American parasites aren't developed to the point of being able to pose a problem to a monitor, I'd even be so inclined to say 99% of the probably couldn't take hold in a monitor even if given the chance- due to the acidity of a monitor's stomach.

The OP asked about parasites, yes wild bugs may have them, no they won't hurt your monitor, neither will trace amounts of insecticides. People with 0 monitor experience or husbandry experience with monitors should stay out of the monitor forum. It's not a snake, and is the opposite of a snake in so many ways it's not even funny.

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Originally Posted by MMReptiles

The OP asked about parasites, yes wild bugs may have them, no they won't hurt your monitor, neither will trace amounts of insecticides. People with 0 monitor experience or husbandry experience with monitors should stay out of the monitor forum. It's not a snake, and is the opposite of a snake in so many ways it's not even funny.

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Not only did my link to Dr. Sweet's study prove this, but the life cycle information of the North American Fluke species also proves this.

With proper heat and support, the immune system of Varanids is amazing.

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Originally Posted by Rhasputin

How safe is it to feed my savanna monitor bugs from outside?
I've seen a few people using soil and materials collected from their own yard to build enclosures, as well as worms, slugs, and crickets found outdoors, so I've wondered about the safety. I've always used stuff out of a package, from the pet store, or things I've raised myself like roaches and meal worms.

Is there a risk for parasites or other problems if I feed her bugs collected outside from my yard?

Thanks.

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I would be more worried about pesticides in the area you collect your bugs from. They have a cumulative effect and the more they eat the more poison they ingest until it kills them. I have a Black Throat Monitor and a Sumatran Water Monitor and I have had parasites from farmed raise crickets/Snails. I do not feed live so the freezing process should kill parasites before they eat them. Currently dealing with an intestinal worm with my Black Throat not sure where he got it but he did. It did affect his eating but now it’s under control. I would consider twice a year fecal samples and deal with it as it goes. I do not use pesticides at all in my yard or horse fields and I collect grasshoppers all summer long as my Black Throat hates crickets and will not eat them but put a grasshopper in the and he will tear the tank apart to get to him. Good luck to you.
Chris Wilkinson Meadow Lakes Alaska

I agree with Chris.

Pesticides and other factors (the crappy water wild animals drink, for one) mean nothing from the wild will ever be injested by my monitors. Ever.

Better safe than sorry.

Chris

Soooo this means i can feed my bp chipmunks and field mice from my yard?
Bps are from africa too so the american parasites wouldnt hurt them correct?

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Originally Posted by Mike41793

Soooo this means i can feed my bp chipmunks and field mice from my yard?
Bps are from africa too so the american parasites wouldnt hurt them correct?

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I've done it. Go look at some of the pesticides used on pests in Africa, then go dissect an African baby monitor, or BP. Reptiles are more resilient than you think. Doesn't mean it's good for them, but in most cases it certainly won't kill them.

Seems there is a split in the community about this. Thank you all for your opinions and information! :)