Ok, Im going to start to worry now!

Ok, I've had my monitor for about 5 days now and the only thing i've seen him eat is 1 fuzzy. Now I can understand him being shy but this is going way too far. I have caught him out and about but i'm really worried about him not eating. I don't know if he ate the crickets because of the bedding it's hard to keep sight of them. Is there a way I can monitor the crickets so I can keep track of how much he eats if any.

:irkd: :no: :tricho: i have a feeling you didnt know what you were getting into. how long did you read up on them? MAYBE a week after your albig died??

the only thing i can say is LEAVE THE LIZARD ALONE. make sure you have his cage set-up properly with proper temperatures, humidity, hiding areas, etc. do you have a picture of the whole cage?

if you want to keep track of how many crickets he's eating then offer the crickets in a small tupperware container. what kind of bedding do you have? the crickets shouldnt be getting lost in the bedding. switch to dirt.

He needs to be left alone! He will adjust in his or her own time, not yours and not before. Just how it is with some monitors.

Get non climbing roaches that you can offer in a dish. You just need to leave him alone except for feeding and water changes. He will adjust on his on time man.

One, I don't appriciate the sarcastic coments coming from a freshman. 2 I did do alot of reaserch and im not worried about the handleing. Im worried about him not eating and instead of busting someones balls to get an immature rise how about helping someone who is concerned about the wellbeing of an animal. Just a thought

Just give him some time to adjust, He might need more time to get used to his surroundings before he's totally comfortable. I can understand you being worried but I would give him some time. In about a week if he still hasnt eaten then I would start to worry.

And i do agree, The comment was pretty rude. He's worried, And all he did was ask for advice. Im sure the rude comments dont make him any less worried just irritated added to it!

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Originally Posted by Trey

One, I don't appriciate the sarcastic coments coming from a freshman. 2 I did do alot of reaserch and im not worried about the handleing. Im worried about him not eating and instead of busting someones balls to get an immature rise how about helping someone who is concerned about the wellbeing of an animal. Just a thought

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I hope you are not referring to anyone being a freshman school wise because you spell like a third grader.

i apologize, but he's already asked this question before and got the same answer he's getting now. i did help you. i told you to leave him alone, and i asked for a picture of the cage. one of the reasons he might not have eaten for 5 days is if he's not properly caged. im sorry i came off a bit rude, i wasnt meaning too.

if you did so much research you should know to leave him alone and this thread probably would exist along with the others you've started for this exact same reason. THATS what made me think you didnt do enough research.

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I hope you are not referring to anyone being a freshman school wise because you spell like a third grader.

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lol, the man does have a point but lets not get into irrelevant arguements. this discussion is about monitors so be the bigger man;)

The rude comments i see on here. Off topic for a sec. not to sound :cens0r::cens0r::cens0r::cens0r::cens0r:y or anything, But the point of this site is so people with common interests can share their herps and experience's with there herps and come for advice from other people who are here for that as well. So what justice is being rude doing?????

:fishslap: RELAX!!!!!:eek:


i relly think you arnt listning to people. all you have to do is read the threads from the past and you can see you just keep asking the same questions over and over and over and over. and you have gotten the same answers over and over and over and over.:confuzd: i just dont know what else to tell you other than re read the answers from other posts. but if you dont want to do that i will tell you the answers and conclusions we have come to

1. leave it alone.
2. dont even think about handling.
3. feed what ever it will eat.
4 make sure the temps are ok durring the day and night.

thats it my frind. you just need to :bolt: step back and see the big pic. you own one of the hardest reptiles to care for. so you might want to take advice from peps who own the exact same thing you do. i have kept a water for about 3-4 moths and he is doing great. eats about 25 xl crickets a day. all you need to do is listen. and do what is advised and the rest is up to the man up stairs.

matt fisher

It's fine, im just worried about him not eating. As far as him being caged he's in my 72 which is pretty big but it's that or a 10 gal. on cypress mulch, a big water bowl and a hide box. The temps should be right at about 90 with a basking spot of 120 or so. As far as tmlowe. Im not even going to get into it with you and seeing how you have a turtle and a ball python and you come to a "monitor" board to post nothing more than a rude comment. That shows the kind of person you are!

he needs multiple, TIGHT, and DARK hiding places to allow him to choose what temperature zone he wants to be in. fix that and see what happens.

i guarentee that one of the main reasons that he is not verry active is because he is in a cage that is to big. you can all call me crazy but that is my 100% opinon. waters apreciate a tight enclosure.

No matter how well-meaning the group is, at some point it gets to be too much to deal with one more "I did this, and you said this, but I still think this" comment. Mr~Python can be abrasive, but it is because he is really concerned for the animal's welfare. He would rather see all the monitors only in the hands of experianced keepers, but we do have to start somewhere.
Trey happens to have posted several times and been advised, but still is having problems, and still hasn't posted pictures or details of his setup.
How about instead of having a "who can pee more" contest, we concentrate on exchanging information?
Trey, what set up do you have IN DETAIL. Preferably a picture too. There may be some innoculous detail that a experianced keeper would see.
Where do you have his enclosure located? In a high traffic area? Lots of noise? What have you done maintenance wise in the tank each day? Maybe it is too much.
I am NOT a experianced monitor keeper, being new to it as well, so I will not suggest solutions, but I can tell you questions that should be answered.
Wolfy(good luck too)

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Originally Posted by Trey

It's fine, im just worried about him not eating. As far as him being caged he's in my 72 which is pretty big but it's that or a 10 gal. on cypress mulch, a big water bowl and a hide box. The temps should be right at about 90 with a basking spot of 120 or so. As far as tmlowe. Im not even going to get into it with you and seeing how you have a turtle and a ball python and you come to a "monitor" board to post nothing more than a rude comment. That shows the kind of person you are!

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In my own defense, I didn't come directly to the monitor board to start anything. I go to the new posts section and read on there. I am going to end it with that.

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Originally Posted by fish21

i guarentee that one of the main reasons that he is not verry active is because he is in a cage that is to big. you can all call me crazy but that is my 100% opinon. waters apreciate a tight enclosure.

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thats where we'd have to disagree;) . no monitor appreciates a tight enclosure.
http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d1...s/100_0113.jpg
now, a large, improperly set-up enclosure with only one or no hides, much like Trey has, is a different story. me and you have already got into this though:rolleyes:

Trey I sent you a PM....

....WOW.....

Here are the answers to all your questions:
http://www.ball-pythons.net/forums/s...searchid=89068

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Originally Posted by mr~python

thats where we'd have to disagree;) . no monitor appreciates a tight enclosure.
http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d1...s/100_0113.jpg
now, a large, improperly set-up enclosure with only one or no hides, much like Trey has, is a different story. me and you have already got into this though:rolleyes:

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true. you are right with proper amount of hides i wouldnt think it would be a problem to have a big enclosure. i guess they live in a big cage in the wild.LOL

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Originally Posted by daniel1983

....WOW.....

Here are the answers to all your questions:
http://www.ball-pythons.net/forums/s...searchid=89068

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even if it was not souposed to be that was FUNNY

i agree, you ROCK Daniel!

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Originally Posted by wolfy-hound

Mr~Python can be abrasive, but it is because he is really concerned for the animal's welfare. He would rather see all the monitors only in the hands of experianced keepers, but we do have to start somewhere.

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i just saw this and i feel i need to respond. yes, everybody has to start somewhere but it doesnt have to be an un-educated somewhere. i feel before you acquire an animal you need to be familiar with its care requirements, you need to be prepared for it, and you need to know what you're getting into.

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Originally Posted by mr~python

i just saw this and i feel i need to respond. yes, everybody has to start somewhere but it doesnt have to be an un-educated somewhere. i feel before you acquire an animal you need to be familiar with its care requirements, you need to be prepared for it, and you need to know what you're getting into.

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before i bought my water i knew damn well that i would be shy as hell , and would eat verry light for the first month or so. how did i know this i talked on the phone with numerous water keepers. just like the old cartoon said ,Knowledge is power. hahaha

Well everyone else has given good answers so guess there's not much more I can add - except maybe try and be calm around it and don't keep looking at it even. I know how you feel - I'm exactly the same - if I think something's not right I feel I have to keep checking, like every five minutes ;) (you should have seen me when I first switched to digital thermometers :D ). Try and ignore him, buy a new video game (always a good excuse ;) ) and I expect he'll be eating for you in no time.

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Originally Posted by mr~python

i just saw this and i feel i need to respond. yes, everybody has to start somewhere but it doesnt have to be an un-educated somewhere. i feel before you acquire an animal you need to be familiar with its care requirements, you need to be prepared for it, and you need to know what you're getting into.

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EXACTLY!!! That is what I(in my pitiful way) was attempting to get across, that although we might not have actual experiance, we should ALWAYS research, research, research before we buy! I have read so many caresheets I can't remember where they are all at, and talked to so many people about monitors that I am sure my phone number has been blocked! LOL(J/K)
No one should EVER get into something as large, time-consuming, or dangerous as a monitor or the giant snakes, without first checking into everything thoroughly!
I have future plans for when mine get larger, and had those plans before I got either of them. I delibritely got two species that will NOT get nine feet long each, and are known to not be all that agressive. Granted, Peach-throats are more flighty than I realized, despite being told that they are flighty, I understand she will be more a window lizard, than one that can out. But that just means she will get a BIGGER better enclosure.
Now that I have rambled on like always, I'll shut up.
Wolfy

Trey, any update on the water? how's he doing?

KAYLA (Byte) stay out of this you know absolutely nothing about mintors. Quit PMing people too... you can't even take care of your own snake! Yes SNAKE that is singular for you can't even handle ONE animal! Your only fifteen years old!?!? You know nothing!!!

(not suggesting that all 15 year olds know nothing, there are some pretty darn smart ones here. But she is my sister and I'm allowed to do that :P)

Well, The only update is he's spoiled!!!!! After worrying I decided to try something new. Feeding him with tongs. After 2 weeks I was buying 2 fuzzies a day and setting them outside his hide and leaving him alone to see if he would take them and everytime They would still be there 3-4-5 hours later. Well I got tired of flushing $3 + down the toilet every day so tuesday I walked in and he was out so he did his usual and burried himself in the substrate and didn't move so I thought this would be the perfect time to try something new. I got my tongs and stuck the fuzzy in front and not 2 seconds later he grabbed it. I was so excited!!! Lastnight I did the same thing but him being in his hide. So I did the not so smart thing and open the hide box, pulled the cloth off of him and stuck the mouse in front of him and he struck it like he hadn't eaten in a month. Lol, as soon as he was done he went back to his skiddish ways and freaked out as I was closing his hide box. I just don't get it how a mouse can sit right outside his door for hours and he won't get it but the secone I grab the tongs he jumps all over it. Thus the reason I call him "spoiled"

That's good he's eating for you - I guess with pythons, they like to see their prey wiggling about. Mine will eat whether I wiggle it or put it on a saucer - but he definitely prefers it wiggling slightly above his head. I'm mean then, I tend to raise it a bit higher to make him stretch :D

Is "flushing" the refused mice a very good idea??? I'd just throw them in the garbage in a sealed baggie. If you're not careful, you could plug up your potty, then it would be even MORE gross! :bleh:! :puke:

NM....part of the brain is seeing "fuzzy" and thinking RAT and the other is reading and hearing mice and forgetting the "fuzzy" part of it. Duuuuuuuh :doh: :slamhead:

The only time (only once or twice - and NEVER for greedy sav) I had to get rid of an uneaten rodent I left it on the hedge at the bottom of our garden for the crows (or whatever) it soon went :) I hate to see anything go to waste.

what i do is buy 2 or so mouse fuzzy's when i go to the pet shop for my feeder rats. i always freeze them and feed them later. oddly enough, my ackie seems to prefer dead, non-moving mice over live, squirming mice.