This is going to come off smarmy - but that's not my intention.Originally Posted by Foschi Exotic Serpents
OI.. The arrogence of some people is also unbelievable.. You are both right that this is not a good long term diet for any lizard. I never said it wasnt. Do you think the OP's vet has a sav? So anyone who does not currently own one does not know how to feed them? Once again, the ideas I gave are very short term and to be offered in conjuction with their normal diet. Generally for underweight, malnourished and/or dehydrated animals. Of course we all know it would be best and most natural if we could just get some native african snails, millipedes, orthopterans, beetles, rodents, eggs and other small reptiles to feed them but in this case, that would be a little difficult. In reality, very few (if any) sav owners in the USA feed their pet the "correct" diet.
Sorry for disrupting the OP's thread. You will do whats best for the little guy, just let us know how he's doing in a couple weeks
Vets in general know very little about pet nutrition - Science Diet is pimped by Vets across the Country and most actual animal nutritionists deride it as swill - full of fillers and crap.
Exanthematicus should not be fed ground beef, ground turkey or rodents. A SepticZone care sheet and LLL Reptile blurb should not be quoted as reliable sources for animal care of any kind.
Savs are specialized insect and mollusk feeders - and they have adapted dentition, metabolism and digestion as such. There's no need to feed young savs anything but an insectivorious diet.
You're right - very few sav owners feed their animals the correct diet - but that's out of common misconceptions and ignorance than due to a lack of suitable invertebrate prey on the market.
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