chameleon - monitor - any correlation?

[shea]

I posted the following on a monitor forum - I'd like some feedback from the folks here.....

I do not keep monitors, but I'm hoping members of this forum can help. Does anyone here also keep chameleons? Panther or Veileds, or any other chameleon for that matter?

I read an article by Frank Retes years ago on how he kept him monitors and talk about some of the misconceptions out there with keeping monitors heathly, happy and breeding. I believe many of the points touched on where regarding heat(keep'em hot), lighting, correct substrate, keeping hydrated, and feeding them A LOT. There might have been a few point regarding imports as well - not sure, this was years ago. A great article. I thought that many of these points might be useful in keeping chameleons happy, healthy, and breeding as well. Has any forum members here applied some of your keeping techniques to chameleons? Specifically feeding? It always seemed to me that chameleons could eat A LOT, whereas many caresheets for chameleons said something to the effect 'feed your chameleon 5-6 crickets 4 or 5 times a week'. I've read on this forum that if your monitor is being a picky eater it is a husbandry issue, not a feeding issue. There are no shortage of 'varied diet' articles for chameleons, as they become picky eaters regularly - and I would suppose that would have to do with husbandry and not needing a wide, varied diet. Hydration has always been a problem with chameleons, which correlates with some of the monitor issues - which also is a large problem with any imported reptile. There are complex caresheets for chameleons which seem to be the stardard today that revolve around a varied diet, different vitamins, UVB lighting, constant hydration - and I've always pondered that many of these complexities might not be necessary(and actually might do some harm) and that keeping chameleons healthy and breeding may come down to feeding constantly with minimal supplementation and regular hydration.

I understand this is rambling, and probably incoherent, post about possible similarities in monitor and chameleon care. I would just like to know if there are any monitor keepers/breeders out there, who have experience with chameleons, that might have something to share about the similarities between the issues with keeping each type of reptile.

Any thoughts? Comments?

Thanks,
Shea Peterson

 

[Eric Adrignola]

I have found that hunger strikes are related to husbandry far more than food variety. My animals get treats rarely - most of the time they eat crickets and superworms. I never have hunger strikes.

They're always hungry. If overfed, they are simply not hungry. Feed an adult male veiled 10 crickets a day for months on end, and he'll go on a hunger strike. Feed an adult male veiled 3 crickets every other day, and it's likely he'll never go on a hunger strike - and he'll maintain a healthy weight.

Same with monitors and snakes - reptiles in general. People feed them like ther'e dogs. I've seen too many monitors wiht the body of a bearded dragon - so fat they're flat.

Snakes, typically your display snakes, the "300 pound" monster snakes at shows people take pictures with, are horribly fat. Most snakes should be triangular in cross section, but most seem to be a flattened circle - FAT.

This screws them up. Reptiles have, for millions of years, been adapting to harsh conditions - not captivity.

 

[rcmike]

How do you know at what age to start feeding less? Am I right to feed the juviniles as much as they want and then to start feeding them less as they get older? I am not sure at what age/size to feed how much.

 

[mczoo]

i guess we feed our lizzards like we feed ourselves. our pets are growing larger just like us.