Feeding Insect-Eating Lizards: the Best Live Foods

[findi]

Hi All,
From tiny Day Geckos to stout Water Dragons and lumbering Savanna Monitors, many popularly-kept lizards feed primarily upon live foods including insects and other invertebrates. The most important point for insectivorous lizard owners to remember (and one that my regular readers are sick of seeing!), is that crickets and mealworms alone, even if powdered with supplements, are not an adequate diet for any species. Dietary variety is essential. Fortunately, with a bit of planning, we can collect, breed or purchase a huge array of nutritious invertebrates for the lizards in our collections. Read the rest of this article here http://bit.ly/1b9Drx1

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Best Regards, Frank Indiviglio

 

[freedumbdclxvi]

I recently acquired a Dumeril's monitot and, reading that they are though to love crabs and other shellfish, placed two in his water dish. He devoured them. It was quite interesting to watch.

 

[findi]

I recently acquired a Dumeril's monitot and, reading that they are though to love crabs and other shellfish, placed two in his water dish. He devoured them. It was quite interesting to watch.

Good to hear...an overlooked food source; great for many similar monitors. They will also take crayfish and land snails. Please keep me posted, interested to hear your experiences with similar foods, thanks, frank

 

[ShredderEmp]

Poor crabs...

 

[Najakeeper]

The only problem with using snails, crabs etc. as feeders is that they are usually wild caught and filled with parasites. In the wild, animals build strong immune responses but these may be very dangerous for captive animals. On the other hand, I totally agree that variety is key for health. For example, I switched my water cobras to mice but they consume fish in the wild. So I try to feed them frozen/thawed fish as often as I can with the mice to give them those nice omega 3 fatty acids and all that.

 

[SamuraiSid]

The only problem with using snails, crabs etc. as feeders is that they are usually wild caught and filled with parasites. In the wild, animals build strong immune responses but these may be very dangerous for captive animals. On the other hand, I totally agree that variety is key for health. For example, I switched my water cobras to mice but they consume fish in the wild. So I try to feed them frozen/thawed fish as often as I can with the mice to give them those nice omega 3 fatty acids and all that.

Somewhere on MonsterFishKeepers I came across a thread that more or less stated wild caught slugs and snails have a high chance of containing nematodes depending on your location. IIRC, nematodes that target these inverts can be purchased and used in gardens to reduce damage. Of course there is no guarantee that the infected slugs will stay in the garden, and could spread the nematodes to various regions.
However the thread went on to say that providing a bedding of 100% hemp flour or crushed hemp seeds will be ravenously devoured by the slugs and will expel the nematodes in a day or two.

That being said, I have read elsewhere that international herps, like my Savannah Monitor, have a digestive system which will appear completely alien to North American nematodes and parasites, so the toads will pass right through the system without harm.... I wish I saved the url.

Id really love to hear your thoughts on this, Frank, as I know of several places to collect Arion ater and right now is the perfect time of year. Ive seen some that are around 6" and over 1" diameter. From my research, they are great foodsource for people, so figure my varanid will have no qualms.


Awesome article, Frank. No harm with using wildcaught prey as long as your smart and cautious about it.

 

[findi]

Hi All,

Thanks for the observations and kind words. There are some concerns, mentioned in the article linked under Further Reading, but more to do with toxic inverts, and pesticides.

Good point re snails, above. While they and crayfish can be secondary hosts of parasites that are passed on, as they mature, to herps, the life cycles of these parasites are quite specific and all must be just so for the life cycle to be completed. Direct transfer is also uncommon, due to host specificity. Especially true where food animals not native to the herp's range are concerned. Marine animals fed to monitors, as mentioned above, would not be a concern. The nematodes mentioned are extremely specific in host choice, and target select invertebrates.

At the Bronx Zoo, we've used wild caught insects, snails, crayfish, etc for decades; all dead collection animals are subject to necropsy and vet studies...parasite transmission has not been noted. Goldfish, minnows and earthworms purchased from dealers are usually carrying a variety of parasites as well, but seem not to cause problems (minnows are seined from ponds, earthworms raised outdoors or collected, goldfish raised outdoors...many farms feed them droppings from local chicken farms!). There are ways to pre-treat aquatic food animals (methylene blue is one option) but this is not policy at most zoos. Please let me know if you need more info, thanks, best, Frank

 

[SamuraiSid]

Thanks for the great info Frank! Im going to have to research Methylene Blue, not that Im too concerned about it. I think we all want to best for our animals and tend to go overboard in our precautions.

 

[freedumbdclxvi]

Good to hear...an overlooked food source; great for many similar monitors. They will also take crayfish and land snails. Please keep me posted, interested to hear your experiences with similar foods, thanks, frank

Crayfish were devoured. Snails - he hasn't taken to as of yet. I placed a couple im with him, and he didn't seem too interested. However, it took about a day and a half for him to attack the crayfish, so he may simply be biding his time.

 

[SamuraiSid]

Maybe unsure with a new food source?

I started giving my Savannah european nightcrawlers because of their amazing calcium content, and it took her a while to realize it was food, but now she tries breaking through the glass whenever she sees the worm cup.

 

[Introvertebrate]

..........At the Bronx Zoo, we've used wild caught insects, snails, crayfish, etc for decades; all dead collection animals are subject to necropsy and vet studies...parasite transmission has not been noted...........

Frank, Do you get the impression they are pesticide free as well?

 

[findi]

Thanks for the great info Frank! Im going to have to research Methylene Blue, not that Im too concerned about it. I think we all want to best for our animals and tend to go overboard in our precautions.

My pleasure...let me know if you need anything, Frank

---------- Post added 10-15-2013 at 04:34 PM ----------

Frank, Do you get the impression they are pesticide free as well?

Impossible to say for sure, given that animals can concentrate pesticides, travel, etc, but we've not seen pesticide-related deaths. I advise folks not to collect in areas that are obviously heavily teated (farm margins, gold courses, etc) and avoid using species that are specifically targeted ...Japanese beetles, mosquitoes. best, Frank

---------- Post added 10-15-2013 at 04:35 PM ----------

Maybe unsure with a new food source?

I started giving my Savannah european nightcrawlers because of their amazing calcium content, and it took her a while to realize it was food, but now she tries breaking through the glass whenever she sees the worm cup.

Excellent food for many herps...just keep in mind that CA content will vary depending on worms' origins, diet, etc, Best, Frank