Post by shawnfraser on Apr 12, 2006 0:52:03 GMT -5
We recently took in a water dragon (Physignathus cocincinus) who laid 10 infertile eggs. Rather than throw them out I decided to see if any other lizards wanted to eat them (waste not, want not). The obvious choices were the monitors and the tegu. The first animal I offered the eggs to was a subadult mangrove monitor (Varanus indicus) - it was also the last animal I offered the eggs to, as it devoured them all. This monitor has always been an enthusiastic eater - it demolished 5 large fuzzies the day before the eggs - but the response was surprising. After scarfing down 7 eggs with the eighth one in it's mouth it came after my hand looking for more!
20 or more years ago the late Thomas Huff described "captive stagnancy syndrome" in reptiles. In his words "A condition in which animals in captivity, stagnated by their confinement, altered their behavior, became lethargic and non-responsive." (Huff, T.A. (1995) "Fallacies and Frustrations of a Frog Farmer -or- Pitfalls of the Herpetoculturist"Proceedings of the 1st, 2nd and 3rd Canadian Herpetological Symposia, Reptile World, Drumheller AB). The offering of varied food items was one of his ideas to remedy this problem.
I am not suggesting offering frogs and lizards to corn snakes alongside the usual mice, but I think this is worth thinking about.
20 or more years ago the late Thomas Huff described "captive stagnancy syndrome" in reptiles. In his words "A condition in which animals in captivity, stagnated by their confinement, altered their behavior, became lethargic and non-responsive." (Huff, T.A. (1995) "Fallacies and Frustrations of a Frog Farmer -or- Pitfalls of the Herpetoculturist"Proceedings of the 1st, 2nd and 3rd Canadian Herpetological Symposia, Reptile World, Drumheller AB). The offering of varied food items was one of his ideas to remedy this problem.
I am not suggesting offering frogs and lizards to corn snakes alongside the usual mice, but I think this is worth thinking about.
