New bosc monitor

[JeffG]

Hi Buck,

She is a really nice one, hopefully she will cycle come spring and i can get some eggs. And hopefully with the little ones doing as well as they are i'll have some more females. It took long enuf but it feels like i'm finally getting somewhere LOL.

Buck it's easy but not that easy, at over $1000 a piece they are a bit more expensive than your average sachet of milk LOL

Thanks guys,
Jeff

[Buck Rogers]

Unless its a premium grade milk...lol

But yeah I really hope for all the success in the world, I know you have been waiting for a long time now to get a breeding pair, but now the challenge of getting them to mate!

Do you think by dropping the humidity and lowering temps could recreate their natural season cycle? I know with frogs if you lower humidity and water levels and then raise them after a few months they breed like crazy, maybe this same technique can be used with monitors?!

[JeffG]

Hi Buck,

Premium grade milk LOL. . .

From what i have learnt through other varanid keepers what i have to do is feed them less for awhile and then start misting heavily (this works. . .even with 2 males LOL) and feed lots to stimulate the female into cycling. The change from lean times to the season of abundance triggers them to mate. I am very excited about these two, they have settled quite well but yesterday the wrestling was pretty intense for about an hour. . .think komodo dragons on national geographic! Now they are fine and are basking together. I think i will give her two or three weeks to settle in and then start the lean period.

Will keep you posted,
Jeff

[joef_conner]

Hey guys I have some good news of my own.

I'm getting a 2nd bosc!!!!

I'm getting it from Tyrone (Dragonfire). I was originally going to get the largest one he had, which was the same size as my guy. But decided on a smaller one for 2 reasons: Price and character This little guy is a monster and should prove fun to feed.

I'm going to pick him/ her up tomorrow or Friday so will post the pics soon.

I'm hoping I'll get a pair with these two. Keep your fingers crossed.

[JeffG]

Hi Joef,

Nice to hear, hopefully you get a female the first time round! It would be nice to have them as a stable species here in SA breeding in captivity and it starts somewhere so hopefully you have a good start.

Do you have a seperate cage for it or will you be putting them together? Watch out for dominance and fighting if you are putting them together you might have to seperate them if they don't get along well. . .rather be aware of this before hand than have to crisis manage.

Good luck and we are eagerly awaiting pictures of the new guy/girl,
Jeff

[Buck Rogers]

Do you have a seperate cage for it or will you be putting them together? Watch out for dominance and fighting if you are putting them together you might have to seperate them if they don't get along well. . .rather be aware of this before hand than have to crisis manage.

Thats why I haven't got another one yet=(

[joef_conner]

It's going to be interesting. They are both small enough still to share this particular cage, though not for long. Bink's isin't a very aggresive eater and his behaviour does seem to reflect that. This new one was a monster when I saw it and almost took my finger off. Plus it was the dominant one in its cage (it shared a cage with a smaller Bosc).

So if the new bosc is dominant it wont have the size advantage haha but I have made arrangments just in case it doesnt work out. Luckily its the weekend so I'll have extra time to observe them interacting.

Will post pics this afternoon

[joef_conner]

Well here are the pics





The size difference was a little more than I anticipated and so for now they have to be seperated. But he looks good. Will start his "propper" feeding tomorrow.

[Buck Rogers]

I dig that blue-ish grey tinge to him...looks good!

[JeffG]

Hi Joef,

Looks very nice, just watch the stuck shed on it's tail. . . now that it has some moist substrate it shouldn't be such a concern but i would keep an eye on that orange-ish spot on it's tail.

How are they doing together? It is better to introduce them as youngsters, introducing adults of opposite sex even can be a bit nerve wrecking. Get it growing and hopefully "fingers crossed that it's female" it should breed some time towards the end of next year.

Good Luck,
Jeff

[JeffG]

Hi Guys,

Just an update on the little guys/girls. . . thought you might want to follow their growth, i have had them 10 days only.

10 Days ago


Tonight, same brick.



These guys literally growth by the minute, as i said awhile back "if you sit still enough you can see them growing" LOL.

Thanks,
Jeff

[joef_conner]

wow that is quite a change! What are you feeding your babies and how much???

[JeffG]

Hi Joef,

I am feeding them crickets (as many as they will eat) and later in the day if they are hungry i feed them asmuch chicken as they will eat just to vary the diet.

Thanks,
Jeff

[joef_conner]

Hey guys,

Well I put the new guy in with Binks and they're both sleeping in their cave. They also both fed as normal, without any fighting. There was a little tension to begin with but it looks like its ok for now. I've got the spare cage ready just in case. But as long as they're both eating I'm happy Plus I've got the conditions just right in bink's cage so will be nice if they can live together for a while.

I'm really happy with my new guy. He looks like he'll have some nice markings as he grows plus he looks very strong and healthy as monitors go.

Jeff Would love to see a face on shot of the cage with all your new hatchlings.

[JeffG]

Hi Joef,

Nice to hear they are getting along well.

I will try get some pictures for you, i split the group into two groups of 5 so there wouldn't be so much stress on them. Each group is housed in a plastic 900mm cage bought from Reptilians with Braai wood acting as logs, topsoil and either a rock or a brick to act as a basking site. At the rate the are growing i wouldn't be suprised if a have to move them into the 1800mm by end of June LOL.

Joef what is your feeding schedule like at the moment with the two of them?

Thanks,
Jeff