Houdini ( black throat monitor ) update

[txrepgirl]

Hi everyone. I just wanted to post some updated videos of Houdini. He is still a bit skittish when we reach in the enclosure but other then that he is a awsome boy :) . I know the enclosure is to small for him but when we ordered him the guy told us that Houdini is just 12" long. Well when we got him we saw that he is way bigger then 12". So we are going to build him a new enclosure ;) . I don't like feeding him inside of his enclosure but everytime I pick him up he pees on me and it stinks so bad lol.

http://www.youtube.com/user/txrepgirl

http://www.youtube.com/user/txrepgirl#p/a/u/1/wP56903ZqfQ

http://www.youtube.com/user/txrepgirl#p/a/u/2/BOxz0wyjNwQ

Bryan just held him for the first time ( well for except the day he unpacked him ). It's no fair :( . When I hold Houdini he always pees on me. But when Bryan just held him he didn't get peed on lol.

http://www.youtube.com/user/txrepgirl?feature=mhum

[Nessie]

He looks great! I just subd to your channel, I thought I already was but apparently not :)

[laurarfl]

He's very cool!

[Herpgirl]

So cute. I love watching your videos.

[adam 44]

he looks great
i love his colouring

[txrepgirl]

Thank you everyone :) . I'm so confused on what to do with him. I have been treating him since day one like I did with my Tegus. But I'm a member on another forum and they told me not to handel him at all for a while and just to feed him rodents and just some bugs and worms. If I give him that raw meat it will lead to death. I was thinking like " what the heck ". Houdini doesn't like to eat bugs ( crickets..... ) any more. The other day he barely ate some super worms. I'm worried to give him just the rodents because of impaction and him not getting a variety in the diet. Since I stoped holding him for a few days he became a bit more skittish when I reach in there. So I think I'm just going back to doing what I did before. Here is a updated photo. This was before I stoped holding him for a few days.

http://i734.photobucket.com/albums/ww346/txrepgirl/Black%20troat%20monitor%20Houdini/SS853890.jpg


He loves basking on that branch :)


http://i734.photobucket.com/albums/ww346/txrepgirl/Black%20troat%20monitor%20Houdini/SS853869.jpg

http://i734.photobucket.com/albums/ww346/txrepgirl/Black%20troat%20monitor%20Houdini/SS853849.jpg

[HernandosMom]

What. A. Cutie.

He looks pretty well-fed to me. I know absolutely nothing about raising monitors, but at least I know that I don't know. Just like with the tegu forums, you are going to find people with strong opinions or with methods that "worked for me" and therefore they are convinced that their way is the only way. I'm not saying disregard it all, just suggesting you weigh the qualifications of the various folks giving you their opinion.

If you are worried about impaction from too little variety, maybe stick with mice rather than rats. From what I've read their fur is less likely to accumulate because it's not as coarse as rat hair. If you haven't already got your hands on a good book by an authoritative source on monitors, that might help. At least you can read the author's background and tell how much research he/she has done on the subject.

I know you are a concerned pet owner, but please don't worry so much that you can't enjoy your pet!

[Herpgirl]

I have been on the monitor forum also and some people like every forum have strong opinions. I would not stop handling him enjoy him. He looks very healthy . I don't know about turkey leading to death I know that it sshould not be a main staple from what I understand but rodents should not be either. Have you tried roaches? I know with savannahs there is a turkey diet with steamed bone meal and centrum but it has to be followed exactly as written.

[nogard]

I have had more experience with monitors than I have with tegus.

Just my .02, I have noticed monitors, mainly my old BT went absolutely nuts for lobster roaches, crickets nand super mealworms were largely ignored. Rodents, mainly mice were liked a lot more than rats. With monitors I wouldn't worry about impaction as much as a tegu.

I used the guidline Proexotics provided. Roaches and rodents( once or twice per week) and I never had any issues.

Taming a monitor is a whole different level when compared to taming tegus. They are more likely to bite and after they are aound 3 feet gloves are mostly useless. Their teeth are very sharp, much more so than a tegu. Its going to take a lot more patience than a tegu.

My opinion was always hands off for a full month before interaction. I fed roaches and mice exclusively. I kept my basking spot at 135-140. I never fed outside their enclosure.

Who did you get the BT from? I am looking for one and sinc PE doesn't import them anymore, I am leery on who to buy from since they are almost exclusively farmed in Africa. I always trusted PE, they waited months for their stock to go onsale. No parasites and healthy, as close to true CBB as youu can get.

Yours looks great by the way, do whatever you feel is right for you!

Opinions are like....well you get the point.

[bubblz]

:lol: He opens his mouth really wide,.. but only gets little pieces most of the time.

[Herpgirl]

How is e doing I would love to see some recent pics or a video.

[txrepgirl]

I'm sorry for not responding to some of the posts sooner. I have been VERY bussy with work. Houdini is doing great :) . He ate like a pig today. He ate one chick and 3 XL mice lol. I'm going to try to post some pictures and a video of him tomorrow ;) . Oh, he also doesn't tail whip me any more when I get him out of the enclosure :) . Thank God he NEVER tried to bite me yet either :) . He is such a good boy. But he still doesn't like to be held for a long time :( .