Reptile Forum, Reptile Classifieds - CaptiveBred

Scott W · Posted: Wed May 03, 2006 9:13 pm Post subject:

I guess it all boils down to what you see is the purpose of the monitors existence?

I have read that they can grow quicker, breed more often and produce and cycle more eggs....now in the wild that would be an advantage...even if it reduced it's life expectancy....do you agree? (lol don't ask me where I read it...on some dam forum somewhere...lol)

So in one way if it's true that you can produce a more prolific monitor and do so at a younger age, then at the end of the day the monitor has done what it is programmed to do....reproduce and pass on it's genes as much as possible.

*I'm not saying that it WILL be more prolific or reproduce younger etc...just taking others accounts / findings.

I reckon it would be nice to have 'hard' info on monitors raised under both methods, if they both produce a similar amount of eggs but one does it over 3 years the other over 9, then it does come down to what you feel is the point of the monitors life and what you are comfortable with.

Again, I'm not advocating this method at all, just find the whole subject interesting for discussion.
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varanus · Key Member Joined: 14 Oct 2005 Posts: 400

Ive not read they do this in the wild Ive Read the Varanus.net opinion that they can therefore they should in captivity but in the wild most animals will grow slower and reproduce less of course this will be down to more variance in terms of avaible food tempertures and predation now when we allow them regular food good tempertures and no predation to me we are allready changeing the natural cycle enough to alter this more then you end up burning them out quicker doing all the things they would do over a longer period of time in a smaller period of time

it is as you say interesting discussion
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Sean · CaptiveBred Addict! Joined: 28 Oct 2005 Posts: 602

Anyway fellows whats all the rush to produce at such a young age. Money by any chance!!!? I kept panoptes panoptes produced numerous clutches over several years without ever using 24/7 lights and so did my German counterparts.

varanus · Key Member Joined: 14 Oct 2005 Posts: 400

can you post me some of them please? you can have them back once they get to big Laughing

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Sean · CaptiveBred Addict! Joined: 28 Oct 2005 Posts: 602

Yeah this is the problem they soon grow and with limited space it can become an issue, plus I wanted a new challenge and now I've got one with the griseus but if I breed these I'll be in no rush to sell as they do not get anywhere near the size of the panoptes panoptes. If I remember rightly Bernd had the same problem with the mertensi they soon grow and keep on producing and if you haven't got anymore takers then what?

varanus · Key Member Joined: 14 Oct 2005 Posts: 400

could allways make one of me sons sleep in the shed I suppose Laughing

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varanus · Key Member Joined: 14 Oct 2005 Posts: 400

I hate to think what you will be asking for if you do breed them mate
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Sean · CaptiveBred Addict! Joined: 28 Oct 2005 Posts: 602

I'll be asking for more than pilbarensis but less than spenceri at the present European rate if that gives you an idea.