New bosc monitor

[cobra1988]

Hi guys.Im new to this so 4give if things dont come out ryt.Have 2 learn how this works first. It took me months to track down a litle bosc 4 myself.Also wondrd why they are so hard 2 find.A friend of mine helped me get mine.He has been in the trade 4 years.When i asked him why they are so hard 2 find,he said it is because most people dont realise how big the get.And they als dont know how brutal they can be.Lets be honest watch a bosc killing anything is brutal as kan be.And even if u feed pre killed food,if tym and effort isnt put in to tame ur bosc u might wel become a victum to that natural power and brutalty that comes with them.So it comes down 2 the idiots buying pets and not know wat they realy just got.Thats why we who do care 4 these amazing animals have hard time getting them.My friend said that they did sel them like crazy at one stage,but anything from 4 to 6month later most would come back.And people would just not want them coz they didnt know they are so expensive to keep and couldnt(meaning didnt realy try to.) tame them. I have been keeping reptiles 4 ten years now.And have my first litle bosc now,name is tyson.Wat a treat.I got him setled in realy quick and he is growing like mad.Love him.But i am stil new to them and would like advise on best food typ ect.Havent had any probs with im thus far.

[Fooble]

Welcome cobra1988 ,
There is a wealth of knowledge here on Bosc's and some very good threads which you should take a look at
http://www.sareptiles.co.za/forum/viewtopic.php?f=122&t=14086.

In addition try as correct grammar as possible when posting topics people will appreciate good grammar and possibly take you more seriously.

[Bushviper]

In addition try as correct grammar as possible when posting topics people will appreciate good grammar and possibly take you more seriously.

That's so true. I just skipped over the post after the first two sentences.

[Buck Rogers]

Welcome Cobra 1988, it was a bit difficult to understand your post (there are members from all over the world and using sms text can sometimes confuse foreign members and members who speak different languages).

Have a read through this post, I can honestly say this is the most informative piece of information available ANYWHERE on bosc's monitors. Be careful some care books will offer advise (especially on taming) and this is not always the best to advise to follow, rather read through this post and you'll find the facts on veranus exanthermaticus.

ps: the reason why bosc's come and go on the market is because they are farmed up in North Africa (Kenya) and shipped around the world, nobody has been able to breed them in South Africa yet (still holding thumbs for us guys) so it has more to do with how many are farmed and not how many people want them.

[Bushviper]

Buck, Kenya have a zero quota on export of reptiles so you must be mistaken. Kenya is also on the East coast far from North Africa. Ghana do ranch some boscs monitors.

A friend of mine has sent me photos of their boscs mating and they are actually his 12 year old sons responsibility. That is rather scary to think about. I also have photos of these boscs helping themselves to cabbage and spinach off a plate. They have not laid eggs yet but I think this is a promising start.

[Buck Rogers]

You are probably right BV, I know Kenya does have a high Bosc's population, but I am not 100% sure where all the bosc's come from I just now they are 'farmed' and sent around the world. I will double check with a reference I have at home about the exact location.

I have heard of Bosc's eating veg and fruit - are these friends of yours Portuguese I don't see a need to find a monitor these types of food but to each their own I suppose. There is still a lot to learn from these animals that we don't know, the courting that Jeff and I experienced with his male on my female was also something that I haven't read or heard about. I know of someone who had a pair also mate, the female dropped unfertilised eggs before the mating but nothing has come of this since. They definitely have an ovulation period and I think its about timing as well as environment.

BV - please could you send me those pics of them mating, I would love to see them and also if they had any information of what they did before the mating (ie light cycle, humidity, feeding).

[Jester13]

Hi guys, I'm new to this forum (and monitors!)

I just got a young bosc monitor of about 6 months, he's in a 1,2m enclosure!
Thing is, he ate his crickets on this first day, only ate one yesterday, and hasn't eaten any today? He's mostly quite active, and the temperatures are right, should I be worried?

[zululand]

Hi!

I bought the 2 monitors that started this thread, the bigger one died a week after
I got them for no apparent reason. The bigger one was always a bit
lethargic and a "dull" compared to the little one so I may have been
caught by being sold a sick/dying animal.

Be that as it may, the little guy took a long time to settle down only taking a cricket
here and there. I am fortunate with where we live I keep most of my animals outside
or in big indoor enclosures. With the recent high temps the Bosc has gone mad! He/she
Takes anything that moves! Crickets, shongololos, christmas beetles and its favourite
Pre killed rats!

Saying this I wouldn't stress to much about it. Once they settle down they go mad.
Their feeding response is second only to my gaboons!

Cheers
Anton

[Jester13]

He ate quite happily this afternoon, must have put away 10 crickets!
Maybe it was just moving stress? He's quite lively, and often comes running up to the glass in the front of the cage (trying to escape or wanting more crickets...?)