Female monitor cycling

[Sonya]

I have a Savannah monitor that is 24 inches, 1200grams , was a 5.5inch 12 gm hatchling last April and apparently very healthy. He/she has had an aversion to rodents and just in the last month started eating them with relish. She had her first 'real' furry mouse to eat and then she went into a 'funk' for 5 full days. All she did was sleep. This monitor usually eats every day or two, goes three if it was a total pigout, paces, swims..... Could she take longer to digest the mouse or, as was suggested but not elaborated on, could 'she' (don't know which sex it is) be cycling? What sort of cycle does a female sav go through? I can't find a lot on their reproductive cycles. Any info would be great.
Sonya Gilmore

 

[Tony]

What was it eating before? If it was eating mainly insects, a mouse could have been a little hard on it. It will definately take longer to digest a mouse than insects. As far cycling, they will usually eat all the way through. Our females will eat until right before laying the eggs. When they don't produce eggs and only ovulate, they will eat the entire time. Also when a female does ovulate and reabsorb the eggs, she will usually get very large in the stomach and the base of the tail will sink in a little. After she finishs cycling she will go back to normal within a week or two. If you have any other questions, just ask. Thanks.

Tony Alles
www.reptileguru.com

 

[Sonya]

Thanks Tony, I think she was just digesting.....

She took time off of eating and laid in the medium temps, not basking and not cold end. Then she came around and is eating fine again. I am going to try her on another hopper and see. She had been chasing Crix. My roaches don't breed enough to keep up with her and I am getting more. Meantime she was filling in with Turkey diet (proexotics) with pinkies or fuzzies mixed into it. She never liked mice until the last few weeks, so the way to get her to eat them was in turkey mix. Now she is accepting anything again and hungry all the time again. I will see if I can post a pict and see if you think she is too fat or whatnot. Thanks again,
sonya gilmore

 

[SHvar]

A cycling monitor is difficult to describe..

They dont go completely off of food even if they are developing eggs and are trying to or going to lay, they only alter amounts of food, as well there is a slight difference of appearance and behavior. I saw it a few times with one of my albigs before I even recognized it. The event occured over about 4 days where she swelled about the mid section some but it wasnt from eating, she began to bask alot and stay in the open alot. After the cycle if they dont absorb eggs they swell even more and eat even less and get bigger and bigger around (depends on species to). They should lay the eggs in 2-3 weeks if your husbandry is allowing them to be fully hydrated and no internal infections etc. They can lay out to 3-4 weeks but after that time is a fine line of your monitor dieing from not being able to lay (4-6 weeks). This is what can happen during this time and its why husbandry is so important, as well proper substrate, and nesting.
Yours sounded like a monitor that ate its first big meal and is digesting and preserving energy moisture.
Proper sexing is one good step to get an idea. Cycling details are not easy to describe.