# newbie advice for a bosc



## ommis02 (Jul 26, 2013)

hi all. i have a bosc monitor that is now about 8 or 9 months old i have been handling him almost everyday and have let him out in the house and the garden in a run so he i dont loose him. my problem is he just does not seem to be calming down. he doesnt try and bite me as much as he did but he does tail slap and hisses lots!! i need advice on handling tips or other things i could try.i have 2 children and want to be able to let him out with out fear of him biting them when he gets bigger


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## vgorst (Sep 27, 2011)

To be honest I think you're part of the problem (no offence!). Forcing an animal into handling is extremely stressful for them, this causes defensive behaviour such as the tail whipping etc. I really don't think that the more you handle, the more he'll accept it; all you're doing is making him on edge whenever you're present and causing stress (which in the long-term is very harmful). Personally I would use the hands off approach. He will see that you are no threat and the bringer of good things (i.e. food) and in time will most likely approach you.

They aren't a 'family pet', the best place for him is in his enclosure (if it's properly setup) and possibly with the occasional trips in the garden. Even if you do get him 'dog tame' it's often because they are unhealthy, stressed to hell and doesn't mean that they won't lash out at whoever is near (children or otherwise). They can do a lot of damage; that's his nature, respect that.


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## ommis02 (Jul 26, 2013)

thanks for that vgorst. i do respect him no worries there lol. i dont want him dog tame just dont want him so ready to attack like he does at the minute.your advice is contrary to other advice ive had so may be worth a go thank you.
i was feeding him by hand earlier today outside his viv which i thought was a good step forward i dont handle him for long periods like you say it stresses him


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## vgorst (Sep 27, 2011)

ommis02 said:


> thanks for that vgorst. i do respect him no worries there lol. i dont want him dog tame just dont want him so ready to attack like he does at the minute.your advice is contrary to other advice ive had so may be worth a go thank you.
> i was feeding him by hand earlier today outside his viv which i thought was a good step forward i dont handle him for long periods like you say it stresses him


Unfortunately it will take a lot of time and patience for him to know that you're not a threat, although he will still have his unpredictable moments.

People advise different things. I find people that man-handle their animals in an attempt to get them 'tame' are being selfish and stressing their animals to the point that it will either result in a serious injury or the monitor dying from a stress-related problem. Obviously each animal is different but letting the animal approach you is the way to gain their trust I feel. Good luck with him


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## mitsi (Feb 1, 2012)

hands off all the way, you have to let them come to you, they never tame just become tolerant of you being there, touching them etc, if you are lucky. I have two, one male who is very tolerant of everything i do, and one female that unless i have food for her i cant get near, both have had the same input and time spent with them, some never tolerate anything other than being fed, as vgorst said they really arent family pets and imo should never be trusted around children, even if they appear to be friendly/tame they can turn at any moment, its in their nature to be that way and that is something you cant change.


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## ommis02 (Jul 26, 2013)

ok guys thanks for the advice. now with out sounding stupid just how does this hands of approach work...i mean do i just ignore him and leave him in his viv and just put food in and clean etc?? i dont see how it works sorry if im being thick i just want to make sure inm doing right by him. he is in a place where i walk past him lots so he used to seeing us however if i do just ignore him he just stays in his house/cave and dont come out 
i know he not a " family " pet as such i just want to be able to let him have his space and like you said just be a bit more tollerant


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## reptilerussell92 (Jan 1, 2013)

Hey guys, just to but in on your convo but I have been really keen in getting young unrelated male And female but what would I need set up wise to last them there life and do you know any good breeders? Thanks james.


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## mitsi (Feb 1, 2012)

ommis02 said:


> ok guys thanks for the advice. now with out sounding stupid just how does this hands of approach work...i mean do i just ignore him and leave him in his viv and just put food in and clean etc?? i dont see how it works sorry if im being thick i just want to make sure inm doing right by him. he is in a place where i walk past him lots so he used to seeing us however if i do just ignore him he just stays in his house/cave and dont come out
> i know he not a " family " pet as such i just want to be able to let him have his space and like you said just be a bit more tollerant


 
all I used to do was tong feed mine, I would feed of the tongs but put my empty hand in there on the floor, making no movement towards them, over time my boy would come and stand on my hand to eat from the tongs, then slowly after a few times I raised my hand just a little of the floor, but kept feeding him from the tongs, my girl would never take to this although she will stand on my hand now to get the food, but I have to watch it when the food stops coming. My boy now just with doing the above and talking calmly to him, will come running to the front of the viv as soon as I enter the room, I can open the door, feed him and then he will climb onto me by himself, I can then pick him up etc etc , my girl prefers to sit away at a distance and watch. I have never just grabbed them to pick them up or forced any handling on them, if they want it that's fine, if not that's fine also.


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## ommis02 (Jul 26, 2013)

thanks mitsi i do appreciate your advice i just want whats best for my boy i dont mean offence if i question your advice i just want to make sure i understood it correct...i can feed him out of my fingers he takes the food gentley i know its risky lol especially when he gets bigger.. the thing is if i pick him up and sit down with him on my lap he calms down and just lays there if i put him in the run and put my hands in he just licks them and trys to find a way out of the run just walks over my hands etc but as soon as i move or soemone else moves he straight the way goes on the attack?? i can put him in a bath to help his shed come off and put my hands in and he will come and sit on them and let me do anything to him in the water i can stroke him and pick him up and his is gentle as anything just when he in his viv or im trying to get him in/out of it or his run....sorry its long winded like i keep saying i just wanna do right by him i dont like to think of any of my animals as being un happy i even try and make sure the locusts i feed him are the best i can keep them and are relativity happy lol


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## mitsi (Feb 1, 2012)

no offence taken, a happy bosc is an active bosc, they say that if they just sit there they are stressed, as I say mine will climb over me but never just sits still lol, hes very inquisitive about everything.


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## ommis02 (Jul 26, 2013)

if he is in his viv he just hides away hardly see him unless its to come get food is that right?? if id let him he would run all the house but id never be able to find him lol


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## mitsi (Feb 1, 2012)

ommis02 said:


> if he is in his viv he just hides away hardly see him unless its to come get food is that right?? if id let him he would run all the house but id never be able to find him lol


 
that's fine, in their natural habitat they stay in their burrows for 90 to 95% of the time, mine also come over for food so that's when I interact with them, mine are both 3ft and over now so it gets fun when feeding them, my boy cant wait to get his chicks etc, he almost climbs out the viv for them, my girl comes running over for them too, but I really have to keep my eye on her as as soon as the food stops she goes for what she thinks is next, this usually being my hand or arm. Its quite fun though and certainly keeps me on my toes.


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## ommis02 (Jul 26, 2013)

ah thats good then im doing things almost right then lol..thanks for your advice a patience. do you let your 2 out to have a roam or anything ?? my boy is only 14 inches at the mo but growing fast


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## mitsi (Feb 1, 2012)

I put them both in a sort of rabbit run in the garden when the weather is nice, (so quite a bit lately) for upto 45mins, the boy sometimes I let have a wander out of the run under supervision, him and my cats wander together, but the girl I have to keep in the run cus I reckon she would attack the cats. my lad also comes in the house from time to time for very short periods and they both come in for a bath occasionally to,


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## ommis02 (Jul 26, 2013)

ahh sweet man nice thats all i want from me little fella. i got a run i put him in but i need to make it bigger now he climbs out the bloody thing lol...i put it up in the house too when he is in there he shoves it round with his nose and dont seem to settle just keep trying to get out i put a hide in there for him and feed him in there sometimes too.


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## ommis02 (Jul 26, 2013)

mitsi sorry to bother you again....ive left him be since this post but he not eating from the tongs he just hisses at them and tail slaps. i lifted him out and put him on the floor and let him roam a bit today but all he did was hiss and stalk round me then he leaped throught the air to try and bite me lol...i put him back then and just left a little meat in his viv to see if will eat when im not thereis this ok do you think ?? should i just keep trying with the tongs until he does take it??


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## mitsi (Feb 1, 2012)

are you putting crickets/locusts in there to run around as well, I still have the odd days when my two wont take from the tongs, its trial and error when you first start with them, eventually he will take from them, have you tried giving him a mouse or a chick with the tongs and any boiled egg, these usually tempt them very well. if mine are being hissy and whippy I just put the food in the viv no matter what it is and leave it for them, its always gone by morning, so that will be fine. don't give up on the tong feeding its a big part of them being able to build up their trust in you. My boy I can scratch and stroke when hes feeding from them and he doesn't seem to care one bit, its a bit of give and take (well that's how I see it lol) whats his favourite food at the minute.


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## mitsi (Feb 1, 2012)

whereabouts in the country are you?


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## ommis02 (Jul 26, 2013)

yes i chuck locusts in for him a few times a week ...mostly what ever meat we have for our meals i cut a bit extra for him and he has that.he does like a small mouse every now and then and i do give him rat pups most days not tried boiled eggs yet didnt think he was old enough (he was sept/oct last year batch) he will take a mouse or rat pup from tongs no problem. he did that yesterday so i was just going to keep some ready and when ever he was out and about in his viv i was going to give him one that sound about right?? i must admit he has been more active in his viv since i started to leave him alone all i do now is put my hand in there near him sometimes and just let him his at it and give it a lick for a few minutes then i leave him 
once again thank you for your awesome advice


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## mitsi (Feb 1, 2012)

youre only supposed to give them whole food items, ie whole chicks,mice,rats,fish etc, our meat is no good for them, you can buy part packs as well that have chicken neck, heart liver and carcass etc in them, frozen reptile has started doing these. They need all of the items in whole food to keep healthy and good calcium levels etc. My first bosc was only a couple of month old when she had her first boiled egg, its only as a treat once a month, just make sure you chop it up including the shell. How big is your bosc. my boy was one in may and my girl is 2. They also have a tub of crickets and locusts put in every other day and a dish full of morio worms every day. then chicks or and mice everyother day too.


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## ommis02 (Jul 26, 2013)

ah ok i thought chopping up the raw bits of meat we had was ok its not processed stuff i mean proper cuts ie steak and stuff and i dust it with calcium powder and every now and then d3 powder..i have got some chicks in the freezer but they a bit too big whole should i cut them up instead? ive tried him on worms he dont touch them.i put him in the garden the other day and he was eating the slugs he found he seemed to like them luckily i dont use any poisons or anything in my garden 
he is about 14 inches now and constantly shedding he likes to have a bath and like i said before he quite tolerant in a bath 
where are you mitsi im in the uk dont know frozen reptiles il look them up 
as always thanks again for your invaluable advice the change in him the last few days since i been talking to you on here is amazing


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## mitsi (Feb 1, 2012)

mine have been eating chicks since they reached a foot long, I thought the same that they would be too big but they aren't, just put them in whole, its surprising what they can eat, be careful with the slugs and the snails in the uk as they carry lungworm, try him with some gals, just put them in there, they love them to. im in the uk to, in Worcester. Also try some whitebait and/or some prawns just to mix his diet up a bit.


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## ommis02 (Jul 26, 2013)

gals??? i dont give him slugs as a rule it just he saw them and had them lol. ive seen other people say they give them prawns do you leave the shells on?? il try some fish too i take it whole fish ?? 
ive just gave him a baby mouse with the tongs he came charging out for that lol ive left a boiled egg in there now for himt o see if he will try it 
thanks again for your time and patience


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## mitsi (Feb 1, 2012)

yes gals (giant African land snails) they are a bit of a delicacy for them, whole fish whitebait is good as they are very cost effective to, and yes whole prawns with the shells on.
No worries, I don't mind trying to help/advise if I can, especially where boscs are concerned. Ive just posted a couple of pics of my pair in the lizard section pictures, if you want to have a look, also on the monitor and tegu thread, do you have any pics of yours at all.


oh and im a she not a he lol


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## ommis02 (Jul 26, 2013)

oh im so sorry i dint mean to offend sorry 
yeah i got piccys but im crap on pc's so have to work it out lol
il get some fish in and try him he has been eating his boiled egg too now
i compared the chicks i have to the mice i been giving him and they are a bit bigger il try in a couple of days or so as he had loads today


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## ommis02 (Jul 26, 2013)

do you take them out the shells?? cant see him getting through them


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## ommis02 (Jul 26, 2013)

just looked at your piccys they look awesome are they in a outside enclosure or something?? can you tell me about your set up for them please


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## mitsi (Feb 1, 2012)

no leave the eggs in the shell but cut them up with it, and no offence taken, most people seem to think im a guy, seems most people who have monitors are male from what I can work out.
Its an indoor enclosure, 8x4x4, got 2ft roughly of soil/sand substrate, a plumbed in baby bath for them to soak in, then 3 tube heaters to keep ambient temps correct and three basking lights to get basking temps correct. I raised their basking shelf so they have the whole floor area to mooch around in, Its made out of 18mm osb board and some furniture board to make the front look nicer. I have two sliding doors and an opening hatch on there so I can get to all areas of the viv, then I put two big hides in and a few stumps and logs for them to climb on.


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## ommis02 (Jul 26, 2013)

mistsi you are a legend thanks for your advice my bosc is like a totally different beast now already
when i said leave them in the shells i ment the snails not the eggs you had already told me to leave the shells on them sorry was about as clear as mud 
i noticed the tube heaters is that just because its such a big enclosure? as at the minute in my viv i only have his uv and basking bulb


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## mitsi (Feb 1, 2012)

yes sorry just put the whole snail in, they drag the snails out of the shells, and they do manage to crush the shells too, its surprising how strong their jaws are. yes I find it easier and more economical to use the tube heaters, I have the biggest one set to 32c and then the other two smaller ones set at 24c, I find this keeps all my temps spot on day and night, no matter what time of year. and of course the basking shelf is at 60c all day so they just go there for a quick warm up whenever they want to then go off again. I don't use a uv bulb, some people do some don't, its a bit of personal preference. Im glad you are making progress with him and that ive helped you a little.


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## ommis02 (Jul 26, 2013)

helped a little !!! your advice has been great cant thank you enough


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## mitsi (Feb 1, 2012)

thanks glad I could help.


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## ommis02 (Jul 26, 2013)

you do realise though now you are my go to person for my bosc lol


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## ommis02 (Jul 26, 2013)

been trying to find prawns with there shells on today lol...i love that little lad of mine even if he a miserable bugger lol


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## mitsi (Feb 1, 2012)

ommis02 said:


> you do realise though now you are my go to person for my bosc lol


 
that's fine im honoured.

Morrisons is a good shop to get the prawns and the whitebait fish from.:2thumb:


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## ommis02 (Jul 26, 2013)

ah cool cheers il go look.
gave him his first chick today the damn thing was nearly as big as his body he came charging out for it grabbed it and disappeared in his hole with with it ...he's either buried or eaten it dont know how he managed to get his gob open enough for it lol


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## mitsi (Feb 1, 2012)

lol I did say you would be surprised what they can get down their necks lol, their mouth stretches quite wide open when they want to. don't forget to get some pics up when you can.


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## ommis02 (Jul 26, 2013)

il try and sort some pics i got some just getting them on here is a whole different ball game lol


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## mitsi (Feb 1, 2012)

have you got a photobucket account if so just load them onto there then copy and paste the img code, I think that's what its called, its the last little box with the codes in that will be on the right of the pic in a box.


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## ommis02 (Jul 26, 2013)

i promise il look and sort something i saw a thread on here about how to do it 
good news anyway my little "chucky" (thats my bosc by the way) who not so little now let me put my hand in his viv with out much fuss at all today i just put it at his level and kept it still he hissed once or twice but no real aggression and no tail slapping just came up had a taste a few times then walked off and came under my hand having a good look and a taste again no hissing until i moved my hand to take it out the viv then it was a half hearted one


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## mitsi (Feb 1, 2012)

that's brill, keep up the good work, it does take time but it will be worth it.


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## ommis02 (Jul 26, 2013)

well today i actually managed to give him a head scratch and a back scratch while he was munching his crickets looks like things are getting there he dont run off so much now if i puy my hand in his viv he still hisses a bit but lots better


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## mitsi (Feb 1, 2012)

ommis02 said:


> well today i actually managed to give him a head scratch and a back scratch while he was munching his crickets looks like things are getting there he dont run off so much now if i puy my hand in his viv he still hisses a bit but lots better


 
great to hear. still waiting for some pics: victory:


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## ommis02 (Jul 26, 2013)

*im back*

hey mitsi sorry not been on for ages ....got a full time job and then layed off lol so been a bit busy .....just a update for you my no longer little bosc is coming on great i pick him up with out much trouble now he still hisses a bit but soon settles down he keeps trying to get out his viv but im worried about him getting cold or disappearing under things if i let him out lol
i have not forgot to get get pictures i will do it i promise thanks again for your advice it helped greatly. i will be quizing again soon i think as he getting quite big now so maybe need to start sorting a bigger enclousure for him


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## mitsi (Feb 1, 2012)

ommis02 said:


> hey mitsi sorry not been on for ages ....got a full time job and then layed off lol so been a bit busy .....just a update for you my no longer little bosc is coming on great i pick him up with out much trouble now he still hisses a bit but soon settles down he keeps trying to get out his viv but im worried about him getting cold or disappearing under things if i let him out lol
> i have not forgot to get get pictures i will do it i promise thanks again for your advice it helped greatly. i will be quizing again soon i think as he getting quite big now so maybe need to start sorting a bigger enclousure for him


 
that's great to hear and im glad hes coming on so well, no problems mate just ask if theres anything you need help with and if I can I will.:2thumb:


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## ommis02 (Jul 26, 2013)

how much should he be eating mitsi he about a year old now and about 16-18 inches long at a guess. i give him a chick and 2-3 sprats (quite big ones) one day then the next il chuck a load of locusts in for him to chase round in the morning then in the afternnon a jumbo mice and every now and then il put a chopped up boiled egg in (aswell as the other i mentioned) with some morio worms in it...should i be giving him more?


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## mitsi (Feb 1, 2012)

id up the chicks to two, and also put a half a tub of crickets in there, the big ones, with the locusts, my two eat a whole tub of morio worms a day so I just fill up their pot with them, have you tried him on gals yet? if not I would, they will be a real treat for him, id give mice/chicks etc one day then just inverts the next and keep alternating them, this seems to work a treat with my two. my two get 3 or four chicks each a day plus a couple of small weaner rats and a tub of morios, then the next day it is just locusts/crickets and dubais. then two boiled eggs each once a month, gals once a fortnight and whitebait once a week.


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## ommis02 (Jul 26, 2013)

he dont touch the worms on there own and i cant find gals anywhere.dubais what are they ? i used to put crickets in but got fed of listening to the noise all night when he didnt eat them lol
so all in all im doing ok just need to up it a bit was just worried about him getting fat


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## mitsi (Feb 1, 2012)

ommis02 said:


> he dont touch the worms on there own and i cant find gals anywhere.dubais what are they ? i used to put crickets in but got fed of listening to the noise all night when he didnt eat them lol
> so all in all im doing ok just need to up it a bit was just worried about him getting fat


as long as his temps are ok and hes active then he wont get fat, he will metabolise everything very quickly, try your local rep shop for gals, or the classifieds on here, Dubai roaches, boscs seem to love them, you can get a breeding starter set quite cheaply and then just breed them, once set up you will have plenty to keep him going. The beauty of dubais is they don't climb don't make any noise and don't smell.


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## ommis02 (Jul 26, 2013)

nice one il look into them you think me beardie would like them ?? mitsi thanks....ive tried feeding him more but he not interested is it time of your year do you think??


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## mitsi (Feb 1, 2012)

ommis02 said:


> nice one il look into them you think me beardie would like them ?? mitsi thanks....ive tried feeding him more but he not interested is it time of your year do you think??


 
your beardie would more than likely love them too. It probably is the time of year, mine turned their noses up to an extra couple of chicks today and that's very unusual for them, but they are more intent on cuddling at the minute lol.


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## ommis02 (Jul 26, 2013)

been looking for roach starter kits but can only seem to find them in the states any ideas please??
wish i could video my chucky for you when i put a tub of crickets or locusts in he about wrecks his viv chasing them its brilliant makes me lol


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## mitsi (Feb 1, 2012)

Ebay sell them as do people on here in the feeder classifieds


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## ommis02 (Jul 26, 2013)

cheers il go have a look


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## ommis02 (Jul 26, 2013)

well i got bored at home today so i took a gamble and let me bosc out for a wander round the house i covered up all the nooks and crannies he could get in that i couldnt get him out of if he did and is now stopped hissing and puffing himself up and going sleep under a foot stool lol


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