update on not eating HL

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Posted by Les4toads on April 26, 2003 at 11:24:52:

In Reply to: update on not eating HL posted by Jeff Judd on April 26, 2003 at 04:10:28:

::::I've tried all the ants from outside and the Harvester ants and none of them work. I have also maimed them still he won't eat them. He will go after crickets though and sometimes he will go after the ants but he won't eat them. I am in fear of his safty. Also he is not full grown he is about 2 inches would that have anything to do with it. If you have already answered this question I am sorry.

:::He has been stung i think maybe 3 times by the ants and i know it says that there immune and everything but he has become less active now and hasn''t moved much. PLEASE REPLY ASAP! This is getting me very worried.

:If your horned lizard is being stung you are offering too many ants, try one at a time. You can raise hatchlings of almost all species on harvester ants. Also offer mini mealworms from grubco and fruit flys. I have raised hatchlings of almost all species(8 out of 13) on pogonomyrmrex californiocus. Sometimes hatchlings will get latched on by ants, to solve this you can either put them in the refrigerator for 5 minutes, to slow them down, or crush the ants mandibles with tweezers. You sound like you are experienced,
:in some sort of way, and this is some kind of joke, from the words you speak. Their are no 2 inch young horned lizards(maybe adult modestum) at this time, even in southern Mexico. Where did you get this horned lizard? You are not making sense. Something is not right here!

:::First off, do you know what species of horned lizard you have? Second, what state do you live in? (WHATS THIS For?) Third, was this horned lizard bought from a pet store or wild collected? (Whats This For?) Do you have any idea what kind of ants you are attempting to feed the horned lizard?(Good Question) By the size of the horned lizard that you describe, it sounds like a first season hatchling.(Their are none yet) The kind of ants required are more specific to the species and size of the horned lizard.(Not True) Hatchling horned lizards, through their first year, do not eat the same kind of ants that adult, late second year and older, eat.(From my experiance not true, I have raised young on the same ants fed to adults). There are at least 35 different kinds of harvester ant that the different species of horned lizards will eat.(Giving more opportunity for success) There are several species of ant that the horned lizards will not eat.(True, but I've seen horned lizards raised on ants from a different continenent(Lasius) with great success If you can provide more info to the questions asked above, I will see if I can help more. Lester G. Milroy III
: This is wierd!
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:Jeff, If you have comments, do not interject them into my posting. My experience with HLs is from scientific observation, study in the field and captive study. Your comments and interjection into my post text is very unprofessional, and probably down right rude. Lester G. Milroy III

Follow Ups:

Rude Action Jeff Judd 04/26/03 (1)
- Rude Action Les4toads 04/26/03 (0)