Ackie Monitors
Reptile
Ackie monitors (spiny-tailed monitors) run hot — a fast metabolism paired with an active foraging lifestyle means they need frequent, insect-heavy meals, more like a small monitor's natural hunting pattern than a typical lizard's feeding schedule.
What They Eat
Dubia roaches are a preferred staple for Ackies — they don't burrow into substrate the way mealworms can, which matters for a species that thrives on foraging. Superworms work well as an occasional higher-fat addition. As Ackies mature, most keepers also introduce occasional whole prey — pinkie mice or eggs — to round out the diet, mirroring what this species hunts in the wild.
Feeding Schedule
- Hatchlings: Daily feedings of Small dubia roach nymphs, consumed during one active foraging session.
- Juveniles: Every other day to 3 times a week, tapering down from the hatchling pace, feeding Medium dubia roach nymphs.
- Adults: Every 1–2 days, with Large dubia roach nymphs scattered or hidden to encourage natural hunting behavior.
Exactly when to drop from daily to every-other-day feeding varies by source and by individual growth rate — use body condition as your guide rather than a fixed age.
Gut-Loading & Dusting
Gut-loading quality matters more here than in most species, given how much an Ackie eats relative to its size. Dust with calcium at most feedings, and calcium with D3 weekly for monitors without UVB. See our gut-loading guide for our colony feeding practices.
Watch For
Ackies are voracious — it's easy to overfeed a species this active-looking, especially with high-fat whole prey. Use body condition, not appetite, to judge portions.