Finally!!VTOs

[wareagleA5]

So I finally got some monitors in, I got them from Justin Thompson on fauna, these guys are amazing. The smaller one ran straight to the basking spot and I decided to put a roach down in front of her when she ran up to my hand and took it from my hand before I could put it down. I wish the camera could pick up the red and blue in them.
http://i264.photobucket.com/albums/ii181/eagle_192/Mobile%20Uploads/20140710_100308_zpse7ebptrr.jpg (http://s264.photobucket.com/user/eagle_192/media/Mobile%20Uploads/20140710_100308_zpse7ebptrr.jpg.html)
http://i264.photobucket.com/albums/ii181/eagle_192/Mobile%20Uploads/20140710_095632_zpsoovr7fph.jpg (http://s264.photobucket.com/user/eagle_192/media/Mobile%20Uploads/20140710_095632_zpsoovr7fph.jpg.html)
http://i264.photobucket.com/albums/ii181/eagle_192/Mobile%20Uploads/20140710_095453_zps6jlatiaq.jpg (http://s264.photobucket.com/user/eagle_192/media/Mobile%20Uploads/20140710_095453_zps6jlatiaq.jpg.html)

[sharthun]

Very cool! Congrats!:cool:

[franks]

Finally! I've never seen that nice of an enclosure sit new and empty for so long lol. That must have killed you. I'm jealous- they are great monitors to watch

[wareagleA5]

Thanks, the little one is fearless, the bigger one is being cautious. I have to figure out how to edit post, I got them from Dustin Thompson. I added the plexi fence into the enclosure after he warned me about their speed.

[jpsteele80]

Congrats, they look awesome

[SnakeyJay]

They look great mate!! My VTO is still very skittish, guess it's just a matter of patience :)

[SnoopySnake]

Awesome!! I'm not too familiar with monitors so forgive me-but what type are they? They look awesome, and I really like the looks of the enclosure.

[wareagleA5]

They look great mate!! My VTO is still very skittish, guess it's just a matter of patience :)
Thanks, these two are German imports so I'm not sure if the different lines have different temperaments. They've both been basking, exploring, and eating dubia from a bowl.

[wareagleA5]

Awesome!! I'm not too familiar with monitors so forgive me-but what type are they? They look awesome, and I really like the looks of the enclosure.
Varanus tristis orientalis, and thanks

[SnakeyJay]

Thanks, these two are German imports so I'm not sure if the different lines have different temperaments. They've both been basking, exploring, and eating dubia from a bowl.

It's quite possible, mine are cb in the UK.. Looks like I got the short end there then :-/

[wareagleA5]

Well these two are also late 2013 hatchling so they've had some time to get their confidence up.

[aaron_cg]

Very cool! Making me want to get a monitor now.

[smy_749]

Very nice! You might want to add some cork tubes or more branches for VTOs. Also, its not a big deal at the moment, but the substrate looks too sandy for nesting when the female gets to that age. Either way, glad they are eating and not as skittish as is the norm!

[wareagleA5]

Thanks, I started adding in more branches and bark yesterday, but it started raining while I was out looking for driftwood. I'm thinking about lining the entire back wall with bark and I may need some leaves to hold moisture in the substrate.
http://i264.photobucket.com/albums/ii181/eagle_192/Mobile%20Uploads/20140711_170336_zpswzsekw5a.jpg (http://s264.photobucket.com/user/eagle_192/media/Mobile%20Uploads/20140711_170336_zpswzsekw5a.jpg.html)

[franks]

Leaves work great. I throw a ton of grape leaves and maple leafs in my monitor enclosure.it works very well keeping the moisture in, brings in alot of mites and bugs to help my bioactive substrate, and it gives my monitor exercise as he spends the day flipping them looking for roaches who take refuge under them. Over time they get crunched into the soil and become part of the substrate.

[pinefamily]

Very cool monitors. They are on our wish list too. The black headed monitor is one of the more skittish ones, but I believe can tame down with a lot of work.

[wareagleA5]

I'm still amazed that the smaller one is so brave lol, can't get them to eat off tongs yet , but they are destroying dubias twice a day.
http://i264.photobucket.com/albums/ii181/eagle_192/Mobile%20Uploads/20140712_154605_zpsqhydyjqq.jpg (http://s264.photobucket.com/user/eagle_192/media/Mobile%20Uploads/20140712_154605_zpsqhydyjqq.jpg.html)

[wareagleA5]

One week in and the big guy is starting to come out more.
http://i264.photobucket.com/albums/ii181/eagle_192/Mobile%20Uploads/20140717_171733_zpsuzngdjt9.jpg (http://s264.photobucket.com/user/eagle_192/media/Mobile%20Uploads/20140717_171733_zpsuzngdjt9.jpg.html)

[SnakeyJay]

Very true, mines a 2014.. Your enclosure looks wicked too!

[wareagleA5]

Very true, mines a 2014.. Your enclosure looks wicked too!
Thanks, gonna be putting in some plants to add some color.

[wareagleA5]

One month update, the larger of the two is always out now even though I've had to handle him several times because he'll wedge himself between the door and the fence and this handling hasn't phased him even though he doesn't like it at all lol. The smaller one has become a bit more skittish. They're both still destroying the dubia and I've fed them pinkies once and they've had a couple of anoles that found their way into the house.
The larger one that I'm hoping is male has gone from 15.5" to 17.25" and the smaller one has gone from 14.5" to 16.5". After doing some research I doubt these two are pure VTO.
http://i264.photobucket.com/albums/ii181/eagle_192/Mobile%20Uploads/20140813_174823_zpsswsvjo37.jpg (http://s264.photobucket.com/user/eagle_192/media/Mobile%20Uploads/20140813_174823_zpsswsvjo37.jpg.html)

[smy_749]

There are no pure VTO in the states, all are crossed to some degree.

[wareagleA5]

Yeah smy, that's the conclusion I came to also and I have Danny Brown's book.

[Gatorhunter1231]

Chris Murray brought in tons of European VTOs last year which are claimed to be pure.

[wareagleA5]

Chris Murray brought in tons of European VTOs last year which are claimed to be pure.
This is one of them lol
http://i264.photobucket.com/albums/ii181/eagle_192/Mobile%20Uploads/20140828_163717_zpsv1t1rzp6.jpg (http://s264.photobucket.com/user/eagle_192/media/Mobile%20Uploads/20140828_163717_zpsv1t1rzp6.jpg.html)

[wareagleA5]

2 months and the changes in them are fun to watch, both of their tails and shoulders are getting darker with the black on their tails getting closer to their bodies. I'm just keeping track of their growth rate here in case anyone is curious. They are now 19.25" and 18.75". I'm guessing two inches a month is good and they have to be coming up on their birthday being late 2013 hatchlings. It seems like they're taking turns deciding who is going to be more outgoing every month. This is the smaller one and you can see the difference from the first pictures.
http://i264.photobucket.com/albums/ii181/eagle_192/Mobile%20Uploads/20140907_053542_zpsai33cd4y.jpg (http://s264.photobucket.com/user/eagle_192/media/Mobile%20Uploads/20140907_053542_zpsai33cd4y.jpg.html)