Albig & water basking time

[asphyxia]

Hi Gang,

How much time is "normal" for a white throat to spend in the drink?

Mine sleeps in his hide, but when she is awake I would guess the percent of time that I see her, she is soaking about 40% of the time, there is 2 heat sources...one over the water and one over the dirt.

Comments experiences please.

Thanks in advance
Brian

[asphyxia]

Furthermore, I just checked for mites and found none,
so I am guessing all is ok?

Brian

[Gregg M]

All is fine...... Alibigularis soaks alot more than exanthimaticus does...... Its is ok....... The time to let it soak is not up to anyone but your lizard....... For the most part monitor lizards do not get mites...... There is realy no place mites could hide on a monitor.....

[asphyxia]

Thanks Gregg, and i agree with you

BTW, I was thinking ticks and mites, as I have seen a picture of a tick in the nostrial of an Albig either way she has none

Best Regards
Brian

[asphyxia]

oops, same as above

[NiagaraReptiles]

With proper husbandry, there would be no need for any African monitor to spend excessive amounts of time in water.

This goes back to my question regarding whether you are seeing what you think you are seeing.......

[asphyxia]

Hi Niagara

And what is excessive?

Quit being so vague and talking in circles, If you know somthing I dont just say it.

You can see by most of the responses here and via other threads my husbandry skills are excellent, and as per Greggs responce "All is fine".

As I responded to you on many occasions, I believe my Albig is doing extremly fine thank you.

Brian

[NiagaraReptiles]

Hey Brian,

All I am trying to convey to you is that several aspects of proper Varanid husbandry are subjective to several variables, and also many of which have no right or wrong answer (as every situation is different). Your monitor has the answers to your questions, but I don't think you are looking hard enough. Please don't take this the wrong way, as it is not meant to be critical. I try through my posts to get you and others to think about what your monitor(s) are doing and why they may be doing it. Only the keeper can observe their monitor on a daily basis and try to figure out what is going on.

Again, you seem to be coming here looking for answers and choose to listen only to what you want to. Again, I strongly urge you to try and figure out what your monitor is telling you.


Albig's are a burrowing species. There are several things obtained from burrowing, one of which is moisture retention. How well do you think a small Albig could retain moisture in the extreme african heat?
In captivity, soaking is a sign of dehydration amoung many species (especially African species).

Again, I never post with emotion though sometimes readers can interprit that way. It was thought to be common place for captive monitors to soak in water basins for many years. It was also accepted that most monitors just don't live long in captivity, and rarely breed. It's only been in the last 10 years that we've started to see more and more captive breedings in captivity. Not only isolated incedences, but repeated success as well. So much has been learned and I truly believe we are on the verge of a new era in monitor husbandry, but one has to be willing to accept that their views may be "primative" (for lack of a better word).

Best wishes, as always.....

[asphyxia]

Hi Jon,

I like you, and appreciate what you are trying to say, however, you drive me nuts, with all this "Listen to what your monitor is saying" stuff,
who do you think I am Dr. Dolittle? LOL

So, if the monitor is soaking in the water that's great because he needs to be hydrated, I am glad he has the opportunity to bath as he sees fit.

He obviously needs more than the weekly bath as prescribed by the Pro exotic care sheet.

BTW he has from what Vie gathered the proper humidity levels in the Alkaline dirt.

Back to you Jon
Brian

[Gregg M]

Well I have to disagree with niagras post only because Albigs are not a burrowing species....... And they also spend lots of time in the trees........ They only hide out in logs and holes already made by other animals during the dry season....... Not for moisture but more for lack of prey items...... And albigs spend lots of time in the water in the wild....... Especialy younger ones...... More than most people seem to think....... His lizard could be soaking because he is shedding..... Did you ever think of that....... If it has a watter dish to soak in then it has one to drink from...... I do not feel his lizard is dehydrated...... But Brian, if you feel there is something wrong with him get it checked out...... I am sure it is fine......

[norman]

yeah i agree with Gregg, our savannah basks a lot in his water dish when he is just about to shed.

[Steeve B]

Hello I have limited experience with albigularis; mine are Microsticus from Mozambique and black throat from Tanzania,
My animals from Mozambique always need high humidity, in nature they live in flooded terrain most of the year, so I drench there cages, if there cages becomes to dry they stop eating, on the other hand black throat seems more tolerant to dryness, much less interested in soaking, and rarely refuse food at any given time of the year. They both have the ability to dig but perhaps the drier the habitat the more borrows becomes mandatory. A borrow to a monitor is everything, it has 3 fundamental factors.
To preserve heat, or escape excessive heat
Keeps metabolism high, aid digestion
High energy level
To keep proper humidity
Prevents dehydration from water lose and burning excessively fat reserves
To provide security
Stressed out any WC or CB monitor perish, monitors stress from predation and environmental changes,
Storm, fir, tornado, cold, heat,

Now take away the need for humidity, lets say its 40-60% and temperatures are good, most monitors who’d be quit content in a tree, more opportunities to feed and breed, worm faster in the morning sun and cool in the afternoon breeze, overall better life quality. On a final note my albies like very hot basking 150F, as for my Microsticus they prefer 100F most monitors of the rain forest with higher humidity also experience lower maximum temps, when kept in hostile environment they dehydrate fast and seek refuge in water or borrows. Kind regards

[asphyxia]

Thank you all, very much for your attention and knowledge to my question, after absorbing all the information, I truly believe matters are well, and the monitor is carrying out "normal" behavior, and doing well.


"Again, you seem to be coming here looking for answers and choose to listen only to what you want to."

Just to straighten this statement out, I am 41 years old and been keeping herps for 25 years, I have a very open mind and a thirst for knowledge, which would not be quenched if I had "selective" hearing.
All responses are important to me, and enable me to see all sided of the coin.

My Albig said to say that *wink wink*

Sincerely
Brian