how am i doing?

[reptile171]

Hey everyone, first of all before ya give me your answer take note of this:THIS IS A TEMPERARY HOME!! Ok?lol

One savanah monitor and a nile, both 6 inches:

Anyways i would like to know how all of you think im doing with my monitors and there setup, heres what i have: I have a regular 29 gallon tank with 3 inches of small brown bark, 1 large basking spot of rocks in the backs center, there is one large branch slanted accros the cage going up, under the basking spot i have plant carpet (fake plant in a rug look) and accros the back of the cage i have a small vine, i have 1 6 inch water bowl in the front of the cage on both sides, oh the bascking spot has a cave underneeth it. they also have a burried heat rock for extra heat. I put in 10 crickets daily.

Two red ear pond sliders and 1 musk turtle, 4 inches, inside for the winter"

They are in a 10 gallon with no gravel half way full of water with 1 large basking spot. Daily water changes, filtration is large air pump. fed crickets and regular turtle food, with occasional fruit. Heating is a heat lamp and water heater soon to come, will be moved to 175 gallon pond in spring.

Ball python:

10 gallon tank with one large box for hiding, 2 inches of bark with large water bowl. heating is a heat lamp.!18 inches.


SO how am i doing so far?

[sapphire_moon]

The turtles need something to climb up on. They do bask out of the water, they still have toes (no flippers), so they do go on land.
You can also try giving them night crawlers or worms (it is messy! lol), I don't know about the musk turtle but I'm aslo assuming that he has little toes and claws that enable him to climb up, give him something to bask on also.

If your BP is 18 inches he needs a larger enclosure. Give him the choice of a cool spot and a warm spot so he doesn't have to chose security over regulating body temps.
Try getting a UTH or human heating pad and put it UNDER the tank. Make sure it does not go over 90-95 degrees. BP's NEED belly heat.

Get rid of the hot rock in your monitors cage. They can cause electrical fires and can easily burn your monitors. They often get burnt before they even realize how hot they are, then it's usually to late.

[reptile171]

yeah, the basking spot id ABOVE water,lol......

[sapphire_moon]

Well I would hope so. lol. I meant that they would need something to sit on, so they can sit under the "sun".

[varanuskomodoen]

ya:).

[Mr.Lizard]

Your two monitors are from different habitats---sav's are from arid regions while Nile's are from riverine habitats so their humidity needs are quite different.
Aside from that,I still wouldn't keep two different monitor species together in the same cage. If you have no other option at this time,at least make sure that both animals are getting enough to eat and the food is not being taken by the most dominant animal.
Also basking lights and ceramic heat emitters are a much better source of heat than heat rocks. I lost a Nile monitor to a heat rock mishap.

Good Luck, --Kevin--

[reptile171]

I have moved the turtles to the 29, and then i got two hatchling RES in a 10 for now, and the ball is still in the 10 and the M are in a 10 until there larger cage arrives...

[culebra vibora]

I agree with Sapphire Moon. The Ball Python should definately be given a larger tank. A snakes right lung usually runs one third of it's body length. The tank should always be long enough for it to stretch it out, plus it's nice to have extra room to move around in. Now I can divide and I know that you said you have the python in a 10 gallon and that 1/3 of it's body length is 6 inches but you also have to take in account cool zones and warm zones. It needs both of these in order to properly regulate it's body temperature, as previously mentioned by Sapphire Moon. Just up the size of your tanks and I'm sure everything else will be fine!