How am i doing?

[reptile171]

Hey everyone! I came here to see if i could get some advice on how im doing with my nile monitor which is about 1ft long (including his tail).So here i go:

*Housed in a 29 gallon tank

*Bedding is a towel (easy to clean) which is changed when needed.

*Water bowl is about 12 inches long, and 8 inches wide, and is cleaned every other day.

*There are two fake ivy plants, which are a about 6 inches long and wide on each side of the tank.

*two branches stretch across the tank for climbing.

*Three small rocks for basking.

*There is a heat lamp which is on during the day, and a blue heat lamp for the night.....

Any suggestions or comments? Please speak your mind...

[JeffT]

Sounds alright for now, but if kept properly he is going to outgrow that 29gal very quickly, be prepared!

[tHeGiNo]

Here is my advice:

1.) Scrap the paper towl.

2.) Check your basking spot temperatures, and let us know what they are.

3.) Post in the Varanid forum. You will get much better and much more informed information there. Here is the link:http://www.ssnakess.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?s=&forumid=57 .

On a few side notes, I hope you know that your nile is going to outgrow that enclosure in a matter of months, and that it will need an enclosure at least six feet long. I also hope you have researched sufficiently, and are aware of the costs and responsibility of these magnificent creatures. I also hope you understand that a tame / nice nile is rare. Do not expect to be carrying this guy around on your shoulders. Like I said, for the best advice, refer to the Varanid forum.

EDIT:

Whoops! LMAO! It is already in the varanid forum...

[Bartman]

I agree with gino, be ready for an animal that can give you serious whiplash with its tail when its full grown, even broken bones...i hope you didnt expect something that you can chill with on the sofa while watching some tv...there reptiles, and we cant forget that. Theres one at a place near me which has an attitude like you wouldnt believe! But there still extremely BE-UUU-tiful animals...good luck with yours!

[reptile171]

i know he will grow....ALOT, today was the first time he bit me pretty hard,even for a baby it hurt like hell,im going to have to work with him alot before he bites me when hes grown!(which i am expecting)

[exanthematicus]

Don't work with him too much as a baby.

[ratzu]

I don't think it's gonna break any bones. Its gonna sting and maybe leave a mark and thats about it.

[jungleshadows]

maybe if it whips my finger. They have power in the tail but not enough to break my leg or my arm. Perhaps my nose if that.

I have been whipped many times by many large and small monitors I have yet to get anything but a nice red welt.

There tail would have to be thick and stiff like a baseball bat or pipe to do that damage. I doubt if even a Komodo could break bones with the tail.

But ask Shvar I think he saw a dog get its legs broke. LOL


Good luck with the nile they are not as bad and evil as everyone claims. I have two here and they are no harder to work with then my other monitors.

But then again I am not a newbie, I know what to expect from them. I am slightly crazy and do not mind pain. I have also worked with larger predatory mammals. So maybe it is just me :)

No Fear Drink a Beer! LOL

[Bartman]

sorry, i was just overexagerating :) but as you guys said they can leave a painful reminder that they can be aggresive unless calmed down as people have said...good luck!

[crocdoc]

Reptile 171

as someone else said, ditch the towel and use something else (mulch or dirt).

There is no mention of hide spots. Baby monitors need to be able to hide. If you put enough dirt in there it may be able to dig a hole to hide in. Otherwise get some hollow branches or something else it can hide in or under. Give it a choice of at least a couple of hiding spots.

What sort of top are you using on the tank? Hopefully not screen.

[Bartman]

if you have a picture of your enclosure you will be able to get a lot of suggestions from the people here who know there stuff...i posted a pic and saw i wasnt do a lot of things right but fixed it up quickly and now everythings great

[SHvar]

That comment has been taken out of context bad. What I said was a friend who had (sold him) a 7ft 39lb common nile not too long ago (a few years) had him tied outside of his petshop where the neighbor set his doberman on it as a joke, the result was my friend calling the police and the doberman had both front legs broken by the nile. At no point in time did I ever say I saw it happen, but the local police, the police chief from the next town (resident there), a few neighbors (5 of them) saw it first hand. The first time I heard of it, a few years before I met this friend was from the owner of the dog, he told me who to verify it through then, and yes they all agreed it happened. And the dog owner was charged for breaking leash laws.
None the less, I wouldnt disbelieve it as I saw a husky break another dogs leg,a few ribs, and killed it in a suprisingly quick fight, the other dog by the way was a doberman.

[reptiguy123]

Adam's right. We need to see pictures!