Our new Argus monitors.

[Scales Zoo]

Varanus panoptes horni, to be exact.

We bought 2.1, and have the 1.1 bonded pair set up in the large enclosure. The pictures don't show the enclosure well, perhaps some of you remember seeing pictures of it when it was set up for other monitors.

I didn't take many pictures of them just yet, they didn't seem to mind the ones I did take however.

They've been busy exploring, digging and climbing. I was afraid they wouldn't make use of the vertical height, but they have been so far (to bask)

You can see the pictures at
http://www.scaleszoo.com/argus.htm

Ryan

[Janiman]

Ryan, those are absolutely gorgeous. As much work as I know they are (to keep them RIGHT), I can see myself making the committment one day to an animal like that.

The very best of luck with them. I'm sure you'll keep us posted.

Francis

[Ciddian]

Awww hun they look beautiful!! Wish i could visit one day... the place looks great!

excellent job.... hope things go well for your guys ^_^

[CDN-Cresties]

Congrats, they look great. Best of luck with them! :)

[mbayless]

Hi Ryan,
They sure look like V. flavirufus, but do not have a solid yellow tail tip - perhaps they are hybrids which all over the place for sale...argus tend to have high yellow and not so much red/orange as yours appear to have - never-the-less, enjoy the HELL out of them! Marvelous and gorgeous animals to be sure...they look like they will be as happy as a pig in sh$t....enjoy! Thanks for sharing....
Good luck,
markb

[Scales Zoo]

Mark, that is interesting.

This pair was imported specially for a friend, when it was still open to do so. They were WC imports.

He did later buy another one off of a list, which does appear to be a cross (to me). We have that one as well, kept seperately.

The colors in these pictures did not make me happy, I've got other pictures of them in the blue tubs I will email to you. In real life they aren't as orangy, the red heat light seems to have had something to do with the colors of the pictures.

I'm happy as the pig you mentioned, the monitors seem to like the enclosure.

One thing I've never asked, however. If they are WC, could they be naturally occuring crosses - I am not sure what overlaps their range.

Ryan

[AHLizards]

wow very nice.

[NiagaraReptiles]

Those were imported from Indo, Ryan. I'm not sure others from the complex make it very far off the shores of Oz, but I could be mistaken. The third animal you speak of is the one I thought looked like a gouldi, but it's been years since I've seen it last and I might have a different perspective now.

Anyway, congrats on the new additions! I'm very gald to see you with them and I think you'll have a lot of fun keeping them.

JonK

[KaHane]

Congrat Ryan, very beautiful specimens and a nice and spacious setup!!!

[BoidKeeper]

Hey Ryan,

What does this mean?
and have the 1.1 bonded pair
I've never heard the term "bonded" before.
Thanks,
Trevor

[Scales Zoo]

Trevor, a bonded pair is a male and female that are bonded.

O.K, sorry, but it is kind of like "going steady" with humans, the way I look at it.

From what I've been reading and discussing with people, when raised from young together, they can form pairs and hopefully these will be successful breeders. I've been told these 2 have copulated in the past.

They lay together, with front legs wrapped around the backs of one another. It looks like they are "cuddling".

Introducing an adult female to the male, or vice versa at this point can result in a dead monitor, from what I've been reading.

So you see why I am so happy to get a pair that is "bonded".

Ryan

[BoidKeeper]

Well now isn't that interesting. Does he ever come home with lip stick on his collar?
Cheers,
Trevor

[Scales Zoo]

No, he doesn't, but I have heard of people using 1 male with 2 females kept in seperate enclosures - so males of all species don't seem to be monogomous, as some people had thought.

Actually, at this point, not much I read suprises me. These guys are like no other reptile I've ever kept. All monitors are super cool, but these guys remind me so much of birds, or dinosaurs, or the "missing link" in evolution terms, I feel truly blessed to be able to work with them.

Ryan

[NiagaraReptiles]

Originally posted by Scales Zoo
No, he doesn't, but I have heard of people using 1 male with 2 females kept in seperate enclosures - so males of all species don't seem to be monogomous, as some people had thought.



In most cases it's more up to the female than the male. If the female is not receptive to the male, though mating might occur it surely doesn't mean she will produce eggs. The mounting/mating part of breeding with monitors serves more than just procreation purposes as well. What appears to be mating can be just a display of dominance.

Pair bonding is definately something that occurs with captive monitors, and bonded pairs are often much more productive than animals kept singly (only introduced for breeding purposes).

Just some things to think about ;)

JonK

[V.hb]

Originally posted by NiagaraReptiles
In most cases it's more up to the female than the male

Jon, you have that nailed into my head now! and I have to completely agree (finally) heheh.. Its definatly up to the females. Males will mount all day long but if the female doesnt recept you dont get eggs. And not all mounting is directly related to breeding!

Ive seen monitors mount, motion their heads etc just to gain control of a basking spot, nothing to do with breeding :)

good post Jon!

[mbayless]

Hi Ryan,
I agree with JonK on his remarks about the females - he is right on the money on that...and as far as crosses go in nature, yes it is possible as their ranges do overlap, but not always their niche/ecology specifics....
good luck,
markb

[crocdoc]

Sorry, Mark, I think you may be mistaken on this, as the range of V panoptes horni doesn't overlap with other members of the group (V panoptes horni comes from PNG, the others in the group come from Oz).

By the way, that article on the osteoderms in Megalania was a great read! Thanks again for sending that.

[Scales Zoo]

Thanks for the info Jon and others.

As far as naturally occuring crosses - I've read everything I can find on the net - and I do remember reading about speculation that some of the complex other than V. p. horni may live in southern PNG. I have read so much I can't remember where or what it was exactly that I read that - but since then I have read that only V. p. horni live off of Oz, as crocdoc has said.

The gouldi and panoptes changes and holotype information did have me confused for a bit, as I was reading a mix of old and new information. I read so much so fast, I want to read everything over again.

I am ordering some more monitor books very soon - and that Megalania one, I see it is out now.

Ryan

[Gregg M]

Clean out your mail box guys..... Ryan I am trying to send you something.....LOL

[CDN COLDBLOOD]

Just about the trio situation.
The dominant female will not only control her own breeding cycle, but will control the breeding cycle of the other female cagemates. I always have one female that's really BIG, BOSSY and PRODUCTIVE, while the others tend to be more submissive and reproduce less.
Brandon

[CDN COLDBLOOD]

By the way. They look great! Very nice patterning and colour. Good luck!
Brandon

[Linds]

Very cool! That's looks like a great enclosure as well :)

[reptiguy123]

So cool man. Nice job Ryan. I'm sure hauling all that sand was well worth it. Am I right?:)

[Scales Zoo]

Thanks Brandon, Linds and Matt.

It was worth hauling all of the sand in. I might bring in some more, and make it deeper on one side. They are burrowing, but the burrows usually collapse in a day, and then they make new holes and burrows. I've been adding a lot of water to part of the sand - and it seems to be holding better, but I might try making it deeper as well.

I would take pictures of them again now that they are settled in to the new enclosure - but my digital camera was stolen a week ago.

Ryan