Dehlida
08-15-11, 08:42 PM
This is just a general care guide, of course, it may not apply directly to every species. If you have questions about a particular species, feel free to ask and I'll direct you in the right direction.
General:
Monitors are one of the fastest growing staples in the reptile industry, if not the fastest. Not a day goes buy in my local shop where they aren't selling out of the latest group of hatchlings. People sit on wait lists for years to get captive bred animals, and monitors are sold out at my expo in the first 30-45 minutes of the doors opening. Everyone wants monitors- partially because of size, "bad-***" effect, and uniqueness. Lets not forget they are an all around awesome display animal.
Before considering one of these animals, ask yourself. Can you afford to feed this animal for the rest of it's life? Can you afford to cage this animal, which means large water changes + electricity? Can you afford the vet costs? Can you handle a 20+ year commitment to an animal that will eat more food in a month than a 4 person/2 dog household combined? Can you handle the fact you may never get to touch the animal you're investing thousands of dollars in?
If you answered no, please find another reptile choice. There are numerous reptiles that make better pets than monitors. More than 99% of monitors sold in the hobby die at less than a year of age. The ones that live past that, 99% are growth stunted or maintained poorly in bad habitats or not fed enough. Less than .1% of monitors sold grow normally and are maintained poperly- but this number is rapidly rising.
Housing:
Monitors require large cages. I grow up most of my hatchlings in either 4x2x2 for smaller species, and 5x3x3 for larger ones. The smaller species will need smaller adult cages, and the arboreal ones obviously need taller cages. The most common ones sold in the hobby- savannahs, black throats, niles, and water monitors in general do well raised in a 4x2x2 and later moved into an 8x4x4. Large male niles, adult waters, and adult black throats will need even larger, preferably a 10x12 bedroom.
Enclosures need to be framed well with 2x4s. Monitors are powerful, and due to husbandry requirements, untreated and unsupported wood will rot through in a few months time. Frame it, and seal it with a solid water proof sealant. Go to great lengths to caulk the inside edges of the enclosure to prevent any moisture from getting into the wood itself. Under no circumstances should you be using large amounts of screen in your design. Screen lets out humidity and heat- 2 crucial elements to a healthy monitor.
Deep dirt/sand mixture is the only way to go for monitor substrate. Nothing else will provide the proper husbandry elements needed for the animals survival. Monitor burrows provide shelter, reduce stress, and provide an excellent warm/humid hide that aids in proper growth and digestion. I've seen side-by-side comparisons of monitor growth without dirt, and the ones with dirt do 100x better, feed better, interact better, and are better overall captives.
Heating/humidity needs:
Monitors require higher temps than any other reptile, they also require high humidity for proper growth. This is why I advise so strongly against screen tops- they will dry out and kill the animal. Most monitors thrive in about 70%-80% humidity range, some species higher. Humidity goes hand in hand with the dirt substrate, if you have solid dirt substrate, humidity will not be as hard to maintain! I do not have to mist any of my enclosures, and all hover around 75% humidity. Heating is the next crucial part- go out and purchase a quality temp gun. You need to be able to measure surface temps of the animals cage. A hot spot under the basking area of 130-140 is huge. Most owners only provide 90-100. Monitor metabolisms are fast, and their appetites are voracious, they will thank you for it! My temp gradients range from about 87 degrees on the warmer end, to 75 on the cooler, of course they fluctuate with season.
Diets:
Monitors eat, and they eat A LOT. I feed all of my monitors as much as they can eat daily. If you are giving a proper enclosure, with proper temps/humidity, they will not become obese. Monitor metabolisms are fast, if your monitor is fat- your temps are too low. Small monitors should be fed a mix of insects and rodents. The exception given to ackies and savs. I feed both nothing but an insect diet, and they do much better and won't have as many problems. Both can be offered some whole food items sparingly- if I have an extra mouse left over from feeding, I will occasionally toss it to the sav. As they grow, increase food, the sooner you can upgrade from pinkies to fuzzies and the like the better. Each upgrade is a higher nutritional value. Monitor food intake is enormous, so don't be amazed when your hatchling is eating 2 dozen crickets and a few fuzzies every day/every other day! At one year old, most monitors should be around 3/4 of their adult size. My nile monitor at just over 1 year old, is now breaking well over 4 foot long. She's slamming down about 5-6 adult mice per day, plus whatever insects she finds in her cage! Do the math on that one!
Handling:
Monitors do not want handling. They are solitary predators. Some monitors will never permit owner handling, while some will come around with time. The best bet- leave them alone for the first several months of their life. This is a vulnerable stage for them, and stressing them out will do more harm than good. Monitors are not "pick them up and hold them, and they will become tame" reptiles. Monitors are intelligent thinking animals, who will hold grudges, and once they are set in their ways, are difficult to change. Tong feed, let the animal associate your presence with food, and being let out of the enclosure to explore. They can understand what we are doing, and they will recognize you as important rather than a big predator later on in life.
General:
Monitors are one of the fastest growing staples in the reptile industry, if not the fastest. Not a day goes buy in my local shop where they aren't selling out of the latest group of hatchlings. People sit on wait lists for years to get captive bred animals, and monitors are sold out at my expo in the first 30-45 minutes of the doors opening. Everyone wants monitors- partially because of size, "bad-***" effect, and uniqueness. Lets not forget they are an all around awesome display animal.
Before considering one of these animals, ask yourself. Can you afford to feed this animal for the rest of it's life? Can you afford to cage this animal, which means large water changes + electricity? Can you afford the vet costs? Can you handle a 20+ year commitment to an animal that will eat more food in a month than a 4 person/2 dog household combined? Can you handle the fact you may never get to touch the animal you're investing thousands of dollars in?
If you answered no, please find another reptile choice. There are numerous reptiles that make better pets than monitors. More than 99% of monitors sold in the hobby die at less than a year of age. The ones that live past that, 99% are growth stunted or maintained poorly in bad habitats or not fed enough. Less than .1% of monitors sold grow normally and are maintained poperly- but this number is rapidly rising.
Housing:
Monitors require large cages. I grow up most of my hatchlings in either 4x2x2 for smaller species, and 5x3x3 for larger ones. The smaller species will need smaller adult cages, and the arboreal ones obviously need taller cages. The most common ones sold in the hobby- savannahs, black throats, niles, and water monitors in general do well raised in a 4x2x2 and later moved into an 8x4x4. Large male niles, adult waters, and adult black throats will need even larger, preferably a 10x12 bedroom.
Enclosures need to be framed well with 2x4s. Monitors are powerful, and due to husbandry requirements, untreated and unsupported wood will rot through in a few months time. Frame it, and seal it with a solid water proof sealant. Go to great lengths to caulk the inside edges of the enclosure to prevent any moisture from getting into the wood itself. Under no circumstances should you be using large amounts of screen in your design. Screen lets out humidity and heat- 2 crucial elements to a healthy monitor.
Deep dirt/sand mixture is the only way to go for monitor substrate. Nothing else will provide the proper husbandry elements needed for the animals survival. Monitor burrows provide shelter, reduce stress, and provide an excellent warm/humid hide that aids in proper growth and digestion. I've seen side-by-side comparisons of monitor growth without dirt, and the ones with dirt do 100x better, feed better, interact better, and are better overall captives.
Heating/humidity needs:
Monitors require higher temps than any other reptile, they also require high humidity for proper growth. This is why I advise so strongly against screen tops- they will dry out and kill the animal. Most monitors thrive in about 70%-80% humidity range, some species higher. Humidity goes hand in hand with the dirt substrate, if you have solid dirt substrate, humidity will not be as hard to maintain! I do not have to mist any of my enclosures, and all hover around 75% humidity. Heating is the next crucial part- go out and purchase a quality temp gun. You need to be able to measure surface temps of the animals cage. A hot spot under the basking area of 130-140 is huge. Most owners only provide 90-100. Monitor metabolisms are fast, and their appetites are voracious, they will thank you for it! My temp gradients range from about 87 degrees on the warmer end, to 75 on the cooler, of course they fluctuate with season.
Diets:
Monitors eat, and they eat A LOT. I feed all of my monitors as much as they can eat daily. If you are giving a proper enclosure, with proper temps/humidity, they will not become obese. Monitor metabolisms are fast, if your monitor is fat- your temps are too low. Small monitors should be fed a mix of insects and rodents. The exception given to ackies and savs. I feed both nothing but an insect diet, and they do much better and won't have as many problems. Both can be offered some whole food items sparingly- if I have an extra mouse left over from feeding, I will occasionally toss it to the sav. As they grow, increase food, the sooner you can upgrade from pinkies to fuzzies and the like the better. Each upgrade is a higher nutritional value. Monitor food intake is enormous, so don't be amazed when your hatchling is eating 2 dozen crickets and a few fuzzies every day/every other day! At one year old, most monitors should be around 3/4 of their adult size. My nile monitor at just over 1 year old, is now breaking well over 4 foot long. She's slamming down about 5-6 adult mice per day, plus whatever insects she finds in her cage! Do the math on that one!
Handling:
Monitors do not want handling. They are solitary predators. Some monitors will never permit owner handling, while some will come around with time. The best bet- leave them alone for the first several months of their life. This is a vulnerable stage for them, and stressing them out will do more harm than good. Monitors are not "pick them up and hold them, and they will become tame" reptiles. Monitors are intelligent thinking animals, who will hold grudges, and once they are set in their ways, are difficult to change. Tong feed, let the animal associate your presence with food, and being let out of the enclosure to explore. They can understand what we are doing, and they will recognize you as important rather than a big predator later on in life.