Another obsession of mine

[Scale_fever]

Well hello all,this might take a while.6 years ago i started herping,i must admit, I was hooked! See since I was a child i was fascinated by dinosaurs. Being born in the U.S. and departing here from a young age to a foreign country took away a lot of privlages, Work was the top priority to help construct and maintain our household. We were poor. Growing older, wiser, kinder. I grew eager to explore and return to my homeland. Land of opportunity INDEED.. I was introduced to my first leopard gecko 6 years ago and it hasn't stopped since. From geckos to milk snakes, skinks to annoles, pythons, to tegus, to caiman lizards to now, the cream of the crop Monitors. A gentleman approached me and asked me if I wanted something, he overheard the conversation between me and the clerk at our LPS. We exchanged numbers and was told that I would be contacted in a few days. One day he calls me and tells me what he has. I was surprised to come upon and find out it was a GTM. I was Extatic!!! These were the conditions that this poor monitor lived in for several years since a baby. She was kept in a vision cage. 3' x 2' x2'. Her cage was Very bare and was never under the proper care. The owner said she barely came out, she was very shy. Ate well but without the presence of anyone by. Well after the phone call I started building the enclosure. I had posted pictures on other forums with hopes of some help from some hands on experience from other keepers. I was shut down. Told that this enclosure would not substain or support any varanid of any sort. I like a challenge, and I do not like when my intelligence is insulted. As none of us do. So I put the gears to work and built this enclosure. I have had this GTM living here for over a year. Tong eating,basking for most of the day & wondering the enclosure for several hours.Can this support a monitor, or not.These are facts not fiction! Here is my enclosure,my collection, my life! Against all the odds.... Come chew me up & spit me on the floor & step on me if you dare.Complements are welcomed, as questions are too! My name is Jose i am a proud herper 7 like to share my experiences & knowlegde with others,I shall learn until i die until then i will always try!So member of varanus.net come by & tell me what am I doing wrong! just because i don't show off,or post often on your forum does not mean i have no experience in varanids. i admit i'm rolling into a storm on open water,guess what i am a 4th generation of fishermen the sea is my home! even thou it's in my blood,herps have my support! So in what conditions should a kimberly varanid be kept in! See i posted here knowing that this will be heading there soon,i might be out cast or expelled.But i made my point to me it all that matters beside my family & pets well being & health.

[Pirarucu]

I recognize your setups.. You are a member on MFK, correct?
Good looking cage and monitor.

[Scale_fever]

I recognize your setups.. You are a member on MFK, correct?
Good looking cage and monitor.

Yes i am,i knew your avatar was to familiar. Thank you also!

[Scale_fever]

Don't worry to much about varanus.net, I only go there to harass FR.

His minions don't last long on here either.

Personally I think your V. Prasinus & cage look great.

Minions :D What is this despicable me,Lol. ;) I did not want, or do want to offend any one,or there practices.I'm just saying there might be more then this,isn't this why we come here to learn from one another & share,not ignore the ones that are hungry for knolegde to share.A monitor can not be kept in that setup,but what if that setup still meets the requierments of the species.Looks or something new should not be shunned,but twicked maybe.That is my point. Glad to see your new sav growing healthy also!

[Gatorhunter1231]

Cage looks good. AWW MFK-that some memories. Mak me miss my red tail catfish and arrowana :(
What are using for substrate?
What does Kimberly varanid have to do with you GTM

[BarelyBreathing]

You have some beautiful enclosures! Can you post more detailed photos? What are in the other ones?

[Scale_fever]

Cage looks good. AWW MFK-that some memories. Mak me miss my red tail catfish and arrowana :(
What are using for substrate?
What does Kimberly varanid have to do with you GTM
Substrate a mixture of sand & soil,yes i miss my fastae cichlids too.Well i asked on there what would be the care sheet for a Kim & few to none answers. I have a kimberly that was given to me & im trying to house it properly & wanted too see what they would say.Ignoring a member that seeks help.Doesn't help anyone!They love monitors so much but.....:no: Thank you all for your kind words.

[Scale_fever]

You have some beautiful enclosures! Can you post more detailed photos? What are in the other ones?

On the left bp morphs above it rat snakes,center GTM left in a temporary enclosure a kim! & also thank you for the compliment!

[Scale_fever]

This is what i have done so far for the kim's new permanent enclosure,don't worry the bottom that you see is the actual top of the enclosure.I am going to make another box,that this top will stand upon the bottom that will be holding 2' of substrate on the whole bottom of the enclosure. I might apply some fake rock walls to this also to give it a natural feel to it too. Even thou the monitors will not "use this space".As i ben told before,ackies have lived in such enclosures with success! So ill give it a try & if does not wrk then i will try & try until it meets the recomendations of my Kim!With or with out some help!

[BarelyBreathing]

Kimberly rock? That's definitely a great start to an enclosure.

[Gatorhunter1231]

So you have a green tree monitor and a Kimberly rock? I only seen pics of the green tree.
I seen they gave a few replies on .net. Anyways, there are not any decent caresheets that I know of. There are only a few people that are even successful that would be have the right info to make a caresheet.

[Scale_fever]

Yes there are few,all i want is a hands on experienced sucessful keeper to give me the basics thats all.Kimberly sure here he is!He has a fearless personality takes food right of my fingers,my family loves him!

[Gatorhunter1231]

Everything sounds fine with gtm. How deep is substrate, humidity, basking spot.
Kims are going to be close to ackies and there are some decent caresheets for ackies. Kims seem to like it a little more humid 60-75%. basking spot of 120-150f. They will benefit from have climbing areas and a good cage would be minium of 5x4x6 (LxWxH feet) for one. 13-24 inches substrate (male-female) of a sandy soil. 60-40 (sand to soil) is a good place to start. All soil and sand is different so you will have to make a judgement call yourself. Diet consist of roaches, crickets, small mice, whole food prey.
Your best teacher is your monitor. Read and understand their signs.

[Robyn@SYR]

That looks like a great room : )

[Scale_fever]

Everything sounds fine with gtm. How deep is substrate, humidity, basking spot.
Kims are going to be close to ackies and there are some decent caresheets for ackies. Kims seem to like it a little more humid 60-75%. basking spot of 120-150f. They will benefit from have climbing areas and a good cage would be minium of 5x4x6 (LxWxH feet) for one. 13-24 inches substrate (male-female) of a sandy soil. 60-40 (sand to soil) is a good place to start. All soil and sand is different so you will have to make a judgement call yourself. Diet consist of roaches, crickets, small mice, whole food prey.
Your best teacher is your monitor. Read and understand their signs.

The substrate is 16" a mix of 50/50 sand & dirt with some coconut fiber & moss on top,Humidity is usually 90 something %.One basking spot is 110 the other 125.Thank you so much for the heads up i shall put this information to use,Thank you! On with the build,that means pictures!!! Also i let the monitor speak to me & tell me what i need!

[Scale_fever]

That looks like a great room : )

Thank you, it's my living room actually.:D

[rmfsnakes32]

Very impressive set ups you have

[Scale_fever]

Thank you & here is the build, it took me a while to find it.
Diy tree monitor enclosure - YouTube (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oRdOqe--6VQ&feature=youtu.be)

oRdOqe--6VQ