Django the Nile Monitor

[Vegasarah]

Just a thread where I'll share pictures and updates on my little Nile monitor named Django. He's still a 'rescue' right now, I'm not going to be keeping him for the rest of his life. But I am going to be working with him to try and get him used to people before he is transferred to his adult enclosure at the rescue facility. And in the mean time, I'll be posting updates and pictures and videos of his antics. I really enjoy having him around, and I hope you all will enjoy him just as much ;)


Pictures are from Day 1, January 6, 2013.

[Vegasarah]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nR8GOlSy4sk&feature=youtube_gdata_player

I hope that video works. Sorry I'm using my annoying baby voice when I talk to him lol.


nR8GOlSy4sk

[BarelyBreathing]

You have him on towels?!

[Aaron_S]

You have him on towels?!

Did you see the video?! Or follow the previous thread?

I suppose your comment actually answered those for me....

[BarelyBreathing]

No, I didn't.

[Aaron_S]

No, I didn't.

Take a few minutes to take a look at all the posts in the thread your about to post in then before you really look stupid.

The problem was all fixed up awhile ago.

[Vegasarah]

You have him on towels?!



No big deal, thanks Aaaron for letting Barely Breathing know that was not the case.



That was the first day I rescued him and that was his temporary tank. He moved to an 8x2x2 tank with a foot of sand/soil to dig around in when I got the all clear on his fecal sample and made sure he had no outstanding health issues. I quarantine all rescues for 3 days before getting them started in their permanent enclosures.



He's doing well, and has already done some growing in the three weeks I have had him.



Going well on a diet of fuzzy and pinkie mice, dubia roaches, live minnows, and meal worms as a snack. He is interested in the nightcrawlers, but he never actually eats them. He grabs one in his mouth and thrashes it around for like 3 straight minutes and then just spits it out. Then he goes back over to the bowl and grabs another and repeats the process. It was odd to me, so I actually cut one worm up into tiny bits but he did the same thing so I just gave up.



Here are some more pictures of him for you guys.



Day 23, January 29 2013

[BarelyBreathing]

Sorry Aaron, I can't see the video from my phone.

God news, Vegasarah. I'm glad to see this isn't the case.

[Pirarucu]

He is looking phenomenal. Acting just like a monitor should! I have always found it incredible how quickly a healthy monitor can snap into a defense posture, and turn into a formidable beast. It's impressive with small babies, but seeing a large adult do it is just awe inspiring, every time.

[Vegasarah]

He's so curious, following my hand around and watching me constantly. He's in a low traffic room, and he only really ever sees and interacts with me. He seems to be used to me now, he will turn his back to me and do his own thing even if I'm standing right next to his enclosure. He doesn't do that with other people in my household, he never looks away from them and watches them like a hawk.

He's a real 'wild animal', that much is true. :)

[murrindindi]

Hi, just to save me some search time, do you have any photos showing the whole enclosure, if yes, where are they? Thanks!

[Vegasarah]

It's an 8x2x2 aquarium. The light is now moved down to the end near the water dish after people advised me to do so. The top is plexiglass with a hole for the light to go through and a screen inbetween to thwart any escape attempts through said hole!

He's got two burrows down at the deep end, I'm thinking about putting even more substrate in over there because he never really walks on top over there, he just uses that area for digging. It's only a foot deep on that end, so I might bump it up to like 18 inches instead.

http://www.ssnakess.com/forums/varanid/97613-rescued-nile-monitor-need-advice-5.html

It's a little further down the page!

[murrindindi]

Hi again, thanks for the pic, if that`s the only lighting you have you need more, an ordinary household fluorescent tube will be o.k, and if you can cover the sides and back with thin plywood or similar (even some cardboard for now), it will help stabilise the temps.
I also recommend using the low wattage halogen bulbs @ 40 to 60watts (flood, not spot), they won`t dry out the air, which will obviously help with the humidity, and if you place two or three close together it will heat the animal`s whole body (most important).
Obviously it would be best to have them inside rather than on top of the tank, can you get a piece of (sealed) plywood or another piece of plexiglass and drill holes for the electric flex to pass through? The bulbs plus ceramic fixtures measure around 15cm (6 inches), so you would just about have enough height.
Edit: Make sure the substrate is really firmly tamped down. I know there`s a limit to how much because it`s an all glass tank, but it`s no use if it`s just patted gently.

[Vegasarah]

Thanks, this is a temporary enclosure for him, as he is a foster animal that I will not be keeping into adulthood.

I don't have a problem with temperature stabilization, glass this thick is a wonderful insulator, I'm getting daily fluctuations of only about 2 degrees F at a time. And they are caused by me opening the lid for feedings, then they stabilize again quickly.

His current lamp is a 150 watt heat bulb, keeping the basking temp at a steady 115. Cool side is 76ish.

Humidity is 25% on hot side, 63% on cool side, and 90-100% in his burrows.

In Django's larger build I already have a row of three ceramic fixtures with 40 watt outdoor flood lights, but thanks for the advice.

[murrindindi]

Even if it`s only a temporary enclosure the conditions must fully support the monitor, their health suffers from day one if those aren`t all in place. The surface temp is too low, you need between approx 50 to 60c (120 to 140f), glass is actually a very bad insulator (I mention that not just for your info but for others who may think it`s a good option),
How long before he/she goes in the bigger tank?
I think it`s great that you`re trying to do your best even though you say you`re not keeping it, well done!

[Aaron_S]

Even if it`s only a temporary enclosure the conditions must fully support the monitor, their health suffers from day one if those aren`t all in place. The surface temp is too low, you need between approx 50 to 60c (120 to 140f), glass is actually a very bad insulator (I mention that not just for your info but for others who may think it`s a good option),
How long before he/she goes in the bigger tank?
I think it`s great that you`re trying to do your best even though you say you`re not keeping it, well done!

Actually, someone posted the insulation value of materials and glass was proven to one of the best, if not THE best insulator. Food for thought.

[Vegasarah]

Actually, someone posted the insulation value of materials and glass was proven to one of the best, if not THE best insulator. Food for thought.

I've seen this in practice, to be honest. This aquarium is something like 240 gallons, each gallon weighing about 10 lbs... yeah, that glass is THICK. And air tight because of the sealant. It's working great as far as insulation goes.

I know that 99% of keepers will never have access to a custom tank like this, so I would also still say 'glass is not best for a monitor lizard'. Don't need people going out and buying 40 gallon tanks thinking that it will be fine!

I think that in my case he's good in here for now, and I know that an enclosure made of plywood, even insulated, would not insulate as well. I work with glass a lot and even his larger (not adult, just larger) build will have plenty of glass along with insulated plywood. Too expensive to do the whole thing glass, but I'm really thinking of a way to do a wood base to hold the substrate and making the 'living' area above it glass on the front and sides. Of course, I don't want to go busting through my floors, so I'm going to have to do a lot of math before I make that decision.

[infernalis]

I never brought this up with you before Sarah.

I worried the same, so as a precautionary measure, I installed additional support columns in my basement.

I oriented the cage so that one end is very close to my foundation, and the other end to the house center, and along a load bearing wall.

[Vegasarah]

I don't have a basement, so I am thinking that it will be okay? I have cement floors and I installed my own laminate 'wood' flooring so I'm not too worried about that. I don't know much about the foundation of the house, but I think it's just right on the ground? We have weird soil here that's like clay so it's not like we have a gap under the house or anything like that. And I don't really know how to find out how much the floor can take... Don't really know who to ask to be honest lol

[infernalis]

Sounds like you have poured slab floors.

That's awesome, it can probably take more than you can imagine.

[Vegasarah]

Sweet! I was thinking the same thing, I couldn't really see how it would be able to smoosh concrete lol.

I'm just still really not sure what dimensions I'm going to make this thing. This may sound odd, but I was going to build this enclosure to where I could separate it into separate enclosures later on after Django moves out. Like I was thinking if I made the bottom half plywood to hold the substrate, the top half three sided glass, then I could empty out the substrate, cut holes in the front to install sliding glass doors, then put a new floor between the two levels. And probably divide it down the middle one more time to make 4 bluey cages.

Orrrr I could just keep it as is and wait for a smaller monitor like a red tegu for after I graduate college hahaha. Oh man, my fiancé would kill me! >.<

[infernalis]

Just a note, Tegus are not monitors.

There are very distinct differences.

[Vegasarah]

Even if it`s only a temporary enclosure the conditions must fully support the monitor, their health suffers from day one if those aren`t all in place. The surface temp is too low, you need between approx 50 to 60c (120 to 140f), glass is actually a very bad insulator (I mention that not just for your info but for others who may think it`s a good option),
How long before he/she goes in the bigger tank?
I think it`s great that you`re trying to do your best even though you say you`re not keeping it, well done!

I agree with the temp being a bit too low, I was going to remedy this by building a brick basking platform that would bring the basking point closer to the light and therefore get it at the right temp. That bulb, when places 8-10 inches away from the basking spot, will produce no less than a 122 F spot. Plus I think Django would like to have something to climb around on. He has two available hides, the green one he has never used, so I think I'll take that out and build a little brick tower/ stairs thing instead. He seems to much prefer his burrows and sometimes his tube hide.

[Vegasarah]

Just a note, Tegus are not monitors.

There are very distinct differences.

Oh, well, I meant something that would be better suited to the enclosure I'm building. Something big that would use the space and burrow in the substrate, that kind of thing.

[infernalis]

Be very careful with bricks / stone.

Monitors in general love to burrow under things.

a safety rule of thumb is to only put in what you can bolt down or secure in place.

Otherwise you stand the risk of things getting knocked over or dug under and falling.

[infernalis]

Oh, well, I meant something that would be better suited to the enclosure I'm building. Something big that would use the space and burrow in the substrate, that kind of thing.

Rescue a Savannah Monitor. They need someone like you.

[Vegasarah]

Be very careful with bricks / stone.

Monitors in general love to burrow under things.

a safety rule of thumb is to only put in what you can bolt down or secure in place.

Otherwise you stand the risk of things getting knocked over or dug under and falling.

I was thinking of starting the base of this thing at the ground, no substrate under it, and then building a staggered tower. I could put some grout between the bricks, there would be no way he could knock it over then.

I'm betting he's going to be too destructive for polystyrene fake rocks covered in grout, yeah? That's what I do in my other enclosures. I'm a sucker for aesthetics, I like everything to look awesome ;)

[Vegasarah]

Rescue a Savannah Monitor. They need someone like you.

A Sav in a 6.5 long, 4 wide, 4.5 tall? I would feel like that wouldn't be big enough. And the wall I'm building it against is only 7 feet long, I can't go any longer than that :/

[Aaron_S]

A Sav in a 6.5 long, 4 wide, 4.5 tall? I would feel like that wouldn't be big enough. And the wall I'm building it against is only 7 feet long, I can't go any longer than that :/

Get cool awesome dwarf species like ackies or storrs!

[Vegasarah]

Get cool awesome dwarf species like ackies or storrs!

Ackies are so cool, when I lived in AUS my friend's brother had one as a pet. Such a neat little guy, so active and crazy. But their price tag here in the states makes me want to die. I couldn't justify spending that much, no matter how awesome they might be!

[Corey209]

Red Ackie Female breeder (http://sacramento.craigslist.org/for/3578658482.html)

Ackie for sale on CL

[Pirarucu]

Red Ackie Female breeder (http://sacramento.craigslist.org/for/3578658482.html)

Ackie for sale on CLWhy would you pay double the normal price for a monitor that is being kept in improper conditions? It's one thing to take in a rescue, it's quite another to pay a huge amount for one. Don't reward the guy.. Buy a healthy baby for $300 if you go for an ackie..

[Vegasarah]

How big do they get, anyway? I thought they stayed pretty small....

[Vegasarah]

So Django is now regularly hunting minnows out of his water dish. And today because I only gave him one mouse he was hungry when I introduced a night crawler. He gobbled it down and went for more out of his dish. I'm happy to have another good source of food to offer him :)

[infernalis]

your enthusiasm is refreshing... keep it up.

[Pirarucu]

How big do they get, anyway? I thought they stayed pretty small....They do. Two feet is the most you should expect one to get.

Django sounds like he's doing fantastic, keep it up!

[War Machine]

Ackies aren't all that expensive. Look into tree montitors, them you'll consider ackies LOL. But really through, what's a couple hundred to buy it when it's 10x that to feed and keep it.

[infernalis]

There's an albino Nile on Kingsnake for $2500 right now.

[varanus_mad]

There's an albino Nile on Kingsnake for $2500 right now.

Looks like hes going to drop dead any minute...

[infernalis]

Such a pity mate...

why do all the morphs wind up in the hands of wankers?

(Gregg M & John A. excluded)

That stunning Albino Bosc in the UK is far too clean for my liking, indicating it has no burrows.

[dinosaurdammit]

that poor albino nile, whats up with his skin? my kid doesnt have skin THAT smooth :/

[varanus_mad]

The importers sell to the biggest spenders invariably the biggest spenders are the buyers of the snake morphs....

Generally snake people not so good at monitors...

[Pirarucu]

The importers sell to the biggest spenders invariably the biggest spenders are the buyers of the snake morphs....

Generally snake people not so good at monitors...Unfortunately this is all too true.

[Aaron_S]

The importers sell to the biggest spenders invariably the biggest spenders are the buyers of the snake morphs....

Generally snake people not so good at monitors...

I don't think it's snake people necessarily. They tend to just have the most cash. I believe a lot of people think Kevin McCurly to be a good varanid keeper. This could be wrong based on all the new information we possess though.

I just think that all the information we're now learning has to be taught to them. They're just using what used to be acceptable husbandry and to them what they thought was best. I think passing along information and hoping they read it and use it is the only option at this point.

It won't happen over night but over the years it will become more prominent. At least I hope so.

[varanus_mad]

I don't think it's snake people necessarily. They tend to just have the most cash. I believe a lot of people think Kevin McCurly to be a good varanid keeper. This could be wrong based on all the new information we possess though.

I just think that all the information we're now learning has to be taught to them. They're just using what used to be acceptable husbandry and to them what they thought was best. I think passing along information and hoping they read it and use it is the only option at this point.

It won't happen over night but over the years it will become more prominent. At least I hope so.

Good for you mate your optimism does you credit.

[Pirarucu]

I don't think it's snake people necessarily. They tend to just have the most cash. I believe a lot of people think Kevin McCurly to be a good varanid keeper. This could be wrong based on all the new information we possess though.

I just think that all the information we're now learning has to be taught to them. They're just using what used to be acceptable husbandry and to them what they thought was best. I think passing along information and hoping they read it and use it is the only option at this point.

It won't happen over night but over the years it will become more prominent. At least I hope so.Well said, it's not so much because they are snake people but because as you said they have more money, and are too used to the minimalist husbandry techniques that are commonplace for snakes, and are simply not aware that those techniques don't work for monitors.

[Vegasarah]

Just got word that I'm getting back a few bucks from my deadbeat parents for school. (Long story!) so looks like I'll be able to start that full build pretty soon here. I'm just trying to decide how big is too big as far as pi$$ing my roommates off goes. Before I hear any scolding- this is a temp build till he gets too big for it and goes up to the rescue to live in his adult enclosure. ;) Width is the biggest issue, I can make it 7 feet long and 4 feet deep, but I don't want it sticking out from the wall too much!

I wish I could take good pictures of his burrows, he's got one huge one with three different openings. I only know they are connected because I can see him through the glass at some parts! He pauses, glares at me through the little window, then continues to the back corner and out of sight. It's pretty cute. He's a fantastic little guy, he seems to be getting much more used to me. Not as flighty and willingly comes up to the opening when I take the top off like 'hey, you got foods for me?'. Then gets all jacked up and tripods a bunch as soon as he sees the tongs in my hands. I'll try and get a video of it if my roommate will take one for me of feeding time. He's still goofy with those night crawlers, trying to rip them in bits and such.

Also saw him do something cool today, he's shedding (surprise surprise) and he turned his head around and pulled off a bit of his skin with his teeth very gently and then spit it into his water dish. He did it with such precision, it was interesting.

[monitorlizard]

They've Ben Seigel has had that nile for years. Hence their previous name albino nile.
They have also been trying to sell it for years LOL.

[Vegasarah]

After Django had a day spent finishing off the last of the nightcrawlers and 5 minnows, I went out and bought more fuzzies.

Guess who ate 9 of them in a row? 0.0

He's an eating machine, I am just in awe sometimes. He was literally trying to clamber up out of the tank to get at these mice. He caught some air on the first few just before I could get them down to his level. I came in sort of sideways and he grabbed my hand and used my arm as leverage, launching himself off it and onto the end of the tongs with the mouse. (Owww. Those claws are like razors, he cut me up pretty good)

After that feast, I let him alone for about an hour and came back and just hung out with him for a while and talked to him. He gives me the most incredulous looks sometimes, but I want to get him as used to people as I can. I let my hand dangle down in the tank, wiggling my fingers every minute or so. He seemed pretty agitated by this at first but after a little bit he actually inched over to check out my pink nail polish. He got so close I started to get nervous he might try to see what fingers tasted like. But he just flicked his tongue on them and moved away.

How do you all keep up with this massive amount of food while still trying to provide variety? It's getting very pricey, I can't wait for the reptile expo so I can buy a few hundred feeders at once!

[murrindindi]

Hi, it really isn`t about variety, it`s about nutritional value, a diet based around rodents and fish is absolutely fine, and will ensure he/she grows very well indeed so long as the other parameters are in place.

[jarich]

Most of us grow at least one or two feed sources in order to help with costs. Roaches are a good one, mice/rats, worms, etc.

As far as all those fuzzies go, you would be better off feeding adult mice instead. The calcium levels are much higher as the bones have calcified/ossified. They have better amounts of Vitamin A too.

[Pirarucu]

How do you all keep up with this massive amount of food while still trying to provide variety? It's getting very pricey, I can't wait for the reptile expo so I can buy a few hundred feeders at once!Breeding them helps. A large roach colony pays for itself fast, as do rats and worms.

[Vegasarah]

I already have a roach colony but it's not very big yet.

He us only a baby, adult mice would be too big for him.

Another question: can he have chicken eggs or ground turkey or anything like that? Obviously only every once on a while, whole prey is still primary of course.

[jarich]

Sorry had to go back and look at your pictures again. I thought he was a little bigger than that. Can you get hoppers or juveniles? They are sort of the next step up, and again give you the extra boos of calcium and Vitamin A. Wont be long before he is eating adults anyway I suppose ;)

As far as your question about eggs or turkey, I guess the question is, what need does it fulfill? Both of those things are sort of like reasonably decent filler. They arent bad, they just arent particularly good either. Its energy, and these guys need lots of it, but nutritively its nothing special. Personally, I think we need to think about monitor diets like a continuum. Its not only about the individual nutrition of each item, but in how they interact as a whole with your reptile. There are so many facets to consider, and many we probably dont yet know about. Which is why, in my opinion, its always best to both feed whole prey items, and a variety of them. (Sorry Stefan, we will have to agree to disagree there)

We are lucky to have at our disposal, in the US and Europe, a large number of high quality prey items, and the variety is growing every day. So again, the question becomes not, "is it ok to feed eggs or turkey?" but rather, "why would you?".

[murrindindi]

We know for certain that the larger species (including V. niloticus) live long, healthy and productive lives fed a rodent based (or exclusively) diet. As far as feeding eggs (I use fertised quail) it`s perfectly acceptable to include those (and the fish), nothing else is really needed, but obviously you can offer more if you wish. Ground turkey is something I personally wouldn`t offer (or dog and cat food, or tinned monitor treats, etc).
I too like to offer some variety (sorry Josh, we`ll just have to agree to agree to some extent)! :laugh:

[dinosaurdammit]

if you want to do eggs, get fertilized quail eggs or pigeon eggs.

[Vegasarah]

Thanks everyone, I just thought he might like a little variety. I know that in the wild they will eat carrion and also eggs if they find them. It just got me thinking about raw meat and chicken eggs.

Where do I find fertilized quail eggs? I wouldn't even know where to start with that one...

[dinosaurdammit]

Thanks everyone, I just thought he might like a little variety. I know that in the wild they will eat carrion and also eggs if they find them. It just got me thinking about raw meat and chicken eggs.

Where do I find fertilized quail eggs? I wouldn't even know where to start with that one...

look on craigslist for people who breed game birds and ask to buy the fertilized eggs. Or even get yourself a pair and breed them for the eggs. As long as you take the eggs they will continue to lay eggs.

[infernalis]

Generally, in the wild, it's crocidile eggs, Lizard eggs & snake eggs.

[Vegasarah]

Never thought about keeping quail as feeder producers. I see them around here all the time, running across the road and whatnot. I'm pretty sure that the feed store near my house sells baby quail. Maybe they know of somewhere I could get just the eggs. I'll also probably be buying baby quails from them to feed in the future when Django gets a little bigger.

[Pirarucu]

Thanks everyone, I just thought he might like a little variety. I know that in the wild they will eat carrion and also eggs if they find them. It just got me thinking about raw meat and chicken eggs.

Where do I find fertilized quail eggs? I wouldn't even know where to start with that one...Instead of ground turkey or whatever, why not give him actual carrion? Throw a large, dead prey item in there for him, LOL.

[Vegasarah]

So in a way, Django has told me himself that he wants a new enclosure... by escaping his current one!

I was in my room when I heard a scratching sound at his tank, I looked up and he was fiddling with hinge on the tank lid. I ignored it, he scratches around and explores all the time. Then about ten minutes later I heard a small bang come from my room. I walked in there and Django is out of his tank and climbing the curtains! I freaked out and didn't know what to do, so we just both stared at each other for a minute. Then I threw a towel over him and wrestled him back into his tank.

I inspected the hinge, and he had wiggled it enough to where the screws had come loose and squeezed out through the gap it created. I obviously tightened down the screws right away and even put some glue around the screws just for safe measure. So now I'm looking at him and this enclosure and I'm just thinking that it's time for an upgrade. The tank is 'big enough', he's still a baby, but I still feel like he would really benefit from more space.

I was taking a look at different types of enclosures and I think that I have a general idea of what I'm going to do.

I think Wayne called it, I don't know if I can give him up now... I really am interested in keeping him but that would mean a very large enclosure and would mean a lot of begging my fiancé. And I don't know where I will be a few years from now, and don't know if I will be able to take such a big enclosure with me. But I guess that if it gets to that point I could always sell him along with his enclosure or even give him along with the enclosure to a rescue if I couldn't find any buyers. I just don't know if I can convince my fiancé to let me take on such a big project. I don't know if my life is really ready to take on the challenge of an adult Nile Monitor.

What do you guys think I should do? :/

[monitorlizard]

Give him up and get some ackies! Then when you feel comfortable and have permission you can get something bigger.

[Pirarucu]

Truthfully I would say go ahead and keep him if you think you are capable. My idea would be to buy two circular horse troughs, 6' or larger in diameter. Put them side by side to form a base and build a box around them. Then you could fill one with dirt and one with water if you set up a filtration system. If a filter system would be too much, fill both with dirt and provide a smaller tub of water. The bonus with this sort of system is that it can be taken apart (relatively) easily in case of a move.

[jarich]

Well you already have the ring, so your fiancee is kind of stuck with you and all your peculiarities now, isnt he? ;)

You could compromise and say that you will give him up when you find a good home for him with someone who knows how to take care of him. Trust me, that'll take you years anyway, and by that time your fiancee will be used to it.

[Vegasarah]

I know ML, I would like to get a smaller monitor species. I have my hands full with the 20 odd other animals I have right now as it is. I love ackies, and even a tree monitor would be really cool because it's more arboreal space.

And the more I think about it the more it kind of overwhelms me. Just the enclosure is going to cost $100s, not to mention keeping him fed and electricity to keep him warm. I've thought about building it in my garage and insulating it really well. It gets really hot (115 F) in the garage in the summer but then I could just turn off some of the lights. It never gets below 20 F in the winter really, and it's only that cold for maybe 2 weeks out of the year so I could run a space heater or something. Do you think the temperatures would hold at those extremes if I insulated and sealed it really well?

[Vegasarah]

Well you already have the ring, so your fiancee is kind of stuck with you and all your peculiarities now, isnt he? ;)

You could compromise and say that you will give him up when you find a good home for him with someone who knows how to take care of him. Trust me, that'll take you years anyway, and by that time your fiancee will be used to it.

Haha, yeah he's already very patient with my 20 odd other animals. It's really just the space in the house that it will take up. Our house is pretty good sized but a 12x4 enclosure is a LOT to ask of someone who doesn't even like animals lol. It's a huge money suck too, and we are two students and are often pretty broke. Blah.

[Vegasarah]

Truthfully I would say go ahead and keep him if you think you are capable. My idea would be to buy two circular horse troughs, 6' or larger in diameter. Put them side by side to form a base and build a box around them. Then you could fill one with dirt and one with water if you set up a filtration system. If a filter system would be too much, fill both with dirt and provide a smaller tub of water. The bonus with this sort of system is that it can be taken apart (relatively) easily in case of a move.

I just don't know where I could put something like that unless I put it in the garage which has some extremes in temperature as I explained above... I don't think troughs would hold the temperatures steady :/

[infernalis]

Do you think the temperatures would hold at those extremes if I insulated and sealed it really well?

Yes, I would insulate the garage.....:cool:

[Vegasarah]

Yes, I would insulate the garage.....:cool:

Lol I would love to insulate the WHOLE garage, but that's illegal in my HOA! I mean if I just insulate the enclosure really well...?

[Pirarucu]

Agreed, insulation would be needed.. I would think you could hold the proper temps fairly easily though. Here on the Texas coast the temperatures are about the same as that, and even though our garage isn't insulated, putting plants in it is the difference between life and death for some of them. With heat lamps in a sealed cage I would think it would be easy to keep warm enough. If need be just use some higher wattage bulbs, the ambient temps will soar.
Insulating the enclosure could work, though you would not want him coming out of said enclosure during the winter.

[Vegasarah]

Mentally preparing myself for the 'foster parent fail' talk with my fiancé tonight. Just got 6 new foster lizards this week too, so my odds aren't looking to great at this point :/

[Grendel]

I had a similar problem with my wife, she does not care for reptiles, and I had "too many" of them. In order to keep my hobby I cut down from 20 to three favorite ones. She is now off my back and I am actually happier because I can devote much more time and resources to just the three. They will ultimately live better lives and so will I. I kept my ornate monitor as one of the three. I think you should keep the nile, they need someone like you that understands their needs and respects them. In my opinion many other reptiles can find a good fit much easier then monitors.

[Vegasarah]

Well he said no for now, and that I have till like June to get him up to the rescue. But Grendel, you make a very good point. I would be able to find good homes for a lot of other reptiles probably. I have simple stuff like tortoises and bearded dragons and leopard geckos. If I had to downsize I could, but if I had Django into adulthood he would be a hassle to rehome.

[Vegasarah]

Alright, so it's true that I will only have Django until June, but I wanted to talk to you guys about his future. He's probably going to live the rest of his life at the reptile rescue that I volunteer for. I'm not totally sure of the size of the adult enclosure, and if it's not to my liking I will either build my own or build onto an existing one.

So here's the questions:

1) Is 12 long x 4 deep x 4 tall an appropriate size for an adult enclosure for a Nile?

2) How big should I make the water area? I will be plumbing a drain into it, so I won't have to lift it to dump it. Django loves his water dish, and he defecates exclusively in it. Would a cut down 50 gallon Rubbermaid hold up to that much abuse and weight or should I look into giant cement mixing tubs or a stock tank or something? I also thought about using a Christmas tree storage box. Money is tight!

3) Has anyone ever tried making enrichment activities for their monitors? I know he's so bored in that tank, but he is too small and vicious to be able to come out and walk around the house at all. I dump live dubia roaches into the enclosure regularly and he has a blast hunting those down. Is a box with an adjacent colony of dubias and a small transport tube thinking way too much into it? He wouldn't be able to get to it, but roaches could come out and into the enclosure if they walked down a tube. He's not interested in either of the rubber dog toy balls I put in there, but maybe if there was a treat inside? Has anyone ever tried this kind of thing?

4) How often should I be feeding him? He's getting 5 small mice every other day, and 4 dubias every other day (sometimes more). He sometimes only wants 4 mice at a time and will take the 5th mouse and hide it somewhere and eat it the next day (UGH SO SMELLY). Is this a sign that I should be feeding less and more often? He looks a bit chubby, but maybe that's just him filling out?

5) How does everyone feel about harness and leashes? I would really love to take him outside to walk around some and sniff around but I would like a back up safety measure like a leash. He's crazy fast when he wants to be and I could loose control over him very fast. I DO NOT handle him at all, save for the time I wrestled him back into his tank and another time when I put him in the bathtub while I worked on modifying his enclosure. He is NOT tame in the least, and I wouldn't be trying to jerk him around on the leash, I would just hold I loosely or let him drag it. Then I could grab it if I needed to.

6) Has anyone ever tried to target train their monitors? I know it can be done, but I would like to know if anyone here has ever accomplished it or sees any benefit in it.

[Pirarucu]

I'd try making it six wide and six tall if you can, but that could suffice.. The water should probably be around a quarter of the cage's size in this case. Stock tanks would work well.

Enrichment for monitors will revolve around food, and giving them a task or puzzle to complete to reach the food is a good way to go about it. Try buying a hamster ball and putting some roaches in it...

Feeding will depend on the individual monitor and the prey items, you'll need to work that out yourself. Generally if you are limiting food, it's best to feed less on a more frequent basis rather than bigger meals less often. Many people simply feed as much as the monitor wants every day, usually with no problems. If you can post a picture we can tell you about his weight.

Harnesses and leashes are a touchy subject, ultimately it is down to the individual monitor and keeper. You have the right idea, though perhaps not the right monitor. He sounds very flighty and insecure, I would wait until he is bigger and calmer, now it would probably just stress him.

Target training is very easy, most zoos do it with their monitors. Moody Gardens does, they catch on very quickly. I see a lot of benefit, since for one it provides enrichment for the animal when they are still figuring it out. When working with larger species it can obviously make moving the animal much easier on the animal and the keeper, particularly if the animal is insecure or aggressive. In addition, the monitor does not go food crazy at the sight of the keeper, but at the sight of its target.

[Vegasarah]

Okay so I was correct in thinking a very large water feature would be needed. I love the idea of a filter but I just don't know if it's going to be feasible for such a large body of water. I know those big pond pumps are really expensive. I mean it doesn't make much sense to have to empty and refill a water area that large every day. Need to give that more thought...

He seems to be dong better with more frequent feedings with fewer mice. I think part of the problem I was having was because the mice I fed last week were a little larger than the usual one I get. Mystery solved! Now if I could find an affordable frozen crayfish supplier... lol.

I just don't think he is ready for a harness at least in this part of his life. He needs to get a little more socializing so he's not so flighty around everyone but me. Django and I have a certain understanding, he seems to have actually bonded to me a little bit. He knows I'm the food lady and that I usually will talk to him and interact with him for a bit. He really is such a great animal, I hope in the future he will be able to venture outside of his enclosure.

I have target/ clicker trained my blue tongue lizard for fun, and even he caught on to it pretty quick. It's pretty useless with a BTS but it was a fun bonding thing to do. Pirarucu you make a great point about thinking about his future needs and the needs of keeping an animal of his size. And maybe it will help his confidence and will help strengthen our bond.

Anyone else have any advice or opinions for me? I would love to hear from you!

[murrindindi]

Hi, how big of a pool are you talking? I have a 30gallon plastic pond with a "Fluval 205" exterior filter and a 200w aquarium heater. I just scoop out the larger pieces of waste with a small aquarium net, I need to change the water maybe every 7 to 10 days or so, though my monitor is almost 6 feet long, and obviously produces a lot more waste than your juvenile will just now!
When the time comes to let him explore "outside" (the enclosure, not the house), cordon off a small area `til he get`s used to it, and make sure you`re the only one present to begin with.
I must tell you that once they know there`s an outside it will be a constant demand!

[Vegasarah]

I was thinking about maybe doing something a little bigger than 30 gallons, like maybe a stock tank or horse trough or something like that. I was also thinking about keeping my eyes open for a free or cheap bath tub on craigslist. I don't think that anything less than a heavy duty pond filter would keep the waste manageable. He really does enjoy his warm water dish; I see him in his all the time. But I know he will need nothing short of a bathtub when he gets bigger. I've seen pictures of adult Niles in bathtubs and they pretty much take up the whole thing.

I just am not sure how to safely take him out of his enclosure without stressing him out too much. So far I've just thrown a towel over his head and body and scooped him up. That seems to just freak him out, but I don't want to get bit or scratched up too badly. And I don't really want to pick him up anyway and force handle him, but I can't see any other way to get him safely out of his enclosure and into a sectioned off explore area.

[Pirarucu]

I was thinking about maybe doing something a little bigger than 30 gallons, like maybe a stock tank or horse trough or something like that. I was also thinking about keeping my eyes open for a free or cheap bath tub on craigslist. I don't think that anything less than a heavy duty pond filter would keep the waste manageable. He really does enjoy his warm water dish; I see him in his all the time. But I know he will need nothing short of a bathtub when he gets bigger. I've seen pictures of adult Niles in bathtubs and they pretty much take up the whole thing.

I just am not sure how to safely take him out of his enclosure without stressing him out too much. So far I've just thrown a towel over his head and body and scooped him up. That seems to just freak him out, but I don't want to get bit or scratched up too badly. And I don't really want to pick him up anyway and force handle him, but I can't see any other way to get him safely out of his enclosure and into a sectioned off explore area.A horse trough would work well, but there are other options too. One would be to build it out of wood like you would build an indoor pond, and seal every bit of it. You could also buy a preformed pond liner and set something up with that. A sump system would be your best bet for filtration. Then you won't need as heavy duty of a filter, as the system will do some of the work for you.
For now I'd just focus on his next enclosure and not worry about taking him out if it would have to be done like that.

[Vegasarah]

Yeah, he's going to just stay in the enclosure for now, I don't need him stressing out or holding a grudge against me.

I never thought of using a preformed pond, those are pretty easy to find at home depot or lowes. I could try and set up a sump, though that's going to be a ton of work and probably not cheap. I'll have to draw up some kind of plan this weekend. I'll post it here next week to see what you guys think about it.

[Vegasarah]

Good news, I finally saw the adult enclosure up at the rescue and it's 8x4x4 with a tempered glass front and lots of ceramic heat fixtures already wired in. Obviously this cannot be his adult enclosure, but it does give me a little bit of time to build the 12x4x6. I can work on it every other week when I go up to the rescue, and I can more easily afford to work on it bit by bit rather than have like $700 ready to burn. I've been scouting craigslist for leftover building supplies and might even be able to get my hands on some large old bathtubs from a casino that is being torn down! Water feature solved! I will be spending next Friday up at the rescue where I can snap some pictures of the grow-up enclosure and get some of the dirt/ sand bags up there as well to start getting it ready.

[infernalis]

Casino demolition. Glass partitions and glass doors!!! and that's going to be some super tough glass too.

[Vegasarah]

I never thought about that, Wayne. That's a good idea actually. And I have a glass guy I work with that could cut down whatever I have to the right measurements.

We are also thinking about getting a rat breeding rack up and going. It' small scale right now in glass aquariums, but its a lot of work to keep everything straight and to get to the babies on time and all that other stuff. Does anyone have any recommendations on how to build my own breeding rack for rats?

[Pirarucu]

I never thought about that, Wayne. That's a good idea actually. And I have a glass guy I work with that could cut down whatever I have to the right measurements.

We are also thinking about getting a rat breeding rack up and going. It' small scale right now in glass aquariums, but its a lot of work to keep everything straight and to get to the babies on time and all that other stuff. Does anyone have any recommendations on how to build my own breeding rack for rats?Wood, mesh, and concrete mixing tubs is what I see a lot.

[smy_749]

I never thought about that, Wayne. That's a good idea actually. And I have a glass guy I work with that could cut down whatever I have to the right measurements.

We are also thinking about getting a rat breeding rack up and going. It' small scale right now in glass aquariums, but its a lot of work to keep everything straight and to get to the babies on time and all that other stuff. Does anyone have any recommendations on how to build my own breeding rack for rats?

They are rats after all, they do just fine in abandon cars in freezing temperatures and in super hot temperatures. They are pretty hardy, just get a book shelf big enough to put decent size rubbermaids in, and make sure they can't get out (dont leave ANY spaces, I swear rats are boneless hahahaha). They will do the rest. Have you considered rabbits instead? And just getting an outdoor rabbit hut ?

Here is a fairly simple design, courtesy of google images.

http://a3.ec-images.myspacecdn.com/images02/75/41489162385040e8b08ae3af94d3283e/l.jpg

[Vegasarah]

That actually seems pretty do-able. I was afraid that they would be able to chew through the rubbermaids or through the cement tubs because they were made of plastic but I guess that's not an issue. And if any holes start being worked on I could just get a new tub I suppose.

We adopt out rabbits and get a lot of abandoned ones lol... And it's too cold up there for like at least half the year for them to live outside. Rabbits would be nice and big for the bigger guys to eat, but rats are better because we do have some animals at the rescue that are very small and need pinkies and fuzzies. Then we can take out the big male rats and grown them up in the aquariums that they are living in now so that we can have some big feeders for the big snakes and lizards. And freeze (and possibly sell) our extras.

I've been looking at how much it would cost to build breeder racks like the picture smy shared but I keep getting all different kinds of numbers. I guess I need to take a trip to Home Depot and just price everything out. Maybe I'll take set-by step pictures and price breakdowns for anyone on the forum that is interested in doing something like it for themselves. :)

[smy_749]

Heres an idea, if you can "envision' what I'm trying to describe. Just build a wooden frame, and find metal bins (I'm sure home depot has something) if you are worried the may chew threw. I don't have experience with mice so I couldn't tell you. Get some dresser drawer sliders (the 'tracks' to pull your drawer in and out) and fasten them to the wooden frame. The only part I haven't included is the top, having a very very secure top is the hard part, and I don't know if they need mesh or solid tops, and how you will include the water bottle fixture.

[Aaron_S]

Rat Rack (http://www.strictlyballs.ca/ratrack.htm)

Bam!

[Vegasarah]

Rat Rack (http://www.strictlyballs.ca/ratrack.htm)

Bam!


Awesome. I wonder how many 2x4's were needed. I can look up how much those bins from Ikea are online I'm guessing.

Does some kind of hide need to be placed inside for the mothers to have their babies in? Or will they just kind of have them in the corner? I think I have a lot to learn about breeding rats! 0.0

[smy_749]

Awesome. I wonder how many 2x4's were needed. I can look up how much those bins from Ikea are online I'm guessing.

Does some kind of hide need to be placed inside for the mothers to have their babies in? Or will they just kind of have them in the corner? I think I have a lot to learn about breeding rats! 0.0

Don't over stress it. They are breeding machines haha. People talk about exact temps and humidity levels for roaches, what to feed them, water crystal this and. I threw mine in a bin, put the heat on medium, threw some stuff in there and they are doing wonderfully.

[Vegasarah]

Don't over stress it. They are breeding machines haha. People talk about exact temps and humidity levels for roaches, what to feed them, water crystal this and. I threw mine in a bin, put the heat on medium, threw some stuff in there and they are doing wonderfully.

That's what I did with my roaches, but the babies don't grow fast enough and Django's eating all the good sized ones. So I'm thinking of buying some more whole sale and throwing them in and re-establishing a balance. I know I should wait till the colony can get back to it's own balance- but I have a hungry monitor on my hands so he gets what he wants lol.

[smy_749]

That's what I did with my roaches, but the babies don't grow fast enough and Django's eating all the good sized ones. So I'm thinking of buying some more whole sale and throwing them in and re-establishing a balance. I know I should wait till the colony can get back to it's own balance- but I have a hungry monitor on my hands so he gets what he wants lol.

Yea you need the colony to really start booming before you feed any of them off. I sold alot of my nymphs and my colony is trying to catch back up again, so I'm not feeding much from it these days.

[Vegasarah]

Rat Rack (http://www.strictlyballs.ca/ratrack.htm)

Bam!


I've searched everywhere... Ikea no long makes those awesome SLUGIS storage bins... I've heard of people using cat litter pans, but I think the key to that kind of construction is the lip around the top that is both thin and strong for easy sliding in and out. :(

[Pirarucu]

I'll say it again. Concrete mixing tubs.
http://www.noblemro.com/media/catalog/product/cache/2/image/9df78eab33525d08d6e5fb8d27136e95/2/6/263011.jpg

[Vegasarah]

I think the key to using those concrete tubs is to not make a 'rail' for them to slide on like a drawer but rather support them from the bottom. I've heard that the lip around the top isn't really a good standard because they can vary in thickness. Then if you have to replace the tub for any reason you have to take apart the rails and re-fit them to that certain thickness. But it would just mean a little bit more wood and I might have some scrap around from Django's enclosure anyway. I think I can figure it out either way. Now the big debate on if I should just use 1/2" hard ware cloth or try and find 1/3". I guess the 1/2" is better if you are feeding lab diet because the food can fit through the holes without falling straight through. And I do want to feed lab, but if the people at the rescue want to also feed cat food or whatever then we might have an issues with it falling straight through. Though I'm not funding this project, just building it, so I guess it's not really up to me in the long run.

This build is going to be kind of a slow process, mostly due to lack of cash. I'll start with the frame after I search around for the best deal on 2x4s and just go from there.

[Vegasarah]

I just answered my own stupid question... I'm going to make one side of the screen 1/2" and the other half 1/3" so that they can feed whatever they want. Obviously the preference would be like a Mazuri lab diet or something but cat/ dog food isn't too bad once in a while if they run out of food.

[Vegasarah]

Just some pictures I snapped of him today.

You can see in the black and white one how much he has grown (compared to that holey branch thing) in only 3 weeks time!

He's eating adult mice now, I really am in awe of how big he has gotten. Day one with him back in January he couldn't swallow anything larger than a pinkie mouse!

He looks a bit tubby in these pictures because he kind of is. I think I was way over-feeding him for a while so I've cut back till he loses some of that little belly fat.

[stephanbakir]

It's pretty tricky to overfeed baby monitors who have enough heat. They are machines.
He's looking good though, was he if fed up in that photo, or sitting calmly?

[Pirarucu]

He's looking good. He doesn't look all that tubby to me to tell you the truth. Just make him run a bit more to get his food if you're worried.

[smy_749]

Wow he got big haha Lookin good. Any updates on the rat rack?

[Vegasarah]

It's pretty tricky to overfeed baby monitors who have enough heat. They are machines.
He's looking good though, was he if fed up in that photo, or sitting calmly?

Sitting calmly! Shocking! He's really calmed down a lot lately, I don't know if it's because he has become more used to me or if he's just realized not everything outside the enclosure is trying to eat him... But I'm enjoying it! He snaps into feeding mode and catches 1 foot of air while trying to snatch mice from tongs, which is also super entertaining. But then after dinner time is over he calms down and chills under the lights.

[Vegasarah]

He's looking good. He doesn't look all that tubby to me to tell you the truth. Just make him run a bit more to get his food if you're worried.

Okay, that's good. He kind of looked like he was dragging his belly a bit so I was getting paranoid. I've bumped the basking spot from 125 to 140 by adding another low watt bulb, just in case it's not the quantity of food but rather not digesting properly. He uses that 140 spot, but mostly he sleeps just a few inches away from it where the temp is around 95. Burrow/ cool side is still around 80. Is this too hot? I mean that's the surface temp at the entrance of the burrow so it might be cooler inside?

[Vegasarah]

Wow he got big haha Lookin good. Any updates on the rat rack?

Nope, I've had the very fortunate opportunity to have access to about 4 newborn rabbits per week! And fertilized goose eggs that I have incubating till they develop a little more before I crack them open and feed them (it's gross and a little disturbing because the baby goose is alive, but Django thrashes it and eats it in a flash so they die quickly? :/ )That plus my frozen mice and dubia roaches are working great for me for now. I will get that rat rack running before this fall when all my other feeders stop breeding and producing, though.

[Pirarucu]

Sounds like he's doing great! We love pictures... LOL

[Vegasarah]

And I love taking pictures of him, honestly. He's a very handsome boy in my opinion! I put pictures of him on my facebook and instagram and everyone just loves him to death lol.

[murrindindi]

We would all love to see some updated photos of him, can you put a few up here? (We won`t tell anyone, honest we won`t)! :)

[Vegasarah]

I'm going to take some tonight for sure, all the pictures I have of him are at least a month old. Which means he's about 4 inches longer than he was then anyway lol.

I really think he's getting to a good size and temperament to possibly take him out of his enclosure. I'm going to need to do so this week in order to build and 'addition' on to his current enclosure. I'm going to keep the tank but modify it and make it twice as tall so it will be 8x2x4 instead of just 2 feet tall. Fill the whole bottom tank (2") with substrate and make a 'living space' above it by attaching a separate enclosure to the top. Almost like a lid? And I was even thinking of making a ramp into a 55 gallon (long and wide, not tall) fish tank I got that has a hole cut in the bottom for a drain. It might look a little like a giant hamster cage when I'm done with it, but I'm working with what I have! And if he's happy and healthy then I'm willing to try anything :)

[smy_749]

I'm going to take some tonight for sure, all the pictures I have of him are at least a month old. Which means he's about 4 inches longer than he was then anyway lol.

I really think he's getting to a good size and temperament to possibly take him out of his enclosure. I'm going to need to do so this week in order to build and 'addition' on to his current enclosure. I'm going to keep the tank but modify it and make it twice as tall so it will be 8x2x4 instead of just 2 feet tall. Fill the whole bottom tank (2") with substrate and make a 'living space' above it by attaching a separate enclosure to the top. Almost like a lid? And I was even thinking of making a ramp into a 55 gallon (long and wide, not tall) fish tank I got that has a hole cut in the bottom for a drain. It might look a little like a giant hamster cage when I'm done with it, but I'm working with what I have! And if he's happy and healthy then I'm willing to try anything :)

Just make sure its sturdy enough that he won't knock the top off the bottom piece. 2 feet deep (front to back) is a bit narrow, especially since he would prefer the width instead of added height. Oh, and I'm sure you meant 2' (feet) and not 2" (inches) deep :D . Best of luck, we await the pics ! ;)

[Vegasarah]

Yes, I meant 2 feet! Haha oops. And I know, 4 feet wide would be really ideal, but he' only a couple months old, he's not even 2 feet long s to v yet. I've got to start the adult build over the summer and have it totally finished by this fall. I'm going to try for 10x4x6, because I think that's as big as I can go with the space I have. I might be able to push it to 12 feet long but that leave the problem that when I move, I won't be able to transport it anywhere. My thinking was the average size of a truck bed is 5 feet long, if I make my enclosure 10 feet long I can make it in two parts so that it can be taken apart and moved when the time comes. When we get into the 12 foot range, we start to have transportation problems and possibly even space issues in my own home. I hope to give him and entire bedroom some day, but I am working as hard as I can to try and give him what he needs.
Though in reality, I'm going to be putting an 'addition' on to the 10x4x6 when he gets bigger with a bathtub as a water feature. It will be attached to the enclosure, but not part of it's structure. So I guess if you include the bathtub it will be 12 feet long :)

[Vegasarah]

So If I make this new enclosure 6 feet tall, how much of that should be substrate? Could I start out with less while he is still a baby and then change it as he gets older? Like have only 2 feet of substrate and 4 feet of living space, but more hides and more branches to climb around on? I know when they are young they like to climb more. Then as he grows I could take out some of the branches and log and add more substrate. Or should I just set it up like I would for an adult and then leave it that way? (3 feet dirt, 3 feet living space)

[Pirarucu]

So If I make this new enclosure 6 feet tall, how much of that should be substrate? Could I start out with less while he is still a baby and then change it as he gets older? Like have only 2 feet of substrate and 4 feet of living space, but more hides and more branches to climb around on? I know when they are young they like to climb more. Then as he grows I could take out some of the branches and log and add more substrate. Or should I just set it up like I would for an adult and then leave it that way? (3 feet dirt, 3 feet living space)Either way would be good, it's up to you. I personally would give him two feet of substrate at first just because it would give him more useable space, as he would probably not use a full three feet.

[Vegasarah]

I did a thing...

Haha I recently bought this 350 gallon tank because, well, it was cheap as heck and I love it. I put my dogs in it as a point of reference lol. It's 8x4x3!

The main man Django is doing well but will appreciate this upgrade, I'm sure.

AND here's a video from last night, just an action shot showing how confident he has become :)

Django feeding - YouTube (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X2TKsiX7mwQ)

[murrindindi]

I did a thing...

Haha I recently bought this 350 gallon tank because, well, it was cheap as heck and I love it. I put my dogs in it as a point of reference lol. It's 8x4x3!

The main man Django is doing well but will appreciate this upgrade, I'm sure.

AND here's a video from last night, just an action shot showing how confident he has become :)




Hi, in the relatively very, very short time I saw him he seemed to look good, a longer video/some photos may help determine if I`m correct.... :)
It`s good to hear you`re both doing o.k.

[Vegasarah]

Here's one from the other day. He was under the impression that I had food, and then when he realized i was just cleaning the tank/ adding more substrate he just sat on top of that hide and GLARED at me lol. This picture makes it look like he lives in a tub or something, but it's actually a custom glass enclosure that is just FILTHY from his constant digging and burrowing :)

[smy_749]

He looks evil... you must be doing it right

[Lankyrob]

I would have kept the dogs in the viv and let the monitor run loose ;)

[Vegasarah]

He looks evil... you must be doing it right


He can be very evil when he wants to be. That feeding response can be downright scary sometimes, honestly. Haha I love him!

[Vegasarah]

I would have kept the dogs in the viv and let the monitor run loose ;)

If I didn't live in a desert with single-digit humidity all year long I would also love to let him run loose! Short trips outside the enclosure are okay but I never let him out for more than an hour or two at the most. I'm very careful with providing high humidity at all times!

[Pirarucu]

Wow, he's gotten big.

[Vegasarah]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ufUtFT7sgyw&feature=youtube_gdata_player

That is a few months old but here ya go.

[Vegasarah]

Also a little older video but he didn't go crazy over those fertile goose eggs lol. He ate them but didn't seem to love them!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L8tvmRBtoBM&feature=youtube_gdata_player

[Vegasarah]

Took this tonight! He is a wild one! I love this crazy boy. I took the wood lid off all the way and he just walked in like he meant to do that haha.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WogYVOvrfRI&feature=youtube_gdata_player

[murrindindi]

If I didn't live in a desert with single-digit humidity all year long I would also love to let him run loose! Short trips outside the enclosure are okay but I never let him out for more than an hour or two at the most. I'm very careful with providing high humidity at all times!



Hi, why do you believe you need to provide constant high humidity (is that throughout the enclosure), and what range is it?

[Vegasarah]

Hi, why do you believe you need to provide constant high humidity (is that throughout the enclosure), and what range is it?

It's around 80% on the cool side but right under the basking light where it drops down to around 20%. Middle is probably somewhere between 40% - 70%?

[murrindindi]

It's around 80% on the cool side but right under the basking light where it drops down to around 20%. Middle is probably somewhere between 40% - 70%?


That humidity range is fine, I wasn`t sure if you were trying to get a specific figure throughout the enclosure which would be extremely unlikely (impossible even), but if you had managed hopefully you`d have shared the secret!? ;)

[Vegasarah]

That humidity range is fine, I wasn`t sure if you were trying to get a specific figure throughout the enclosure which would be extremely unlikely (impossible even), but if you had managed hopefully you`d have shared the secret!? ;)

Been thinking about adding some organic untreated peat moss on top- that stuff holds humidity really well without things getting moldy. I have a few pictures I want to share of his new enclosure even though it's not 100% finished yet. The reason I had to make the move early was because I was anticipating the arrival of my new Sumatran Water Monitor baby! I knew a girl that rescued him but thinks that I will be a better home for him. So I cleared Django out of his old enclosure and into his new one and got it ready for the new baby. I also have a little Savannah baby and am getting a yellow ackie at the beginning of next month. Very exciting stuff!

[simpleyork]

love the Nile, something about them and the ornates that just gets my blood pumping.

[murrindindi]

Been thinking about adding some organic untreated peat moss on top- that stuff holds humidity really well without things getting moldy. I have a few pictures I want to share of his new enclosure even though it's not 100% finished yet. The reason I had to make the move early was because I was anticipating the arrival of my new Sumatran Water Monitor baby! I knew a girl that rescued him but thinks that I will be a better home for him. So I cleared Django out of his old enclosure and into his new one and got it ready for the new baby. I also have a little Savannah baby and am getting a yellow ackie at the beginning of next month. Very exciting stuff!


I like the look of that enclosure (well done), what`s the plant material on the left?
When are you getting the Water monitor, and how soon can you show a few pics?? :)

[Vegasarah]

I like the look of that enclosure (well done), what`s the plant material on the left?
When are you getting the Water monitor, and how soon can you show a few pics?? :)

It's actually like a plastic 'carpet' of grass. Similar to artificial turf but with big 'leaves'. It's like a ground cover for over there while I build the water feature that will go there instead.

Here's the water monitor picture, I just got her(?) on Sunday! I love her already! I'm going to make another thread for her because I do have a few questions about their care.

[Mikoh4792]

Is she a rescue?(the water monitor)

[Vegasarah]

Is she a rescue?(the water monitor)


http://www.ssnakess.com/forums/varanid/101835-baby-salvator-picture-heavy-lots-questions.html

There's her thread. Yeah, she's a rescue as well! Given to me by someone that knows I will be an excellent care giver!