What should Varanid husbandry practices be like?

[monitorlizard]

After reading various threads about nesting options for monitors in captivity as well as diet in captivity, I began to wonder what should general husbandry practices be like.

-Should we mimic the wild to the closest degree? Using the largest enclosure possible and providing a very deep substrate for burrowing, nesting, etc. Feeding a multitude of prey items that would be found normally in the monitor's natural habitat or at least species similar. Keeping the animals in (for lack of a better term) colonies or pairs similar to the groups of animals normally found in the wild. Providing many temperature gradients and fluctuations withing the enclosure mimicking the rise and set of the sun as will as replicating the annual climate changes the occur within the animal's natural habitat?

-Should we do everything for then animal, providing an almost hospital like environment. Doing this by keeping the animal on a sterile substrate, providing prepared food items loaded with vitamin and mineral supplements, providing only two temperatures within the cage(one with a higher temperature for digestion, and a lower temperature to provide stable conditions that will not influence the monitor internally). Only giving the animal a nest box when the female is gravid.

-Should we do some kind of combination of the two? Perhaps providing food items that are not necessarily found in their natural habitat, but rather are nutritionally the best. Together with that providing a habitat that is similar to their habitat in the wild.

[Grendel]

I believe in the first option, and strongly reject the second.

[Pirarucu]

Originally Posted by Grendel

I believe in the first option, and strongly reject the second.

This exactly.

[Akuma223]

First option no contest.

[crocdoc]

I don't think there are hard and fast rules. Clearly a sterile environment isn't going to work, but beyond that whether or not you try to emulate the wild depends on the situation and what it is you are trying to emulate (food, nesting etc). Sometimes trying to emulate the wild is good, sometimes it works better if you don't try to emulate the wild and I can think of some very good examples of this, but for now I'd like to ask you a question regarding one of your points:

Originally Posted by monitorlizard

-Should we mimic the wild to the closest degree? ... Keeping the animals in (for lack of a better term) colonies or pairs similar to the groups of animals normally found in the wild.

Out of curiosity, where did you get the information that they live in colonies, pairs or groups in the wild?

[smy_749]

I believe native Arizonian Tuscon Ackies and Phoenix Kimberly rock monitors were observed in their natural habitat (basking stacks inside metal troughs and custom built fiberglass enclosures with pool liner tops) in groups of 3 or more.

[monitorlizard]

Originally Posted by crocdoc

I don't think there are hard and fast rules. Clearly a sterile environment isn't going to work, but beyond that whether or not you try to emulate the wild depends on the situation and what it is you are trying to emulate (food, nesting etc). Sometimes trying to emulate the wild is good, sometimes it works better if you don't try to emulate the wild and I can think of some very good examples of this, but for now I'd like to ask you a question regarding one of your points:


Out of curiosity, where did you get the information that they live in colonies, pairs or groups in the wild?

Water Monitors live in fairly large groups. The same might apply to Komodo Dragons, though it appears they are seen only in groups during breeding and feeding. Many monitors probably don't live in groups now when I think about it though.
http://varanidae.org/Vol_2_No_1.pdf
(Varanus Salvator)

http://varanidae.org/4-4.pdf
(Ackies)

And I believe Nile Monitores live in "groups"

[DeadlyDesires]

Originally Posted by Grendel

I believe in the first option, and strongly reject the second.

most deff!

[Aanayab1]

I am still fairly new to the monitors world. I follow the mimic style husbandry. It is a very hard task due to the lack of credible information on the subject. The amount of research needed is quite intense. I think the important thing is to be able to pass on the information needed on sites like this, drama free (as much as possible) so people will not just wing it out of frustration... This site is the first I have found where the drama is at a minimum and I love it!

[Pirarucu]

I should refine my stance a bit. I believe that optimal natural conditions should be replicated. A sunny day during the wet season should be the goal, not a cloudy day during the dry season. That environment should be established as a base to work off of, then modifications should be made according to the behavior of the animal. (e.g. if the monitor spends more than a few minutes at a time on it's basking spot, raise the temps. If it stays in the cooler areas, lower the temps, etc.)
This is referring to the environment. Diet does not necessarily need to be what they eat in the wild, as long as it is healthy, whole prey.

[smy_749]

Originally Posted by Pirarucu

I should refine my stance a bit. I believe that optimal natural conditions should be replicated. A sunny day during the wet season should be the goal, not a cloudy day during the dry season. That environment should be established as a base to work off of, then modifications should be made according to the behavior of the animal. (e.g. if the monitor spends more than a few minutes at a time on it's basking spot, raise the temps. If it stays in the cooler areas, lower the temps, etc.)
This is referring to the environment. Diet does not necessarily need to be what they eat in the wild, as long as it is healthy, whole prey.

Do you guys find that preferred temps for savannah/grassland/desert species are the same for rainforest/tropical species with lots of canopy cover?

[Pirarucu]

Originally Posted by smy_749

Do you guys find that preferred temps for savannah/grassland/desert species are the same for rainforest/tropical species with lots of canopy cover?

From what I know yes, they should use around the same temps, though some rainforest monitors won't use temps on the high end of what grassland species will use. Ultimately it comes down to listening to what your monitor is trying to say.

[monitorlizard]

Originally Posted by Pirarucu

I should refine my stance a bit. I believe that optimal natural conditions should be replicated. A sunny day during the wet season should be the goal, not a cloudy day during the dry season. That environment should be established as a base to work off of, then modifications should be made according to the behavior of the animal. (e.g. if the monitor spends more than a few minutes at a time on it's basking spot, raise the temps. If it stays in the cooler areas, lower the temps, etc.)
This is referring to the environment. Diet does not necessarily need to be what they eat in the wild, as long as it is healthy, whole prey.

And changes to induce breeding?

[Pirarucu]

Originally Posted by monitorlizard

And changes to induce breeding?

In a suitable environment, most monitors will breed without a need to replicate a "breeding season".

[monitorlizard]

What about the use of nest boxes?
I seen(what I believe to be) people with cages that have a very shallow substrate but have a nest box. Would that suffice, or is that completely unacceptable? Crocdoc, I have seen you use nest boxes, how deep is your substrate?