bosc monitor set up, looking for improvements.

[curious.boa.guy]

hi guys, just wondering what you thing of my set up for my bosc monitor and what you think i should change 13639557_1239230149450039_1042105126_o.jpg13639733_1239230139450040_1187839941_o.jpg

[chairman]

Is the enclosure a minimum of 4' x 8'? Does it contain sandy soil capable of holding a burrow that is a minimum of 24" deep? Is the surface temperature (measued with a temp gun) of the basking spot a minimum of 130 F?

If not, then those are the things you should fix, as those are the bare minimum for a bosc enclosure.

[sirtalis]

Is it in a glass aquarium with wood chips? If so your slowly killing your animal.
Read this page like the bible
Correct Savannah Monitor Care

[Ian of Oldham]

Originally Posted by sirtalis

Is it in a glass aquarium with wood chips? If so your slowly killing your animal.
Read this page like the bible
Correct Savannah Monitor Care

Bang your on the money, get rid of the wood and up the temp.

[sirtalis]

One more point, go 6 feet tall, if you only go 4 feet, 2 will have to be devoted to soil giving your monitor only 2 feet of space to crawl around. I'm building a 8Lx8Hx3W enclosure for my peacock monitor, keep in mind he's only 27 inches long and very slender. These animals require a huge amount of time and money, No offense intended but I'm tired of seeing monitor lizards kept in sub par enclosures

[Ian of Oldham]

Originally Posted by sirtalis

One more point, go 6 feet tall, if you only go 4 feet, 2 will have to be devoted to soil giving your monitor only 2 feet of space to crawl around. I'm building a 8Lx8Hx3W enclosure for my peacock monitor, keep in mind he's only 27 inches long and very slender. These animals require a huge amount of time and money, No offense intended but I'm tired of seeing monitor lizards kept in sub par enclosures

My local rescue center has two monitors at the moment and people do not understand the how big and how much time money is needed, hope that he has looked into it and understand what he taking on. I wish him good luck

[Darshor]

Originally Posted by sirtalis

One more point, go 6 feet tall, if you only go 4 feet, 2 will have to be devoted to soil giving your monitor only 2 feet of space to crawl around. I'm building a 8Lx8Hx3W enclosure for my peacock monitor, keep in mind he's only 27 inches long and very slender. These animals require a huge amount of time and money, No offense intended but I'm tired of seeing monitor lizards kept in sub par enclosures

why would you build a 8h cage for a sav? they dont need that much height for their cage because they do not climb much, i would reccomend a 8L 5W 4H enclosure for a sav

[murrindindi]

Originally Posted by Darshor

why would you build a 8h cage for a sav? they dont need that much height for their cage because they do not climb much, i would reccomend a 8L 5W 4H enclosure for a sav

Hi, in a 6ft tall enclosure with around 2 feet of substrate that will leave 4 feet of "air space" above ground, to suggest that is too high for them is quite silly, and if given the means they will climb.
In a 4ft tall enclosure a full grown adult could almost reach the top by standing on it`s hind legs if the substrate`s 2ft deep!
Have you any idea how much space these animals make use of in the wild?
"sirtails" mentions building an 8ft tall tank for his Peacock monitor (which again isn`t really "tall")....

[sirtalis]

Originally Posted by murrindindi

Hi, in a 6ft tall enclosure with around 2 feet of substrate that will leave 4 feet of "air space" above ground, to suggest that is too high for them is quite silly, and if given the means they will climb.
In a 4ft tall enclosure a full grown adult could almost reach the top by standing on it`s hind legs if the substrate`s 2ft deep!
Have you any idea how much space these animals make use of in the wild?
"sirtails" mentions building an 8ft tall tank for his Peacock monitor (which again isn`t really "tall")....

good point, unfortunately my ceilings are only 9 feet tall in my reptile room, given the space my peacock monitor would a 20 foot tall enclosure haha

[sirtalis]

Originally Posted by Darshor

why would you build a 8h cage for a sav? they dont need that much height for their cage because they do not climb much, i would reccomend a 8L 5W 4H enclosure for a sav

Your joking right, a healthy savannah monitor would definitely climb, a 4 foot tall cage gives virtually no air space, infernalis has a picture of one of his savs tripoding and I guarantee you its more than 2 feet in the air, last point: a four foot tall cage would only give two feet of air space, most lights are going to hang down into the cage a bit meaning the monitor could easily pull them down and potentially burn itself

[curious.boa.guy]

i know exactly what responsibilities i have take on, i have just ordered 60L of Savannah substrait for him to burrow, I have a friend who owns a pet shop and he orders all my reptiles food for them in bulk so i have surplus amounts to feed him (he already eats like a pig). his vivarium is currently 4ft by 3ft as he is small and when he grows a little more i will move him up to a 7ft by 4ft i am currently building for him.

[sirtalis]

Savanah substrate? You need to get it on a proper sand soil mix asap. And how is it going to burrow, the cage looks looks a few inches deep

[murrindindi]

Originally Posted by curious.boa.guy

i know exactly what responsibilities i have take on, i have just ordered 60L of Savannah substrait for him to burrow, I have a friend who owns a pet shop and he orders all my reptiles food for them in bulk so i have surplus amounts to feed him (he already eats like a pig). his vivarium is currently 4ft by 3ft as he is small and when he grows a little more i will move him up to a 7ft by 4ft i am currently building for him.

Hi, there`s no way you can provide a reasonable depth of substrate of any type in that enclosure without at least modifying it (building something across the front to increase the depth it can hold), also, melamine once the surface is broken will rot in a very short space of time, not to mention it won`t take the weight of said substrate either.
At best this enclosure might last a few WEEKS with modifications.
What type and wattage of heating/lighting are you using, what`s the lowest ambient (air) temp in the coolest parts and the surface temp of the basking object plus the humidity range, and how are you measuring all those?
The hatchlings will flourish in an "adult sized" enclosure from day one, moving them into different enclosures usually causes a great deal of stress.
You also need to be aware of how quickly they can reach sexual maturity in captivity when fully supported (literally in MONTHS), meaning if the monitor is female you must provide suitable nesting (well before they become gravid, in fact I advise from day one).

[sirtalis]

@murrindini I was hoping you would comment good point about the sexual maturity/egg laying, I'd forgotten about that.

[curious.boa.guy]

So here we go guys... I have emptied out his viv and refilled it with potting soil mixed with reptile sand and vermiculite, compacted it down to the point where it supports structures, two feet deep in the far left corner and he has started to burrow a little already. his basking spot temp is reading 106 at the moment. Any other thing's needed please inform me. I will be adding photos later so thanks for the info