About Arboreal varanids and rocks…

[Steeve B]

I see many peoples keeping tropical forest species with rocks or concrete block sometime cement wall or brick, this is not advisable as in the limited space we provide to our captives, they will constantly walk on over or try to climb these nail buffing surfaces, now its true they have rocks in nature, however they rarely have contact with these surface preferring trees and branches, this may not have much consequence with small to medium varanids, but its hazardous to large salvator and especially Salvadorii as they need all the grip they can have considering there weight. IV saw plenty of such animal’s barley capable of climbing falling off there once favourite basking branch.
:grab:
Rgds

[markb]

Hi Steve,
Not only that, I once found two V. jobiensis in the same cinder block hole, one breathing ok, the other barely breathing as it was being squashed by the larger one! I could not remove either of them at all, and had to quickly smash the cinder block to remove the suffocating one....I never thought this could happen, but it did. Like when I see kids on the playground do things I could never imagine, always try to expect the unexpected....good post.
cheers,
markb

[Tim and Julie B]

Well that is great to know! Ok so no rocks or blocks. I will remember that. Thanks TB

[Scales Zoo]

When we provide rocks in our outdoor enclosure, they will be boulders that are at least 10 times the adult size of the monitors. That way they can climb them, but not be able to move them, in fact, I will probably have trouble moving them. We decided this was one way of making sure they could not dig out (same goes for the box turtles and torts) if we line the 'basement' of the cage with large boulders, and then cover them with soil and sod, so that they can dig a bit, but would have to overturn a giant boulder in order to be able to get out. And we would be able to catch them digging long before it caused trouble.

I think the water monitor prefers a larger flat surface to the branches, as he is getting quite heavy these days. Like the giant pythons, I think the youngsters are more athletic and arboreal, and as adults are content to find a favorite burrow or ledge to baskon or hide in.

Good advice on the rocks and crevices, we have had aquarium fish swim into an ornament and not be able to turn around, and if we do not find them and rescue them, we usually dont find them alive. I wondered if they could injure themselves or each other by turning or pushing rocks. For the first time this weekend I witnessed the strength they have, and can say I under estimated them. HOLY CRAP! When the monitor took the hook away on Ryan, it happened so fast he did not have time to take a better grip, it just whipped out of his hand. A lovely Midwest snake hook as a cage decoration for a few minutes while we formulated a plan. And then he pushed his water tub, full of water, away from the wall to make a hide-hole with little effort. I myself could not have moved it with such ease.

Sheila

[markb]

Hi Sheila,

Something to consider and confuse you further: Large branches are good for climbing, more importantly exercise as monitors have to pull their own weight up the branches which burns calories and helps keep obesity off them; also for thermoregulating - many vara-keepers think laterally for hot/cold but few consider vertical temps, hot and cold, and branches aid in thermoregulating this way too - the 3-dimensional aspects of herpetoculture....

good luck!
markb

[Scales Zoo]

We have a few sturdy branches for them to provide climbing areas and basking areas, but we like to use the kind that are thicker so they can lay lengthwise on them and rest, the water monitor used to put his head in a crook in the branch to prop himself up to sleep. I like branches that are too big for him to get his legs around to the point of touching, more like a power pole size. My only concern for climbing is placement of branches to allow for movement, and prevent falls. Do you find bark on the branches to be of benefit? Or do smooth branches work better?

[markb]

Like they do it the way, you can tell where a varanid lives, by where the bark is scraped off, like grizzly bears do in Yellowstone, have scratching poles, where home is nearby and signifies to others, "I am here" - if you have bark on it at first, varranids will scrape it off eventually - go with bark if you can... its estetic and helps with their claws too.
cheers,
markb

[Steeve B]

This is a typical example of what I mean, above is my famous white eye croc! And below is an amazing croc belonging to the professional reptiles breeder N.E.R.D
This animal is part of a breeding program, NERD made an awesome display for there croc’s unfortunately what seemed like a good idea (The brick wall) turned out not so good to the croc’s natural behaviour, obviously this animal cant fully appreciate its arboreal nature, compare the claws all my animals have sharp claws, but put a simple rock in there cage and its buy-buy sharpness. When I say don’t use this or that, its only to prevent you from doing mistakes I or others have made already, I have spoken with NERD prior to him building this exhibit, but at that time I didn’t know about the brick wall, I guess he learned as I did. Also croc monitors are not like any other big monitors, they remain arboreal all there life, and this providing they are allowed to keep there claws.
Rgds

[Scales Zoo]

All of the monitors we currently keep have access to both barked and clean peeled branches, and have done some of their own scraping. They also have all of their claws, and they are sharp. The only one that is not arboreal is a very heavy savanna, but he does like to sprawl on a branch now and then.

We have a savanna that we got in as a rescue, and he is missing a few claws, and the tips of a few toes. For obvious reasons, he cannot hold on, or climb well. Do you have suggestions for this poor guy? I want to provide an exercise area of branches for him, but I worry about the branches being too steep, or that if he does slip, he will fall into another branch on the way down.

I am thinking that carpet would be difficult to clean, and would possibly cause him to lose a few more claws to snags, so if you have something to suggest that can provide exercise without being risky to him, please share your ideas. I was thinking that making a ramp and basking shelf of horizontal stacked branches might work for him to climb.

Sheila

[markb]

V. salvadorii do come to bask in the sunshine on some of smaller islands off of PNG, as I have some photos of them doing just that, in groups, like you see komodos doing so on the grass in the morning hours, soaking up the rays before the morning breakfast....

Someday I hope to publish those photos.....
cheers,
markb

[V.hb]

mark, do you have any photos (iam sure you do, sorry if its a stupid Question) of v.albigularus published?? i'd love to see some, not many available if any of them in their natural surroundings..... The salvadorii photos you speak of sound amazing, if you ever do publish these please let us know!

[markb]

Yes, I there are some in Mike Balsai's books on savannah monitors, some in Bernd Eidenmuller's first edition, and in Harold DeLisles book on monitor lizards too, all V. albigularis I think?? Maybe other species too? I am not sure.

I am thinking about how to write this second V. salvadorii article - to write it in a different way than I did in 1998, and I am having difficulty doing that....but I want to - maybe I will try writing my book I lost again, although I have alot of trepidation doing that as I lost it, and do not want to waste all that time/energy only to lose it again....time and energy I cannot waste - reading about varanids I do not mind, at least I am learning/re-reading old stuff.
cheers,
markb