big sav

[treevaranus]

Please keep in mind that these animals are reptiles, are ectotherms, and come from tropical/subtropical areas, where temps are very rarely below 80F.

By taking him out, and letting him move around a room that is 74F or whatever the room temperature is, his metabolism will slow down significantly(why most people call their pet reptiles 'tame' when they have them out and are handling them. The truth of the matter is, these temps are very cold for monitors, and not the ideal temperatures that monitors choose to stay in during the day. Most varanids choose to seek out body temps of over 100f during the day.

By taking him out, and putting him in a cold room, with no access to a basking spot, etc, you are only stressing the animal out and lowering its metabolism, making its choices for thermoregulation, not allowing it to get itself comfortable.

If you are going to do this, I would suggest having an enclosure with a front opening door, that has access to the floor, where the animal can return back to the enclousre when he/she so chooses to do so.

I only have one monitor that I allow to come out of his enclosure, and that is a male V. beccarii. I do not pick him up and take him out, I merely leave his enclosure door open. He'll climb down from the enclosure, walk around, search around, mark his territory(usually take a dump on my carpet), and when he gets cool or uncomfortable, he walks right back to his enclosure, climbs back in and goes bask, hide, sleep, etc- whatever he wants. He knows where he needs to go to warm himself up, after walking around the room(which is usually around 85F anyways), and he has access to it. He also does not spend hours out, only five or ten minutes.

Just my thoughts and experiences... People don't realize that room temps are cold for most pet reptiles...and they force their animals to remain out in these cold temps.

Cheers,

Bob