Hoping for some advice and perspectives

[Ryodraco]

Let me start by explaining where I am coming from. I've always loved reptiles, but long lacked the knowledge and resources to care for them. Not so much these days.

I feel like I've learned a lot about reptile keeping in the last year. My kingsnake is happy (at least judging by how often she is out and about instead of hiding or burrowing), my checkered garter snakes almost never miss a meal and have grown wonderfully (only one instance of a retained tail shed, which was easily removed), and while my new steppe runner lizard isn't used to me yet, it is gobbling down phoenix worms with gusto.

I feel like I am ready to get something bigger and more unusual. Those familiar with my postings may recall I am considering a bullsnake, however my steppe runner has reinvigorated my interest in lizards.

I must admit I have always considered varanids among my favorite animals. Their powerful, graceful forms, intelligence (for a reptile), high activity level (for a reptile). just everything about them is amazing to me. To own one has long been a dream. A dream I thought I was ready to pursue.

Then came the daunting part, the revelation that even smaller varanids like ackies require at least a foot of substrate. I am not against this, in fact I like the idea of a substrate I would likely never have to fully clean out. No, the bad part is finding out that no commercial enclosure can properly house a monitor.

I have zero carpentry skills, and even if I tried I wouldn't trust anything I built. I am well prepared to dole out the extra money to have a custom cage built, but even then I run into problems. That is say I do get a designer to make one with adequate substrate space, what assurance do I have that it will be strong enough to hold the heavy soil? Then there is the issue of the screen tops which I hear are bad for monitors.

The ideal would be to get a enclosure from someone with experience in varanids. Searches for custom monitor enclosures online haven't yielded anything (lots of nice custom reptiles enclosures on craigslist, but none suited to monitors), yet surely if so many people keep ackies then there must be a lot of enclosures out there right? What do keepers do with extra enclosures if they get out of the hobby, have to downsize their collection, or simply have to make room for newer enclosures?

I'd be willing to travel a few hundred miles if need be (I live in north central Texas) and transport a enclosure myself if one was available and it could fit in a minivan. Ideally I'd want an enclosure that is five feet long by three feet wide or less to fit in the space I have available.

So basically my questions are on two things:

1. Is it worthwhile to keep looking for a used monitor enclosure or for someone to build me one, and if so where should I look? Is not being able/willing to build one myself proof that I shouldn't own a monitor at all?

2. If a monitor isn't for me then are there any lizards out there (beyond the classic bearded dragons, who simply don't appeal to me as much as monitors) that are similarly rewarding to keep and day active but don't require deep substrate, would be okay with screen tops etc? Or should I simply go back to my old plan of getting a bullsnake?

Thanks for listening.