New here, have a couple nile questions

Lizard geek · 12-14-16, 08:13 PM

Just to be succinct, Hi I'm new to this forum. I recently bought a Nile monitor, last June.

So far it has grown roughly 4" and that just seems a lil slow. I'm guessing by thinking that monitors grow about 85% in the first 2 years, and Niles commonly hit around 6'. That should be roughly 18" or so a year at first so 4" in 5&1/2 months seems off.

What is the normal (ish) growth rate for these guys?

Is this about what I can expect?

dave himself · 12-15-16, 02:35 AM

Hi and welcome

and what size is your guy, what are you feeding him, and how often. And I know this may sound like a really stupid question mate but are you sure he's a nile and not something else

Lizard geek · 12-15-16, 11:40 AM

Thanks, and the question doesn't sound dumb at all. I've actually had some doubts. My current general care and feeding is like this:

I started feeding it crickets, now pinkies dusted with cal/d3 supplement 1-2 every day usually, depends on size of pinkies, also I let crickets roam free till they vanish. It's at an overall size of 7 or 8", guessing by the 10" tiles I'm using for the basking spot. with a temp gun bask reaches around 115-120 at the height of the day. I'm keeping temps around 83-92 and humidity in mid to upper 70s. for now its in a rubber tub 48"x18"x24"

dave himself · 12-16-16, 02:22 AM

Mate I'm no monitor expert by a long shot but feeding a baby Nile the way you are it should have grown a bit more than that

. There's a some pretty knowledge guys on here could tell you if it's a nile or not if you could post some pics, but you have to have over 5 posts before you can post the the pics

**Aaron_S** · 12-16-16, 09:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lizard geek

Thanks, and the question doesn't sound dumb at all. I've actually had some doubts. My current general care and feeding is like this:

I started feeding it crickets, now pinkies dusted with cal/d3 supplement 1-2 every day usually, depends on size of pinkies, also I let crickets roam free till they vanish. It's at an overall size of 7 or 8", guessing by the 10" tiles I'm using for the basking spot. with a temp gun bask reaches around 115-120 at the height of the day. I'm keeping temps around 83-92 and humidity in mid to upper 70s. for now its in a rubber tub 48"x18"x24"

What do you mean when you say the basking temps hit that height at the "height of the day"? Are you varying the basking temps?

Pics of the enclosure would help. Personally, I'm not a monitor expert at all, however I know a few things and most likely you either 1. don't have a nile 2. your temps are way off at the metabolism is super slow

Also, vary the diet. Monitors are one reptile where it matters. Roaches, crickets, worms, pinkies should all make up the diet at his size.

dave himself · 12-16-16, 12:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aaron_S

What do you mean when you say the basking temps hit that height at the "height of the day"? Are you varying the basking temps?

Pics of the enclosure would help. Personally, I'm not a monitor expert at all, however I know a few things and most likely you either 1. don't have a nile 2. your temps are way off at the metabolism is super slow

Also, vary the diet. Monitors are one reptile where it matters. Roaches, crickets, worms, pinkies should all make up the diet at his size.

Thanks Aaron for jumping in

Lizard geek · 12-16-16, 10:27 PM

Every time I try to fully explain somehow I get logged out, or a not logged in response when I finish.

I fully agree on both points that diet should be varied (is) and that if this is a nile something is horribly wrong.

Thank you both for responding After my 5th post I will add a pick...

I bought it from a very questionable place labeled simply "monitor". Entirely likely I assumed and miss identified

Thanks

Lizard geek · 12-16-16, 10:33 PM

Oh by height of day I mean that its mainly heated by a 65w outdoor flood light, on a 12 on 12 off timer, first thing in the morning its same temp as the cage ambient temp, after a couple hours it guns in at 120 and stays there till lights out.

Its bright eyed, active, and eats poops daily... but its only grown 4 or so inches in 6 months

sirtalis · 12-17-16, 02:49 PM

Visit savannahmonitor.net everything said about savannah monitors on that website can be used for niles. I would shoot for a higher basking spot (130-150 f minimum) I regularly bask my peacock monitor at 160-180 f. This can easily be done by moving the badking spot a few inches closer to the light. Your care seems to be pretty good so I'm lost haha pictures would be appreciated though. This may be weird but perhaps it is suffering from a form of dwarfism or another genetic defect?

Lizard geek · 12-17-16, 03:58 PM

Hmm, I hadn't even considered possible genetic issue, I've kept an eye on water and scat for parasites, nothin there, Wondered if its husbandry, but it behaves well, hisses eats poops runs etc... I'm sure its most likely in need of some fine tuning, but shouldn't stunt growth to such a degree. Maybe I misidentified... seems most likely but if this really is a Nile Then its gonna be interesting.... Let me see if I can get some pics before making heat adjustments... But when I bought this guy I decided I was gonna do whatever it takes.
Thanks again

Lizard geek · 12-17-16, 04:57 PM

With me, if mistakes weren't so common I wouldn't feel the need to ask questions. So I'm most likely wrong, but with juvenile monitors don't you go a little lighter on the basking heat, bumping it up hotter as they mature? or am I (like usual) mistaken? I got pics together but lost the connection chord to my cpu, so for now I'm off to best buy...

Lizard geek · 12-17-16, 06:59 PM

To get this photo I had to remove the branches roust him from the hide and let him threaten near the basking spot. When I zoomed in a funny thought hit me... omg its a sav. but before I miss identify a second time, I'll let you guys tell me.

Lizard geek · 12-17-16, 07:01 PM

hmm DSC00037.JPG

DSC00040.JPG

sirtalis · 12-17-16, 08:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lizard geek

Hmm, I hadn't even considered possible genetic issue, I've kept an eye on water and scat for parasites, nothin there, Wondered if its husbandry, but it behaves well, hisses eats poops runs etc... I'm sure its most likely in need of some fine tuning, but shouldn't stunt growth to such a degree. Maybe I misidentified... seems most likely but if this really is a Nile Then its gonna be interesting.... Let me see if I can get some pics before making heat adjustments... But when I bought this guy I decided I was gonna do whatever it takes.
Thanks again

Right haha your husbandry seems good but honestly I'm hesitant to say its genetic because I've never heard of it before, but it may be like certain locality reticulated pythons that are much smaller than their mainland counterparts

sirtalis · 12-17-16, 08:13 PM

shoot wish I had seen the pictures before I posted my last reply, all I can say is really? But if that really is your monitor you need to get him into a proper enclosure with soil for digging asap.