Monitor enclosure discussion thread

[varanus_mad]

Originally Posted by rullom

I know you guys probably don't care to see what I have to say but I have extensive experience in reptiles other than monitors and the basic reason for not using a large cage is simply for the inability to find food. If this is combated as wayne mentioned to me earlier with a dish or so (which monitors will use) then the large cage is fine. Larger enclosures do not fluctuate as much as small ones do which can be a benefit. What moe is arguing for I think is that small cages are easier to start for beginning hobbyists and this is true. It takes much more time to see if a large cage is working properly... Small cages can hit temps and conditions that you need much sooner than large cages during variable changes, and this should also warn you that the changes in opposite direction can also occur as fast if something fails. This is all that I have to say.

lol i always find that argument ammusing ive never seen a reptile starve to death because it couldnt find its food.

How do they survive in the wild then? there good at finding food... hell a lot better than the average human would be.

[infernalis]

Originally Posted by varanus_mad

lol i always find that argument ammusing ive never seen a reptile starve to death because it couldnt find its food.

How do they survive in the wild then? there good at finding food... hell a lot better than the average human would be.

Best thing I read all day.

They can smell an earthworm below a foot of soil, and dig it up to eat it as well.

[rullom]

well its not that they "may" starve to death (In the wild i think < 30% survive to adulthood). I could be slightly off there but it is low (eggs to adult). We try to simulate ideal conditions so we won't' necessarily see them starve but we want to ensure the exact amount of proper diet that is ideal. Again dishes will work with this species