New Photos of my big guy

[Toothless]

Originally Posted by infernalis

Awesome. Nice to see the climbing activity.

Thanks Wayne! Your two are looking good as always!! What is your highest ambient temp in the enclosure? Mine's at 95F but I'm wondering if I should bump that up a bit and give him a wider range to use. I've noticed he likes to hang in the hotter areas alot, although he still uses every inch of the enclosure.

[murrindindi]

Originally Posted by Toothless

Thanks Wayne! Your two are looking good as always!! What is your highest ambient temp in the enclosure? Mine's at 95F but I'm wondering if I should bump that up a bit and give him a wider range to use. I've noticed he likes to hang in the hotter areas alot, although he still uses every inch of the enclosure.

Hi, I can only judge from the photos, but in my opinion the monitor looks absolutely fine, and why on earth do you want to raise the ambient temps if the basking surface is between approx. 50 to 60c+ (120 to 140f+), because it`s perfectly acceptable? If you want the animal to hide away for a couple of days at a time raise the ambient to well above that which they would normally encounter during the periods of greatest activity (the cooler wet season).
In times of extremes (the hottest parts of the day/year) these animals will usually RETREAT.
I must make it clear I`m not worried about the air temps immediately under the basking lights (of course they`ll be elevated), it`s when a significant part of the enclosure is kept at these unnecessarily high temps in the strange belief the monitor won`t become overweight and their metabolism will be even higher as if there`s no limit? They have a relatively narrow range of "activity" temps which can easily (quickly) be reached with the above range of surface temps.
As always, no disrespect to anyone, my thoughts are from my personal experiences in captivity and the wild...

[infernalis]

Originally Posted by murrindindi

Hi, I can only judge from the photos, but in my opinion the monitor looks absolutely fine, and why on earth do you want to raise the ambient temps if the basking surface is between approx. 50 to 60c+ (120 to 140f+), because it`s perfectly acceptable? If you want the animal to hide away for a couple of days at a time raise the ambient to well above that which they would normally encounter during the periods of greatest activity (the cooler wet season).
In times of extremes (the hottest parts of the day/year) these animals will usually RETREAT.
I must make it clear I`m not worried about the air temps immediately under the basking lights (of course they`ll be elevated), it`s when a significant part of the enclosure is kept at these unnecessarily high temps in the strange belief the monitor won`t become overweight and their metabolism will be even higher as if there`s no limit? They have a relatively narrow range of "activity" temps which can easily (quickly) be reached with the above range of surface temps.
As always, no disrespect to anyone, my thoughts are from my personal experiences in captivity and the wild...

Absolutely.... The temps are fine, especially if you are seeing a lot of activity, leave it alone. The old saying goes "if it's not broke, don't fix it" and that applies here too.

[Toothless]

I just thought that since he's been resting in the warm areas more than usual that he may use a small area with a higher ambient temp. I wasn't planning to raise the temps in the enclosure, just offer him a shelf/ box with a hotter ambient temp . Not really sure why I thought that and thank you for the explanation. I'll leave the temps alone . Most of the enclosure is between 75-90F with one shelf at 95F that he likes to rest on alot.
He is definately very active. I swear he's playing drums in there sometimes by the amount of racket he makes. This afternoon he dove from the top ledge right onto the dig-box (all the way across the enclosure). He ended up banging into the side of the enclosure and landing on his side- got right back up and kept going like nothing happened. He's getting pretty reckless in there. Will he hurt himself or is he smart enough to know better? He usually prefers to jump down from the ledges rather than use the ladders and I'm sometimes scared that he's going to hurt himself.

[infernalis]

Originally Posted by Toothless

Will he hurt himself or is he smart enough to know better? He usually prefers to jump down from the ledges rather than use the ladders and I'm sometimes scared that he's going to hurt himself.

These critters are built to take it. and smart enough to know their limits.

Flexible skeletons and armor plated skin helps make them very durable.

[Toothless]

Originally Posted by infernalis

These critters are built to take it. and smart enough to know their limits.

Flexible skeletons and armor plated skin helps make them very durable.

That makes me feel better . I figured he was smart enough not to hurt himself on purpose, but he still makes me cringe sometimes.

[infernalis]

Originally Posted by Toothless

That makes me feel better . I figured he was smart enough not to hurt himself on purpose, but he still makes me cringe sometimes.

One of the biologists mentioned seeing a monitor leap from a tree 20 feed up before, and hit the ground on all four feet running.... I don't doubt it.

[Toothless]

Originally Posted by murrindindi

Hi, I can only judge from the photos, but in my opinion the monitor looks absolutely fine,

I'll have to get a side-on photo. He has a bit of a dangly belly- it doesn't touch the ground, but is a little bear-guttish .

[Toothless]

He's not a big fan of dead roaches, but they're great for giving him his vitamins.
DSCF3253_zps95d1f1fd.mp4 Video by gothicangel_69 | Photobucket