Monitor enclosure discussion thread - Page 19

Pirarucu · 10-10-12, 03:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by -MARWOLAETH-

For ages I wanted to get some acanthurus but just before I got them I realized it was probably unwise to jump from Crested geckos to varanus so I'm currently concentrating on Thamnophis instead.After reading through this thread I really have the urge for some varanus again

. have some questions.
What ratio of sand and dirt works best?
Do you have to treat the dirt to make it safer?
What do you guys do for night time heat?
Could a pair or trio of acanthurus be housed in a 120X60X60cm vivarium?

1) That depends on the soil and sand you're using. It's usually around a 50/50 or 75/25 ratio of soil/sand.
2) No, in fact it's often advised not to. Having bacteria and such in the dirt helps waste break down on it's own. It can be a good idea to change it out every so often though.
3) You either don't do anything, or you can leave the basking lights on 24/7. This is what many successful breeders choose to do.
4) Yes, though they will use all the space you give them, and larger is always better.

Danimal · 10-10-12, 04:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AjaMichelle

Hi Danimal,

I have a savannah monitor and she has a 20 gallon pool with 40 gallons of water in the system. I'm using a filter and a freshwater sump and the same principles could be applied to a 100+ gallon system. Have you looked into sumps?

Do you just use the sump to drain it or pull it through your filter? I have sumps and I use them but only to move water out of places.

infernalis · 10-10-12, 05:47 PM

I know someone with a water monitor, I'll ask him.

Aja knows who I am talking about.. If I remember correctly he recently commented on his filtration system.

AjaMichelle · 10-10-12, 07:41 PM

The 20 gallon pool in the enclosure drains into a 20 gallon sump via a gravity siphon. Then water is pumped out of the sump and filtered on its way back to the pool.

And he did recently comment on his filtration system. I believe it's a Fluval. The photos and explanation are on the water monitor thread, I think.

Danimal · 10-10-12, 10:06 PM

I see if I can find it, this forum search doesn't work well for me. I always try a search before I ask. Anyway I looked at the fluval 306 when I was doing my homework.

infernalis · 10-10-12, 10:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Danimal

I see if I can find it, this forum search doesn't work well for me. I always try a search before I ask. Anyway I looked at the fluval 306 when I was doing my homework.

Stefan is not a member here. so searching for his posts will be futile.

Anyway, I dont think he will mind, so I will copy and paste...

Quote:

Originally Posted by murrindindi

100_1208 by murrindindi, on Flickr

100_1209 by murrindindi, on Flickr

100_1206 by murrindindi, on Flickr
You must make a plastic bracket to hold the inlet pipe in place so the monitor doesn`t push it out of the water, which if left for any length of time would damage the motor. It`s held in place with two self-tapping screws just above the water level.

Danimal · 10-11-12, 07:22 AM

Thank you Wayne

EmbraceCalamity · 10-12-12, 08:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by infernalis

Stefan is not a member here. so searching for his posts will be futile.

Anyway, I dont think he will mind, so I will copy and paste...

You're a mod here? =o

infernalis · 10-12-12, 08:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by EmbraceCalamity

You're a mod here? =o

I guess you could say that..

Welcome.

EmbraceCalamity · 10-12-12, 08:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by infernalis

I guess you could say that..

Welcome.

THAT'S AWESOME. I'm not sure why I'm so excited by that, but it still is.

~Maggot

fldaddy2 · 02-19-13, 11:19 AM

No doubt I'll catch hell for this but......
When we got our baby Sav, Zilla we had done a lot of research online and in books and 1 popular theme was not giving them any sand, soil or wood substrate as they can injest (even the reptisand) the sand or soil and get compaction and the wood substrates could prodce splinters and chips that could get in their eyes and nose. We decided to go with newspaper for the flooring (which we understood is quite common) in his cage as it posed no dangers. Being a pet who is handled, played with and cuddled EVERY day, we found he enjoyed laying on and wrapped in a wash cloth when he was out. That was when he was 4" long, about 8 months ago. He has taken to not using his enclosure as a toilet and is puppy pad trained, so I put some loopless outdoor carpet in and did away with the newspaper. At 28" he has outgrown every kind of hide we put in his enclosure. We tried to go ahead with some substrate but he seemed to get very agitated and pretty much NEVER dug into it. We decided we didn't like the mess, as he is taken out every day and it was becoming a mess. We removed the substrate and proceded to experiment with different things for a hide. A box....he flipped it over and beat it up, a wooden box, he hissed at it, slapped it with his tail then spent 2 days laying outside of it pouting. I built a nice stone hide which he promptly snubbed then pouted for 2 more days. In frustration I threw a semi-wadded up towel in there and told him he could have that until I figured something else out. Immediately he slipped under the towel, turned around so his head was sticking out, laid down, I swear if he could smile, smiled at me. He has been a happy little cookie since. Unless his towel is removed to be washed then it's mister pissy until it comes back. Just my experience with our little monster. Zilla is not the norm, he craves attention and loves to cuddle in our laps and gives "kisses". That's where he will flick our mouth with his tongue then rest his chin on our lips and totally relax.

infernalis · 02-19-13, 11:23 AM

I felt exactly that way about Chomper once.... He expired at age five.

murrindindi · 02-19-13, 12:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fldaddy2

No doubt I'll catch hell for this but......
When we got our baby Sav, Zilla we had done a lot of research online and in books and 1 popular theme was not giving them any sand, soil or wood substrate as they can injest (even the reptisand) the sand or soil and get compaction and the wood substrates could prodce splinters and chips that could get in their eyes and nose. We decided to go with newspaper for the flooring (which we understood is quite common) in his cage as it posed no dangers. Being a pet who is handled, played with and cuddled EVERY day, we found he enjoyed laying on and wrapped in a wash cloth when he was out. That was when he was 4" long, about 8 months ago. He has taken to not using his enclosure as a toilet and is puppy pad trained, so I put some loopless outdoor carpet in and did away with the newspaper. At 28" he has outgrown every kind of hide we put in his enclosure. We tried to go ahead with some substrate but he seemed to get very agitated and pretty much NEVER dug into it. We decided we didn't like the mess, as he is taken out every day and it was becoming a mess. We removed the substrate and proceded to experiment with different things for a hide. A box....he flipped it over and beat it up, a wooden box, he hissed at it, slapped it with his tail then spent 2 days laying outside of it pouting. I built a nice stone hide which he promptly snubbed then pouted for 2 more days. In frustration I threw a semi-wadded up towel in there and told him he could have that until I figured something else out. Immediately he slipped under the towel, turned around so his head was sticking out, laid down, I swear if he could smile, smiled at me. He has been a happy little cookie since. Unless his towel is removed to be washed then it's mister pissy until it comes back. Just my experience with our little monster. Zilla is not the norm, he craves attention and loves to cuddle in our laps and gives "kisses". That's where he will flick our mouth with his tongue then rest his chin on our lips and totally relax.

Hi, can you put a few photos up of the monitor and the enclosure? Thanks!

**Aaron_S** · 02-19-13, 01:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fldaddy2

No doubt I'll catch hell for this but......
When we got our baby Sav, Zilla we had done a lot of research online and in books and 1 popular theme was not giving them any sand, soil or wood substrate as they can injest (even the reptisand) the sand or soil and get compaction and the wood substrates could prodce splinters and chips that could get in their eyes and nose. We decided to go with newspaper for the flooring (which we understood is quite common) in his cage as it posed no dangers. Being a pet who is handled, played with and cuddled EVERY day, we found he enjoyed laying on and wrapped in a wash cloth when he was out. That was when he was 4" long, about 8 months ago. He has taken to not using his enclosure as a toilet and is puppy pad trained, so I put some loopless outdoor carpet in and did away with the newspaper. At 28" he has outgrown every kind of hide we put in his enclosure. We tried to go ahead with some substrate but he seemed to get very agitated and pretty much NEVER dug into it. We decided we didn't like the mess, as he is taken out every day and it was becoming a mess. We removed the substrate and proceded to experiment with different things for a hide. A box....he flipped it over and beat it up, a wooden box, he hissed at it, slapped it with his tail then spent 2 days laying outside of it pouting. I built a nice stone hide which he promptly snubbed then pouted for 2 more days. In frustration I threw a semi-wadded up towel in there and told him he could have that until I figured something else out. Immediately he slipped under the towel, turned around so his head was sticking out, laid down, I swear if he could smile, smiled at me. He has been a happy little cookie since. Unless his towel is removed to be washed then it's mister pissy until it comes back. Just my experience with our little monster. Zilla is not the norm, he craves attention and loves to cuddle in our laps and gives "kisses". That's where he will flick our mouth with his tongue then rest his chin on our lips and totally relax.

I'm going to attempt at being nice.

I hate to say, I doubt you're the person who has the magically completely "not the norm" monitor as a pet. Who pouts and shows affection like no other reptile ever has. You'd win a nobel prize if you could prove it beyond any doubt.

Lankyrob · 02-19-13, 02:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fldaddy2

No doubt I'll catch hell for this but......
When we got our baby Sav, Zilla we had done a lot of research online and in books and 1 popular theme was not giving them any sand, soil or wood substrate as they can injest (even the reptisand) the sand or soil and get compaction and the wood substrates could prodce splinters and chips that could get in their eyes and nose. We decided to go with newspaper for the flooring (which we understood is quite common) in his cage as it posed no dangers. Being a pet who is handled, played with and cuddled EVERY day, we found he enjoyed laying on and wrapped in a wash cloth when he was out. That was when he was 4" long, about 8 months ago. He has taken to not using his enclosure as a toilet and is puppy pad trained, so I put some loopless outdoor carpet in and did away with the newspaper. At 28" he has outgrown every kind of hide we put in his enclosure. We tried to go ahead with some substrate but he seemed to get very agitated and pretty much NEVER dug into it. We decided we didn't like the mess, as he is taken out every day and it was becoming a mess. We removed the substrate and proceded to experiment with different things for a hide. A box....he flipped it over and beat it up, a wooden box, he hissed at it, slapped it with his tail then spent 2 days laying outside of it pouting. I built a nice stone hide which he promptly snubbed then pouted for 2 more days. In frustration I threw a semi-wadded up towel in there and told him he could have that until I figured something else out. Immediately he slipped under the towel, turned around so his head was sticking out, laid down, I swear if he could smile, smiled at me. He has been a happy little cookie since. Unless his towel is removed to be washed then it's mister pissy until it comes back. Just my experience with our little monster. Zilla is not the norm, he craves attention and loves to cuddle in our laps and gives "kisses". That's where he will flick our mouth with his tongue then rest his chin on our lips and totally relax.