Monitor Lizard : Care and Feeding

[Jolie Rouge]

I can not STAND my SIL

She called and told my son that she has him the coolest birthday gift - ever.

It is a 18 inch monitor lizard with the tank and all his needed equipment.

Not that she asked Mom & Dad about it.

I don't mind the lizard too much ( I used to walk the zoo with a 6 foot balled pyton ) but it is going to take time and care ... and who do you think is going to end up cleaning the cage ?

Not to mention my DD is going to have fits when we have to feed it. Matt is collecting bugs for a merit badge - Meg was all excited about helping hm collect the 50 different specimens ... until she found out he has to kill them to mount them. Now she has been "freeing" the bugs at every oppurtunity. :rolleyes:


Any suggestions on the care and feeding of a Monitor ?? Anyone here own one ?

[wyrmslyph]

This site has links for info for you.
http://www.anapsid.org/monitors.html

I had a Nile for a couple years. We were never able to tame him even with constant (daily for 30+min) handling. When he was well over 3 feet and almost took off my finger I was a bit annoyed. The tail lashing and claws I could work with. Anyway, a breeder back in KY wanted him (he was quite beautiful) and I shipped him off.

They can be great pets, and some are more laid back. :)

[Jolie Rouge]

I am going to C-I-L-L her ....

http://animal.discovery.com/guides/reptiles/iguanas/nilemonitor.html

Nile Monitor Lizard: Stats & Facts

Veterinary & Aquatic Services Department, Drs. Foster & Smith, Inc.

There are two variations of Nile Monitors in the wild. They are the V. niloticus (Nile Monitor), and V. niloticus ornatus (Ornate Nile Monitor). The Nile Monitor has five torso bands, while the Ornate Nile has seven. The Ornate Monitor tends to have a brighter coloration, and be smaller than the Nile Monitor. The Ornate Nile Monitor is restricted to the southernmost sections of its wild distribution. In captive specimens, an albino form has been developed, although these are rare and costly. Captive and wild specimens have an approximate life span of 15 years.

The Nile Monitor resembles and has similar habits as the Water Monitor (V. salvator) from Asia, and the Mangrove Monitor (V. indicus) from the mangrove swamps in India and other eastern coastal Mangrove swamps. Nile Monitors are not for beginner herp owners. They normally have an aggressive temperament that does not tame down. Although each animal is different, most will carry a nasty disposition all of their life. Niles can inflict serious wounds to an inexperienced handler. Niles grow excessively large and have specialized requirements. They should be left to the experienced hobbyist that can provide proper care and handling.

Small Niles can be kept in a small terrarium, although adults and sub-adults will need custom housing that provides a water area large enough for swimming and deep enough for full submersion of the animal. Small animals can be kept on aspen, vermiculite, lizard litters, and aquarium gravel and water combinations. They will dig though. Make sure that the substrate, regardless of its type, can be changed easily and that in between changes, feces can be removed.

Young animals can accept insects enriched with vitamins, and prepared canned foods. As the animals grow, rodents, cooked egg, and mollusks can be introduced. Care should be taken not to feed "local" finds from the woods or yard as you do not know what the insects/rodents have been eating, and some native reptiles, especially toads, can kill your Nile Monitor.

Care should be exercised, as with any animal, that there are no dangers associated with housing decorations. Hazards include sharp edges on rocks, climbing areas that allow the animal to access heating and lighting sources, and so forth.

Provide full spectrum lighting with 5% UVB and several basking areas within the enclosure for self-regulation of temperature. General temperature requirements should range from 70°F in the cool area to 90°F in the basking areas by day, with moderate tank temperatures of 78°F - 85°F. Keep nighttime temperatures in the high 60s to the low 70s.


Quick Stats: Nile Monitor
Family: Varanidae
Origin: Most of Africa, excluding the northwestern portion
Size: To 7 feet (2.1 m) in the wild; to 4.5 - 5.5 feet (1.5 to 1.9 m) in captivity
Diet: Juveniles: enriched insects and canned foods; adults: rodents and cooked egg
Water: Keep it clean and fresh
Terrarium: Small enclosures for small lizards; custom housing for larger specimens
Substrate: Aspen, vermiculite, lizard litters, and aquarium gravel and water combinations
Decoration: Live or artificial plants; provide rocks and driftwood for climbing
Lighting: full spectrum lighting with 5% UVB
Temperatures: 78°F - 85°F, with a 70°F cool area and 90°F basking area
Compatibility: Best kept alone; can be very aggressive towards others
Sexing: Difficult; males tend to be larger
Cautions: Niles can inflict serious wounds to an inexperienced handler

[Shann]

yikes.. that lizard would be finding a new home.. did you see what you're suppose to feed it when it gets bigger! no thanks

[Freebeemom]

Hey, You may want to find it another home. We had one for a while. Perhaps a year. The thing was vicious. My dh had a huge collection of lizards for a while. The pet store he was going to used to give him the 'hard to manage" or Unadoptable pets. Many times he nursed them back, but the monitor never worked out. It ate wet dog food (from previous owner), but also needed large rats, several. It was quite mean and unpredictable. It would always eyeball our cat. We got rid of it once we had our son. Didn't want to chance it getting out. Good luck. There is somethign primal about it. You could take it to a pet store and see if they will trade you for it...maybe a small turtle or a tree frog. Tree frogs are very easy to care for and managable (you can pick them up).