Posted by:
sdi
at Wed Dec 2 12:41:19 2009 [ Email Message ] [ Show All Posts by sdi ]
Thanks for taking the time to give such a detailed response!
Sounds pretty similar to how I am keeping mine! I am currently building a 6'L x 3'W x 6.5'H cage based around a turtle tub. I hope to finish it over the holiday break but we will see. Currently, I keep my pair in separate aquariums with similar set ups as yours. I have to keep mine separate at this point due to the difference in size and because one is still going through its three month quarantine. Thus far I have been fortunate that their fecals have come back clean and no mites have been found. I am really happy about this since they are CH imports.
Like you I have limited experience relative to others on this forum, but I am also a "researchaholic" and spend A LOT of time observing them. Two things you might like to know based on my limited experience:
1. Using heat tape under (outside) part of the bottom of my cage has been great to help balance humidity levels and temperatures. I use the heat tape under about 1/3 of the base of the cage. This still allows them to get into a small area in the low 70's at night in the least heated area. They use this area so I believe they benefit from it.
The heat source on the bottom helps release water from the damp substrate. Since heat rises, the humidity and heat go up and the basking light "drives" heat downward for a more even disbursement of humidity and heat. I live in Michigan so it is easy to get dry spots and cold spots in a cage and this balances things out. This also makes it so I mist less often to maintain 70% - 100% humidity, doing it more so the monitors can drink the droplets of water. I plan on running heat tape under the base of my large cage as well. Don't forget to allow adequate air flow between the glass of your aquarium and heat tape if you try this.
2. I feed only "whole foods" except on a couple occasions where I mixed roaches with turkey. When I originally received them, based on my research, I thought insects as the base diet with an appropriately sized mouse once a week for calcium would be perfect. I quickly realized that they will eat what they want when they want. What I noticed is that once they got a taste of the rodents they were less interested in the insects (dubias, crickets and tomato worms) that they used to go after ravenously. I almost had to wean them back on to insects. I have read that, while opportunistic predators, they are primarily insectivorous in the wild. Additionally, I have read that when maintained on higher fat diets such as turkey their longevity could be compromised and they were less likely to reproduce. I would stick as close to their wild diet as possible since yours are clearly healthy. An occasional mouse or baby quail is good though for calcium and for fat which holds water.
I have seen more than a few cases of septicemia from other keepers in the boa and python world. My suggestion there is research your supplier and where their rats are coming from. If you email me I can give you the name of someone I have used for quite some time and with some quite expensive reptiles.
Just thought I would share a couple things with you. I am new to the tree monitors like you so I strongly suggest getting input from more experienced keepers that are on this forum. I would love to hear what they have to say and what you find out.
After all this I have to share a photo of the V. Mcraei I got in October.
Keep posting videos! 
Steve - sdi
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Thanks!!!...... - sdi, Wed Dec 2 12:41:19 2009