Reptile & Amphibian Forums

any keepers here?
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NiCoLe RuSSeLL

"Cross a line enough times and after a while it ceases to exist"

I got a couple of those buggers.

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Gene

Great picture Gene. That is really cute. My Savs tripod like that. It's really funny.
I'll try to post pictures tonight. I'm at work right now.
Christine :>~

I have a couple of tegus, and after buying a some books to get basic knowledge, I starting reading about monitors, since they are usually combined in reading material. I fell in love with the Argus and never knew people actually kept them as pets. I saw a photo of an Argus on it's hinde legs (Ihave come to understand this is not a stance the animal normally takes unless it's excited)and I felt that out of all the monitors pictured this had he most character (along with the croc monitor)....

What type of requirements do they have as far as:

cage size
diet
pool (do they swim?)
humidity
temp
Are they ground dwellers or abboreal?
Are they as tame(able) as tegus?
Are they as large as tegus or larger when full grown?

Sorry for all the questions! I just like to know the basics before getting into something I can't handle

thanx,
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NiCoLe RuSSeLL

"Cross a line enough times and after a while it ceases to exist"

are far the following what type of tegus red, blues, northern black & white? The reason I'm asking is that w/ the exception of the "gold" northern black & white; Argus are generally as calm aS Tegus. They are more active though.
However unlike tegus( granted I've only worked w/ 2 reds,& 3 golds.) argus tend to be more active. I enjoyed the ones I had. As far as caging the reading material you've read can give some good suggestions. I'd say at 8x5x5 they like to climb & swim also. Give them substrate to dig in also.

I keep Black & white argentine's. They are VERY sweet. Do you know a good breeder for argus M?
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NiCoLe RuSSeLL

"Cross a line enough times and after a while it ceases to exist"

I have some in classifieds. E-mail me.
Bawaa Herps

know if i got her from you? if so, it was in the worst shape and one of the biggest crappiest deals i have ever made. oh well, she healed under decent care and is a good breeder now. what a shame that people keep monitors in such poor husbandry.
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Varanus Creations

They are ground dwellers primarily. they use the normal 150f basking 80 ambient. I would walk mine all the time. They are generally good eaters w/ healthy appitites for most meat, but mice should be the bulk of the diet for subadults-adults.

Also Frank Retes has all the info you could need or use on them. Faust is a great guy to deal with and likes to keep in touch with any questions. Ground dwellers, deep substrate (love to dig), always hungry, active, 130 degree basking spot, large cage Id suggest 8x4 ft with as much dirt as can fit in it (1-3 ft).

n/p
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Varanus Creations

Hi Nicole;

Mine are set up very simply. They have a large temp range. From about the mid 70s up to 140 in the hot spot. They do well at almost any humidity. They do swim, climb, dig, and about everything else a monitor can do.

They are not "tameable" like you may think. They can come around and accept you presence and may even allow interaction but especially as babies & young ones they are very quick to put on a threat display.

I have a couple of very young ones and they don't really tolerate me much at the moment but we are working on that.

They can get up to about 4 feet. Most stay in the 3 foot range from what I have heard. They are long slender and powerfully built animals that really love to eat.

Mice is all they will ever need but you can vary that if you like.

Later
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Gene

Argus are great. By far my favorite monitors and we have quite a few. They breed easily, eat great and are very animated and active. This pic is on the cover of my site, it is a young female i am raising up, she was bred and born here. Cheers

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Varanus Creations