Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I'm introducing my 1 year old ackie to actual sunlight for the first time. I'm off work today, so I could constantly watch him. He seemed to be into it, basking for an hour or two and then digging a hole and going in for the evening. It was 88 today and is 78 tonight. In the next two days it's looking to cool down a bit. I still have his old cage open and am considering rotating him in and out as temperature dictates on a day to day basis. Is it worth the benefit of natural sunlight to keep moving him around like that? It would provide some change and stimulus, so I'm probably gonna give it a whirl through August.

I have kept some ackies in that fashion for years. Out in the summer, back inside in the winter. At this time about half are inside full time.

As a general rule of thumb, I do not put them outside until the daytime highs reach 90F and above. I do not see any actual benefit until the temps outside reach 100F(benefit=full activity)

Also consider, we are a high desert, which means we have cold nights and high days in the spring and fall. The actual temps needed where you live may vary. If your nights are warmer, you may get away with cooler days. This I don't know.

Of couse you could put a basking lite in a shady area and it will use it.

Please understand, I am only going by my own experience. I would love to hear how ackies would do in those cool temps.

Not that this is important. But if you look at the range maps of ackies, they only occur in areas where the daytime highs are near or over 90F for most of the year. In areas with to cool of temps(east coast) or places with not enough sun(too many trees) they don't occur. (Or a combination of those two)

On the otherhand, one of the reasons I like monitors is, they enjoy something new. They like it when you put them outside, then they like it when you bring them in. Also, some change their attitudes, some don't. Most don't.

One last warning, when I first considered keeping monitors outside, a friend who had tried it warned me. They will do one of two things. They will either get out(then they are really out) or they will die(weird accidental deaths) My friend was very very accurate. It took me years to control this. But it still happens. Putting them outside, is a huge gamble. It can have rewards, but there is a much higher rate of something bad happening. Cheers

Yeah, I've had him back inside for the last 2 days as it has been rainy and cooled off to the high 70's. I was worried about evenings in the low 70's, but figured that desert evenings are quite cool as well. Still not taking chances and put a ceramic emitter on the cage for good measure at night. I'm in central ky, and it is generally real hot and humid this time of year. The 88 degree days Mon and Tue before the rain gave me the idea. He definitely basks in the sun once it gets directly over his pen, and differently than he does under his indoor lamps. His head is always tilted up, whereas indoors heusually is just laid flat. I'm hoping come August I can have it out every day.