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What size nest box would be suitable for an ackie.

Why dont you just ask your ackie that? Ask her if she likes a small limited condition area to pick. Or would she like many different conditions in her WHOLE cage so that she could pick her own conditions.

Also look at what many successful people use.

cheers,
Sean

Good answer!

I'm sending you an e-mail right now, Sean.

My enclosure has over a FT of sandy dirt, my problem is that the substrate temps(80-70f top to bottom) are too low. I have tried to fix the problem by insulating the base and running a heat mat along the back wall, but I am still left with a limited area that is suitable for nesting. The whole point in using a nest box was to give me more control and provide an adequate nesting area.

It is not my intention to limit my Ackies nesting options but untill i can fix the problem the nest box is my only option at this time.

with experience about that. I do not have enough experience with nesting yet.

Theres nothing wrong with those temps. I love it this time of year, as the temps in our substrate are similar to yours. Its simply makes it easy. They will lay close to the basking area, as the dirt there is warmer.

In the summer, I have to dig all over hecks 1/2 acre, trying to find little tiny eggs. Now its easy.

The last three or four clutches(last ten days) the eggs were a bit dented in, thats what happens when the temps are low. But they recover just fine as soon as I get them in the incubator room(or an incubator).

I wonder why folks are willing to change things that are not a problem? Have you had problems, or are you simply overdoing something thats not proven to be a problem. You know, making problems while trying to prevent something thats not a problem.

Heres the REALITY, if your monitor failed to nest properly in your current conditions. You have about two weeks to fix it, because she will lay again. And again, and again. You have plenty of time and chances to get it right, wrong then right again. In fact, you really do not want to get it right all the time. You will have toooooooo many mouths to feed.

I have a female thats down now. On her 17th clutch in about 22 months. I tried not feeding her(diet), but it only ended up being a skinny gravid monitor, not a normal or fat one.

Trying keeping her current conditions in suitable shape. Its far more important that the humidity choices are suitable then the temps. They will lay in a huge range of temps. Cheers

Thanks for the replies.

FR
I have had no problems as of yet, i just wanted to be ready. I was told by others that 80-86f was a good temp range for nesting. Never really gave it much thought about the humidity, I figured that if i could pick up a handful of the substrate and it held together that would be fine.

I think that i have a lot of wasted space (head room) in my enclosure, do you think it would be a good idea to add more dirt to make the substrate deeper if i can keep that sort of temp range. I always seem to have a good range of humidity levels through out the dirt so that is not really a concern.

Thanks you have put my mind at ease.

I think you just answered your own question. Test it.

Good luck and cheers,
Sean