Reptile & Amphibian Forums

and I come back to see quite abit more uesless, drama-laced crap has been flung... glad I was off making money and not subject to it

2 Questions from Previous Post that Id like answered abit more thoroughly:

1. Whats an appropriate sized "water feature" for an adult Nile/Water monitor?

I dont really need a long speech here, I just need suggestions from those that have successfully kept Niles/Waters in large scale enclosures.

2. Whatre the appropriate time intervals for large-scale enclosure substrate changes? Obviously its going to depend on the amount of soiling the animal does in said substrate, and many other factors, but what are we talking here? I mean, a year or 4-6 months I can handle; but are we talking like every month here or what? Seems abit ridonkulous, but due to the way things were worded before, Im kinda in the dark.

I never replace dirt substrate unless the Monitors don't like it. theres not really any need to replace it, just clean up after them when they make the big messes.

1. The nile river is about right.
2. Follow your nose, it always knows.

I don't have any recommendations on water feature size but for substrate I'll say this. If you can dig out around feces to get most of the contanimated soil and add fresh soil to replace it you can get months out of most substrates. If you have natural soil with fecal eating bacteria its better. As a disclaimer I will say I have not kept a messy water loving lizard and I'm guessing your substrate will get soaked with foul water more than my Blackthroats substrate.

I wonder if your Nile would be subject to similiar fungi as frogs in dirty water.