Reptile & Amphibian Forums

i have recently purchased an asian water monitor and she hasnt been eating ...i bought her about 5 days ago and i was wondering if that had anything to do with her terrerium or what
so please give me any info you kno abou this problem
thanks
cody

Since you think it might be a problem with the terrarium, why don't you describe the setup you have him in, in detail as well as any other information we might need to know to figure it out. Saying that he is not eating doesn't help much.

well she is a baby about a foot and half long and she is in a 55 gal tank with cypress mulch big water bowl and a hideout im just very concerned ..i figured it might just be that she is getting used to it but its been 5 days now

Ok, those were some pretty skimpy details. Cypress mulch could be improved on as it sucks for burrowing. You could just go find some good clean dirt in the yard. Give your monitor some depth to work with and burrow in, as in feet not inches. Its cheaper and better.

A hideout? What does that mean? A half log? A little cave? Load that cage up with places to hide. Not just a covering, but a place where the monitor can wedge itself to get away from you. A place where it can't see you and you can't see it. And leave it alone. You monitor needs to have security, especially since its probably seriously stressed out.

If your cage has a screen top, you need to cover it with something. Whatever you choose, you need to keep moisture in the cage and not let it escape. Dehydration with monitors is a common problem with glass tanks and screen lids, so be sure you are keeping the cage humid.

Temperatures. Using the lowest wattage bulb you can use, give your monitor a basking temp of about 130 degrees. The ambient temps should be mid to low 70's on the low side and mid 80's on the high side. To make a basking spot, raise the depth of substrate if you need to. Arrange some pieces of wood in a stack providing different angles the monitor can wedge in. Creating layers will create other temp gradients the monitors can use.

Don't try to handle the monitor. Let it get situated first.

Are you sure its not eating? What was it previously eating, and what are you trying to feed it? He could possibly be eating when you are not around. Cut a mouse open and see if it will go for that.

Get your temps right, get your humidity up, and leave the animal alone. That should at least be a start but please read the old posts here. This topic has been covered numerous times. Do some research. That's why nobody is answering your question...it is asked all the time. Best of luck

ok thamk you so much for the advice ill keep youguys informed once again thank you
cody

Cody,
I saw the pics you posted but posted this reply here in order to try to keep everything together, reply wise.

I'm still a newbie in the monitor world but not in world of reptiles and other animals. I don't know if every asian water monitor has the same appearance as yours or not, but I doubt it. What I mean is, your monitor looks sickly, very stressed, depressed, to me. Now, don't panic, I may be totally wrong, but someone that knows more about 'em will drop in and let us all know before too long.

I'm not saying that it looks like it's physically sick or about to die or anything, I'm saying that it looks severely stressed, which in turn can lead to physical sickness. It definitely doesn't look "bright eyed & bushy tail."

If the cage is in a high traffic area and it doesn't have good hiding places that it feels secure in, and the temps aren't near what "holygouda" suggested, it's no wonder it won't eat.

Can you please tell us what the cage temps, basking temps are? You have to KNOW, no room for guess work.

Also, did you get it from a dealer or an individual that's had it for awhile, or what? What can you tell us about it's past?

Why take the time to reply to me? Ha! Consider me to be one of those pesky nurses at the doctor's office, you know, the ones that ask you countless questions that seem so unrelated. They do that for a background on the problem so the doctor can view that info before he sees you, helping him to get a clear picture of what's going on.

Have a good one!
HH
-----
Due to political correctness run amuck,
this ol' hillbilly is now referred to as an:
Appalachian American

its temps are 85 to 90 between there and it is in a traffic spot in my room so ill try to help that problem also i got it from my pet store and they have raised it since it was born the guy that own the store breeds them soo if there are ne more questions please ask and please help
thanks
cody