Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Are ackies only active in the daytime, or are they also active at dusk or in the evenings?

Depends on how they are set up. If allowed to warm up, or cool down at any time 24/7 they can be active when they feel safe, or want to, not on your schedule. Thats how all of my reptiles live.
If you set them up to have a cool night with no option to warm up and bask they will be more active during the day, but this can stress them, why, you are forcing them to come out in the open when you want them to.

They are not being forced to do anything...chill out

the question was simply when the animals happened to be more active, day or night.

Now, in my experience leslie, they were about twice as active during the day with constant conditions. I don't know if it was because of some kind of conditioning (they were fed mid afternoon usually) or that is just what they preferred. What shvar said was on the money though, they will be on their OWN schedules.

Thanks! I'm ask because considering an ackie, and I'm researching to see whether it's a wise choice. It would stay in a 90-gallon aquarium in the living room, where we hang out in the evenings, so I'd like something that is active, at least a bit, in the evenings. Whatever lizard I go with, it'll also have an evening heat source (thank you so much for that suggestion!!).

Leslie

I found out the hard way, that aquariums just don't work for monitors. If can make them work, more power to ya. I wanted an aquarium for just that reason, I wanted to see them. They definitely will waste some of your day when you find yourself just watching them do what they do. They are a lot of fun.

Aquariums will work while they are babies, and help you monitor their progress, but I have to say look into building a cage yourself with a trough worked into the setup.

Whats with the "chill out" thing, or the attitude?
What I typed was obviously not understood. I answer with complete answers explaining in detail what I mean, otherwise someone responds like you did, thinking that I jumped down their throat and nothing else. Of the entire responce you read the word "forced" and became upset, yet if you read the responce you would understand why I posted it.
What I typed was simple, if you offer 24/7 conditions, they set their schedule when it suits them. All reptiles can do this.
By the way, mine are active at various times of day, and night, they are underground, under objects, running around, as well digging, etc all times of the day and night, from one day to the next this may change. Of course mine may be offered food at any time 24 hours a day, thats just something I do.
Noone can guarrantee that any reptile will be in the open or active at any time of day, sometimes if the conditions suit them, they will bask and be active when you are asleep, or at work, this is common with any nervous or skittish reptile that has 24/7 basking lights.
Typically ackies that are healthy and adjusted to their owners actions, movements and sounds will spend time in the open when you are around, to observe you (nowhere near as bold as say, a flaviargus, but bold little monitors). But sometimes they have also been known to hide until you are not there.
I had a timor for years that did this most of the time, I accepted him for this and realized that if I leave the room chances are he comes out, if I return, chances are that he will hide.

Seems like you want a nice exotic display reptile, with an exotic vivarium.
You should consider a bearded dragon. No worries with them hiding all the time and not being a good display.