Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Just some things on my new Argus-
I am really enjoying this guy- he is great- Like i said in the last thread I use to keep water monitors but from what i can tell the argus is so much better suited to captivity- he dug a whole right near his basking spot and also in close proximity to his water and when i walk by he darts in his whole- he is really thriving though- very healthy and eating well-
The funny incident happened today when he caved in his hole and then started huffing and puffing at me when i went to water/food cant remember- also comical hw he routinely goes into his hole- it is like his layer- I know am opining myself to criticim by saying this but when i last kept monitors i really dont remember people encouraging the use of dirt as a substr- i think its great if manageable- anyways- sorry to ramble- I do have a question- if my lizard decides to rearrange his cage should ilet him?- he made one of his hideboxes go downhill yesterday- would it be stressfull to move things back? Thanks,
Zach P.S> I already did but for future reference?

Argus will rearrange the "furniture" daily unless it is very heavy, solid stuff. I had to bolt the oak limbs to the sides of the enclosures to keep them from toppling them and ruining the basking sites. I use cement landscaping bricks and 16" floor tiles for pre-made tunnels for them to use to go underground. They still dig new tunnels all the time. And i agree 100% that they tolerate people a lot better than other monitor species. It's the feeding response that gives Argus their down-sides IMO. Still my favorite species to keep.

they are very fun to keep, one of the best monitors