Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I really do not understand why folks have to associate to the extreme. yes, desert monitors occur in areas of sand and sand dunes. Yes, many species of varanids do.

But do any have any adaptions for living in Sand or sand dunes/blows?? for you australians.

If you check the range of greisus, it occurs in many xeric habitats, including sandy areas. But if you actually understood Sandy deserts, you would understand, they only use certain parts of those areas.

There are many lizards what use dunes/blows, they normally show some manner of adaption. Or they do what varanids do, they seek out parts of sandy areas they inherently know how to use. Areas they are adapted for.

In the deserts, there is hardpan, to soft sand. There are many kinds of each. Which areas do these and other desert monitors use? That is the question? I will not answer that, I want you to research it. There is tons of data.

I will offer a few things to think about, in most cases in soft sand areas, there are very few places for monitors to live. They must find bushes that hold the soil. Or areas of harder soil, also areas of moisture that allows them to EXSIST. Plants find these areas, and so do the varanids. Monitors DO NOT LIVE on soft sand. They live in areas around soft sand.

The problem is, you put soft sand in cages, because thats what you think the desert is. Its not, and its that simple.

In the desert, all reptiles must find a way to maintain hydration. Species such as varanids and heloderms, always find relatively humid burrows(50%plus) or they cannot survive for long.

About sand dunes, as you go into areas of dunes and where there is more and more soft sand. You find less species of reptiles, until you find only the most adapted, which are not varanids of any type. They use the areas(microhabitats) that are IN sandy deserts. Not necessarily the sand. They are not adapted for that. Excuse me ranting please.

Back to you the keeper. I have said before, if your going to copy something, make sure you copy the right things.

There are hundreds of types of desert soils. Not all are included in what desert varanids use. Only some are.

You have asked other questions, but you must first understand this, before you think about eggs and nests. Cheers

Hey FR,

I have been doing quite a bit of research since our last topic. I have found different sites claiming different points on substrate; but I think this one gives reasons why they need a harder substrate that can hold a burrow.

"Breeding season extends from late March to late May; 10-25 eggs are laid in burrows or pits excavated for the purpose, which are then covered with vegetation and debris.

Transaspian Desert Monitors are strong diggers. In clay desert where the substrate is too hard to excavate they shelter in mammal burrows and in river valleys they often utilise the burrows of ground dwelling birds. In sandy desert burrows are often more than 500cm long and typically 50-120cm deep. Burrows used during the spring and summer tend to be in more open areas than those used for hibernation, which are dug under bushes Yadgarov 1968; Makayev 1982; Bennett 1992b). Mating occurs during April and May. Up to 34 eggs are laid in a burrow 70-114cm deep usually situated on a slope during June and July. Sometimes the burrows of rodents are used as nesting sites. Females spend up to a week digging test holes and preparing nests, guard the eggs for several weeks after egg laying and have been reported to return to the vicinity of their eggs around hatching time."-Wild Life of Pakistan.com

Desert monitors need burrows for many of their lives tasks. I should have done more research as I took the dealers word for it and didn't give it a second thought. Like you said soft sand cannot normally support very many forms of life. Very few plants can grow in sand, and those plants normally are not in pure sand. Without plants you their are no insects, mice and cobras for desert monitors to eat. Duh!

A few days ago I added a box in my cage, It is quite big and had a mixture of sand and peet moss. I went back throughout the day to check on them and by the end of the day every single one had been in the box and they had dug a small burrow.

Do you think it is wise to change/add (to) the whole substrate. I was using the box as a test and they "dug" it sooo...

I am worried though that my substrate will be too humid.

Thanks!

Luc Cauthorn

What we have seen, arid land varanids, prefer soils lacking all plant matter. Other species use leaflitter, and many can use either. I would use aridland soils. I wish I would have thought of that word earlier, arid lands.

I do not like nest boxes, the reason is, our cages are hot from the surface of the substrate up, so boxes would clearly be too hot. So we use deep substrate and let the monitors behave in a normal was and dig burrows to their liking.

If you again refer to your reading, their nesting burrows are normally longer then our normal cage. So what does that mean in regards to a nest box that goes inside the door of our cages?

Also, hibernation means absolutely nothing in regards to reproduction. Not in captivity. If the winter is too stressful, there will be no reproduction or worse a failed attempt at reproducing. That is the danger of hibernation.

If overwinter properly and healthy, monitors will nest within a month of coming out.

Again in captivity, its only a trend. Anything can happen. So sort of get timing out of your mind and WATCH the animals.

The thing about being successful with monitors is, You react to what they do. You do not expect them to do this and that at a certain time, like kingsnakes or something. Cheers

Hey Frank it's good of you to help on this.

OK so do have a nest box in their cage...it is not hotter than 80 though. I would like to convert their whole substrate. Maybe to a MIXTURE of sand and soil; I could also add some more structures...

Did you check out the breeding activity. That happened after I added a nest box in. They may have been breeding before the nest box was in, I don't know.

In your experience how long after they copulate do they lay their eggs. I'm not saying they are gravid, but I want to be prepared.