Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hey guys. Are dumerils monitors a hardy captive? I know they need high humidity and other basic monitor husbandry. Do they acclimate to their new enclosures quickly? Are they like black throats which can eat right out of the shipping box? Or are they more like baby water monitors who need much more time to be acclimated and be able to feed? Any additional info is appreciated.
Thanks.

Dumrilis monitors are one of my favorite. I would not recommend them unless you have experience with monitor husbandry because they are all wild caught adults. Once they get acclimated they make great captives.I Fed mine mostly crabs shrimp and crayfish and mice only once a week.Search though old forms fore post from M.Cota,Ben Adler and DZrider hey are the experts on dumrils monitors also check out roughneckmointor.com great info

greg

i had my dumerils for i think 3 years. one of my favorite pets ive ever had! ive never had any other monitor but i was used to keeping a high humidity because i have a rainbow boa. they are really hardy captives. unfortunately i left out of town for a week and the dumba$$ (pardon my french) person that was supposed to watch him and my other animals forgot about him completely, no watering, heat, and food so unfortunately he passed away on the day i got back =[ i would definitely recommend them, but only a cbb, mine was and he was great. i forgot the company that i got him from but i know they had their own breeding program

They are almost all wild caught and that is the biggest problem with them. A monitor needing high humidity being boxed and shipped across the ocean, to an importer, and then to a pet shop will most likely have problems. Dehydration is the largest problem I have seen so make sure they are well hydrated. I would wait a couple of days before feeding them to make sure. It all depends on the monitor.

I have seen some that were very shy, and others that weren't. All of mine are fairly well acclimated and will attack food like an argus if they are hungry. Try to find well acclimated or CBB dumerils, it is well worth it.

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Ed

Sorry, I tried to attach this, but I messed it up

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Ed

Thanks to all you guys for helping and i will consider everything you guys have said. Also what do you guys use for heat?

Here are a couple of pictures that show where I keep my newest pair.

The second basking spot is controlled by a thermostat.

You can see the edge of the second, larger water container at the bottom of the enclosure. It is sitting on cinder blocks in which the dumerils sometimes go.
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Ed

Woow dude that is pretty sick i have to say. And thanks a lot for the help man i really appreciate it.

Btw what are your guys' ambient temp ranges in your cages? Thanks

It is hard to come up with an ambient temperature since the temperature is different in different parts of the enclosure. I guess I try for the low 80s, but I know at ground level the temperature is a little lower. So maybe I shoot for the upper 70s. If they get cool, they can warm up, if they get hot, they can cool off.

Ed
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Ed

nice setup. nice to see you use 2 water dishes.

I used to use a big plastic cement mixing trough (home depot 10.00), for their swimming and pooping and then have raise water dishes on shelves, because, as you know, that stays cleaner for drinking. mine loved their large rectangular glass caserole dish up on a four foot high shelf under one of their basking spots. It was clear pyrex glass and they could soak and bask and keep their head submerged with eyes open and see out

best of luck, cheers Todd G.

thought i might throw in a pic
hope it works