Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hi everyone,
This is the first time i've owned a lizard. I got a baby nile on saturday. When i put him in water to swim and drink, he flipped onto his back and looked like he was in distress. I lowered the water and he kept doing it. I also kept an eye on him in his tank. When he is walking he tips over sometimes and falls down. I called the vet and i'm trying to get him an appointment for this weekend. Can anyone tell me if this is normal behavior for a baby or they think there may be something wrong. any opinions are appreciated. thanks

hot heat and uv light!!!!
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ball pythons
garter snake morphs easterns/checkereds/floridas/redsides
western hognose
1.1 super kids Memfis Lance and Linda May(co-dom)

i have a ton of heat on the him. i'm hopefully getting him to the vet on friday morning to get him checked out. thank you

You don't need a vet and you don't need "hot heat and uv light". No more than you need "tons of heat".

Those are all horrible husbandry "details".

You need proper husbandry, period.

First of all, congratulations on buying the largest, meanest possible monitor. An educated guess says you have no idea what you are in for.

It is a mighty job, caring for a Nile monitor properly.

You can find husbandry info at our site, check out the caresheet and FAQ sections. Care would be the same for a Water Monitor baby, check out that caresheet and article for specifics.

Get a copy of the Savannah Monitor book by Bennett and Ravi, it has the most up to date monitor husbandry in book form. Also get a copy of the Nile Monitor book at our site, it has additional info.

Your monitor needs a proper setup, and proper temps. "Lots" or "tons" is not a measurement. Low to mid 80sF for an ambient temp, 130F for a basking temp.

Check out the Nile Monitor FAQ at our site. And then try all possible methods to return your animal to the place of purchase and make a more informed choice.

Best of luck.
Nile Monitor FAQ

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robyn@proexotics.com

ShipYourReptiles.com
Pro Exotics Reptiles

my bad!alot as in over 100.i figured it had just came from a pet shop where it probably had no or to little heat and probably no uv. i have kept a few adult niles (not long term less than 2 years).

the nile i have now came from a pet shop that had no heat and the 2.0 uv was over 2 feet away from lizard.i got it because i had had them in the past and for his light phase color (hypoish blue with bright orange on tail bands)it was 12"s and tried to bite me and its had no teeth and the bottom jaw was bending like rubber.
he acted drunk the first few days,but got much better after a close 10.0 uv and 120 heat spot.
your last statement is the best advise by far i have heard for a person that just made a impulse buy.not saying this guy just did that, as i don't know anything about them.
i have seen niles and other monitors get passed from person to person(sometime more than 7-8 times)at my local reptile expos like they are good luck charms.its very sad to see this with one of the coolest and smartest lizard around.i think all monitors should be priced alot higher!people think alot more about thing that cost more.
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ball pythons
garter snake morphs easterns/checkereds/floridas/redsides
western hognose
1.1 super kids Memfis Lance and Linda May(co-dom)

But what does "alot as in over 100" even mean? Again, I think that is terrible and incomplete advice. It is no more specific than "real hot".

Ambient temp over 100? You will have a dead lizard.

Basking temp over 100? Ok, what? 101? 105? 195? A basking temp under 110F will barely get the animal's metabolism running, much less his actual personality (chomp). This leads to another dead lizard (typically less than 2 years for a lizard that should live 30 ).

So 100F is too high for ambient, too low for basking. Generalities and vague suggestions only contribute to continued poor husbandry and dead lizards, ya know?

Is there no way to break this cycle?
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robyn@proexotics.com

ShipYourReptiles.com
Pro Exotics Reptiles

Hello,

Absolutely right Robyn... This is every reason to make your purchases from a well informed source who works hard not only at the point of sale but also on the husbandry of the animals being sold... You also should choose a seller who leaves you with the information and supplies to properly care for the monitor you have purchased. With the details being given, this individual is new to varanids, picked a giant, knows little of what it needs or will become and has never heard of a tempgun... Best to you- Mike S