How important is basking???????not as much as you would think.
When we talk about heat or hotspots, newbies think of basking. IF the come out and bask, all is great. Is that correct?
In truth, basking is a small part of thermoregulation. Thermoregulation is, reptiles regulating their temps. Very simple hey. Remember to relate this to part 3.
Basking is the rarest and most dangerous of monitors thermoregulating methods. Think of it like this, go downtown(any large U.S. city) and have money hanging out of your pockets and just sit all night on the sidewalks in the open. How would you feel. Now do that everynight. Are we talking stress here? While monitors bask, its risky and unsafe.
There are many methods reptiles thermoregulate. Most are hidden. They can seek heat in many ways that does not require them to be out in the dangerous open. Like in burrows close to the surface of the earth, or under bark or in thin hollow limbs or branches, all of these if in the sun will get very hot. They seek cool(conservation) temps, by going deeper in the ground, large hollows with thick wood around them or inside trees deep into the ground. Remember, these are just a few examples to show that they can indeed thermoregulate, without exposing themselves to danger.
So keep in mind, when a monitor basks in the open, it simply means, its need to thermoregulate, outweights its need for security. That has many meanings, like its hidden thermoregulating areas are not working, they are wet and cold, etc. Or thru experience, it considers an open basking area, safe.
What does safe mean and how does that work? First, ask anyone who has molested monitors in nature(caught them) Monitors always have a series of safe places close by an open basking area. They also, do not consider open areas, safe. They enter these areas slowly and carefully. They also stay alert to danger.
Of course, I bring these up to hopefully help you realize, that monitors need more then a hotspot for a basking area, they need a combination of hiding areas and open areas to bask without stress. We try to acomplish this thru the use of "retes" stacks, burrows, hollow logs, etc.
Part 4a. hahahahahahahaha, ok ok, I should not put this here, but I am that mean nasty fella who always pi$$es you off.
Many of you see problems that seemingly come out of nowhere. The monitors are doing great, in your opinion, eating growing, etc. Then all of a sudden, they stop. They get infections not related to any obvious injury or cause. Respitory infections, bumps and tumors, general infections, etc. Many(most) times in these cases, Vets have no idea what the cause is, and prescribe general preventive medicine.
The cause is simply a longterm acumulation of low to medium grade stress that causes the immune system to shut down. Just think of how you would feel if you had to do something stressful everyday of your life. hahahahahahahaha sorry, many people do that and have the same results. Remember, high grade stress, is easy to see, those individuals will not eat or function at all. Is one more dangerous then the other? F
