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I am thinking about getting a pair of monitors for me current enclosure. I am just investigating, not going to pull the trigger any time soon (maybe).

My enclosure is 8'w x 3'l x 6'h (2' of substrate for burrowing). I'd like a monitor that can climb, so I can create a vertical temp gradient. I'd also like an active/curious monitor that I can learn from and interact with (with food). I have a colony of Madagascar Hissers, so it would be great if the monitor(s) would be big enough to eat them as a part of their diet. Some of the roaches are 3" .

I was thinking of-
*Argus
*Ackie
*Blackthroat(?)

Any ideas/comments?

Hi again, V. albigularis can get to well over 6feet total length, V. panoptes well over 5ft, and considering you want a pair, I don`t think that enclosure is anywhere near large enough, the width in particular is much too small (3ft). Black/White throats especially spend much time in trees, but most species of varanid can climb to some extent. ALL species are curious, intelligent and responsive animals if kept under optimum conditions!
Can I just ask how your savannah monitor is doing now?

He is doing better. Cage setup is allowing him to get his temps and humidity.

Ackies are awesome, for sure. Possibly consider a Peachie as well. Not a Blue Tail, not a Mangrove, a Peachthroat specifically : )
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robyn@proexotics.com

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Pro Exotics Reptiles

Is a breeding pair of Argus too much for that size cage?

As I mentioned, the (males) in panoptes can get well over 5 feet, the females around 4ft, you only have a 3ft wide space; the Peach throats get to around 3.5ft, so that would just about work.

The problem with the indo monitors like Peachies is they tend to be shy and secretive.There has been alot about Varanus similis being outgoing and a favorite of several posters.

From viewing some videos of Peach Throats, they look like inquisitive animals with a strong food response. Not so?

I would say almost ALL varanids are inquisitive and interesting animals if kept under optimum condtions, kept in less than that, they just linger..... unable to carry out the most basic behaviours properly. At the end of the day, they are as "interesting" as we allow them to be!

One more thing, can ackies be fed fully grown hisser roaches?

For the V. acanthurus, I think the width of the larger roach (if it`s 3 inches long), may be a little too much? But if you could feed the biggest ones freshly killed and perhaps cut in half (lengthways), they would be an excellent food item (smaller ones, no problem)!

Robyn,
What do you keep in your 8x3 stock tanks that you have framed in plywood with 2 banks of lights?

Both sides of lights aren't always on, and we have made some of those 8 foot troughs so that they could be split into two 4 footers.

But we have kept Savannahs, Blackthroats, Whitethroats, Ackies, Green Trees, Uros and Tegus in those setups. And tortoises. Lots of stuff really : )
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robyn@proexotics.com

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Pro Exotics Reptiles

For the Savannahs, Blackthroats, Whitethroats and Ackies, were these single monitor setups or did you put pairs in the 8 foot troughs? I know you use the 10 foot circular troughs for blackthroats.

Usually pairs or trios. Sometimes a single setup, like with the larger lizards. My preference is to keep a social group, even if only a pair.
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robyn@proexotics.com

ShipYourReptiles.com
Pro Exotics Reptiles

A group of ackies would do great in there. You could easily have a 1.2 or 1.3 group. My ackie likes to climb quite a bit also, if provided the option to climb, they will. I'm sure most, if not all, monitors would climb every once in while.
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Jason