Reptile & Amphibian Forums

i would like to get everyones veiws on soaking.
Alex Oliver

Some people say it helps to fully re hydrate your monitor and to remove stuck sheds ect.
I don’t soak any of my monitors unless I need a place to put them for something like dirt changing day then I will put them in the tub with some warm water for them to soak and swim. But that’s it other than that they have a tub in the enclosure.
I believe that if you provide a big soaking tub inside the enclosure and the humidity is right then soaking is not necessary. That way they can chose to soak if they want. I don’t see how it would hurt any water loving monitor like many of the Indos, but I can see how desert and grassland species would hate it. A few of my friends have albigs and argus and they hate the tubs.
Like many things the decision is yours but that’s my opinion on soaking.
Hope that helped.

Mike S

Hi, In my opinion, if there is a need to soak, then that reflects errors in your husbandry.

If an individual is dehydrated, needs to be soaked, then the cage is not allowing that individual to maintain suitable mositure levels. You should adjust the cage, not have to soak.

Many people soak monitors out of ignorance, that is, they have no idea whether the monitor needs it or not. But soak their charges because, Fred down the street soaks his. Those often respond by saying, well it does not hurt. I have to wonder if they are so inexperienced that they do not know how to set up a cage that allows the monitors to live normally, then how do they know if it will hurt them or not?

While there are dealers that soak monitors routinely, they have a need to have their monitors look shiny and clean for the purpose of sales. That is a valid reason for them. If you think clean monitors is what you want, then please soak them, but remember many species do not care to be soaked, its highly stressful to them. In fact, I believe its stressful to soak any monitor in non-recognized places.

If you insist on soaking monitors, then maybe a good choice of species would be. V.salvator, V.mertensi, V.dumerili, that tpye of monitor.

Let me remind you, is soaking about you or is it about the monitors. F

Hey how about those species which never encounter large pools of standing water, wouldn't they think its a hoot to swim with no anchor source, or potential means to get out of this watery haven? Wouldn't they feel rich of water? Like "at last! a pool of water I can't escape until the monkey so chooses!" Wouldn't they tend to view it more as a priviledge their non captive brethern are denied? Just a thought.........

Guy

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see yah laterz people
jason