Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I got my second ackie on tues. and so far all this little guy does is hide at the very bottom of the "retes" stack. I left I left him alone till yesterday, I dug him out just to make sure he was all right. I put him at the top of the stack to see if he wanted a little heat and a cricket, but as soon as I turned my back he was right back where I got from. My temps and setup I believe to be appropriate. Would it be of any help in the acclimation process to block off the very bottom level of my stack. This level is below the substrate and allows my ackies a subterrainean cave if you will. Or should I just leave well enough alone, I'm concerned as I do not believe he has eatin since I've aquired him, maybe a stray cricket or two.Any ideas would be appreciated. Thanx, Clint

if your monitor wants to hide out at the bottom of the stack, blocking it off will just make it more stressed. It needs time to settle in, so I'd leave it alone. It has a better idea of what it needs and wants than you do (or anyone else), so it's best to let it make its own decisions rather than trying to tell it to bask and eat.

It isn't going to starve in a couple of weeks of not eating crickets. As long as the other ackie isn't preventing it from feeding through aggression/domination and all else is okay (setup, health etc) it'll eat soon enough, when it is ready.

It's hard not to tamper with them when they aren't eating, but if it is a newly acquired animal the best thing you can usually do is just leave it alone.

Thats what I figured, I guess I just needed to hear it from someone besides myself. I have not seen any agression from the other ackie, he just does his ackie thing basking, burrowing, eating, exploring and sleeping.