Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Ok ive wanted to get a monitor of some time now and ive finaly decided on an ackie. ive been doin my research and basically this is what ive gathered. they need a few inches of substrate (Dirt,playsand, vermiculite mixed together) to burrow in. 120-130 degree basking spot with a cool end around the mid 70's. Need a water bowl at all times and need to be soaked regularly. flat corkbark hides and things to climb on. feed them a mixture of rodents and inscects. And from what ive read its good to keep them in small groups. Does all this sound right. Hopefully im on the right tract. any additional info would be greatly appreciated. thanks

Do some adjusting to your info before you set it up before you get the animal.

"they need a few inches of substrate (Dirt,playsand, vermiculite mixed together) to burrow in."

-I use 6 inches solid as a very minimum, Id like to have a 8 or more in the cage for him, because he tunnels alot and digs straight to the bottom quickly.

"120-130 degree basking spot with a cool end around the mid 70's."

-130-whatever temp it will use for basking, I say that because the red ackie I have uses a 180 f basking surface (cork bark gets very hot on the surface.

"Need a water bowl at all times and need to be soaked regularly."

-A water dish with clean drinking water, ackies dislike soaking and are afraid of drowning. I cant see any harm in soaking once in a few months to get a look at skin etc for health reasons but soaking stresses them.

I'm setting up my ackies today. Everything is warming up now, my surface temps are 145-150 on the highest basking spot, with the gun obviously. I put my hand on it and it's hot I was considering removing that level of the stack. I guess thats debateable considering you have yours hotter than mine. I'm using a blue stone for my stack absorbs heat energy well, and holds it through the night. How long does your ackie bask on surfaces that hot? Mine are in a 4'lx2'wx2'h stock tank the basking spot is heating up well and I seem to be getting a good gradient on the far end, its still heating up though.

He used it on and off the whole time as well basked alot longer than I ever expected. I checked the temp on that cork bark basking log at 8 or so inches to my suprise it was 188 degrees f, and he uses it alot, oh well if it works why complain, he likes it so it will stay that way. My albigs have 150 f basking spots.