Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I just recieved my first lizard about 2 weeks ago. I read up and talked with many people to learn as much as possible about the new member of the family. I have a 140 gallon tank with all the things they need. I keep the tank underneath the heat lamps at about 90-95 during the day and at night it drops to about 85 degrees. The humidity level stays between 45 and 55 percent. My question is about the behaviour of my new lizard. When she was at the breeders house she had now problem sitting out in the tank when people are around. Now that she is in her new surroundings she seems very scittish. She will come out during the day to bask but when i come into the room to see her she goes back underneath her log. I read up and was told to let them get comfortable with there new enviornment before i stress her out even more by trying to handle her. She eats everyday and seems to be really healthy but how long will she be afraid. I know I have only had here for a couple weeks but I want to make sure this is normal.

yes, that's very normal.

When you gave the temperature beneath the basking lights, was that the surface temperature of the basking spot or the air temperature below the light? If it is the surface temperature, it needs to be higher. Aim for around 120-130F (many have theirs higher).

I will have to get a little higher wattage lamp to get the temps up to that. But thats no prob. So she should be really scared of me for a while? Should i try and handle her while she is like that or should i wait untell she calms down a little more?

Those 120 surface temps are not from high wattage bulbs that just heat the ambient temps too high but from proper placement of indoor/outdoor flood bulbs, start with 45 watts (a couple) and go up in wattage slowly if needed, mounted at 8-13 inches a 45 watt outdoor flood makes 135-165 degrees f surface temps, and heats the air nearby to around 83-86f, in turn allowing you to have a proper temp gradient from warm to cool (68 or so) on the far end. They hide for many reasons, if you have high wattage bulbs and heat the entire cage too much they must escape the heat, conserve moisture, they need to feel secure (after all boscs are all imports), if it was in a pet store they usually dont have hide spots therefore it couldnt secrete away for safety. Another trick of petstores is to keep them cooled down a bit so they are calmer and friendlier, set em up warmer and now you have a scared flighty little beast that bites you defecates on you etc. Alot of monitor keepers run basking lights 24/7 to allow our captives to decide when they want to bask not tell them when, this also provides the temp gradient that is needed to thermoregulate properly. If someone claims to have bred monitors ask for proof, if they have chances are they have a million pics of parent animals copulating, gravid females, eggs being layed, eggs being incubated, eggs hatching, etc etc. Bosc by the way can lay up to 60 eggs. The last person to have bred them was 5 years ago or so, 16,000 are imported every year though for pets alone.

Thanks for the help. I was told to turn the heat lamps off at night and just leave the night time heat lamps on to simulate the moon. Is this necassary or just someones opinion. Oh and your right about the defecating all over the place when you hold them. But I still have not recieved a answer back on whether i should wait a while before i start handling her or not, or should i go ahead and start that way she gets used to me. Like I said she really does not like to be held at all.

That way they choose when they want to bask etc. Its consistant heat available on one end and saves money on timers etc.