Reptile & Amphibian Forums

hey there. the female doreanus is doing quite well and has calmed down quite a bit. i understand that it is good practice to keep monitor pairs seperate except when breeding, but i have seen many setups where tree monitor pairs have been kept together in the same enclousure. with doreanus, would it be better for me to build two seperate smaller enclosures or one large one for them to share? they currently have their own 40 gallon breeder (all-glass) but i'm building enclosures for them to keep on my outside patio (i live in south florida for those other than Jody). i have been acclimating the male and female to each other and they have even basked under the heat lamp on top of each other for a couple hours with no problems. also, because of the hurricanes there has been an abundance of leaf litter on my lawns at home, and i raked up piles of leaves from my fichis (spelling?). I have heard that these leaves are toxic to cats and dogs if they eat them, would it be a bad idea to use these leaves (dried) to mix with the soil in their enclosure? Thanks for any advice.
-Adam

Actually keeping them seperate depends on your goals, your experience, and your monitors.

if at all possable it is best if they can be kept together. If they can then they get along and if they are bonded everything is much easier for you.

Now if you have raised them seperate then it is best to keep apart and slowly introduce them.

You may have to seperate during the time the female is nesting.
Alot of these things will be upto you to read your monitor correctly and determin what choices to make.

If they get along now at this young age it will be better to let them. That way when they are bigger they do not damage each other.

I would build the large cage, but maybe put a divder in. Allowing it to become two cages when the time is needed. You do not want to go to small on the cage size.

I use ficus in with my chameleons, the entire tree. i have not had a problem with using it. i don't see why you cant use it with your monitors.

thanks i apreciate the advice. i bought a 30 gallon rubbermaid container to start a colony of those lobsters, looking forward to having some of those to feed these guys.

Hi,
Doreanus has been bred a few times. Alot of moss, climbing branches, soils, humidity and spacious terraria help....and a pair.

good luck,
mbayless

mbayless,
do you still work with those nice bluetails i saw you post a while back?

Hi,

I do not post pics on this or any other forum. As for posting pics, I never did (or know how)= I did get an article published in Reptiles Magazine on blue-tail monitors...is that what you're thinking about?

Good Luck,
mbayless