Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Okay, your new. That's very cool. Tell us a little about yourself & what monitors you have. Any specific questions about your monitors & what the breeder told you would be great too.

Later, Gene
-----
There is a fine line between "hobby" and
"mental illness."

Well I'm fron san jose california. I currently have four baby white throats and two croc monitors. I would like to know what is the best substrate for white throats. I know they come from very hot regions. I have done research on them I would just like to see what everyone use with there white throats.

The breeder told me he made a little incesion in the bottom of the white throats he said that three of them are male and one of them is female. he said he has done the incesion for many years in his monitors. the incesions are almost pefect. They all healed great. I dont know if he knows what he is doing or not I never asked him to sex them for me. He is probably full of beans. This is what he told me. I can take a picture if you would like of the incesions. Please look at the pics and let me know if these guys look good to you. They are really eating great. A couple of people told me they look like there in poor condition. They look fine to me but as i said i'm a newbie to these type of lizard. Let me know what you think. Thanks

Here is a pic of them again?

Looks like you are currently using peat moss or some other kind of fine mulch. Should be fine for a substrate.

Yep it is peat moss I also use it with my croc monitors to. it holds the moisture great. Thanks

Peat moss is great for holding humidity but your monitors love to dig and burrow! Peat moss doesn't hold it's shape in any way!!! You need to use a mixture of peat moss and normal dirt. Consider adding normal dirt to your peat moss.
Thanks
-----
Christine :>~

Peat moss gets moldy in a higher humidity environment because its mostly plant by-products.

Only been at it around 2 years.

I would recomend dirt for any monitor truthfully. They seem to understand it. As deep as you can make it. They are burrowing animals. You may also want to experiment with leaf litter. I have found it makes many species very comfortable by being able to hide under and it traps some moisture in the dirt. It's all good.

Wait till your monitors poop really good and take a fresh sample to a vet and have a fecal done. This may give you a window into their overall condition. A monitor that isn't overloaded with paracites grows very quickly kept under the right conditions.

Tell us about your set ups too. Perhaps we can suggest some things to make their acclimation easier.

Later.
-----
There is a fine line between "hobby" and
"mental illness."

Well the cage has to basking lights one on the second floor and one on the bottom. The substrate is abought eight inches deep. there are a couple of hiding spots for them to hide. There is a large tree trunk that the like to climb to get to the second level. I also notice these guys like to climb alot also. They are very active. I also have a cat litter pan with water so they can soak which they like to use also. Let me know if you have any ideas for me. i will take a picture of the cage tonight. what type of reptiles do you keep. Do you keep white or black throats if so can you post a couple of pics for me. Thanks

I don't any longer. That species or maybe that particular monitor just didn't blow my skirt up.

My suggestion for you at this point is know your encosure very well. You need to know specific temps or ranges of temps that your cage has. I don't think peat is bad but it sould probably be mixed with something more substancial. Something that will hold a burrow or a hollowed out area for hiding / cooling. I doubt you will see your monitor soak much but I think it is always good to offer large amounts of water. You need a temp gradient in the cage. Like 70 or 80 on the cool side & 130 or 140 in the hot spot.

I have a handfull of monitors to include, 2 salvators, 2 ackies, 2 argus, 2 rudicollis, and 3 flavi/argus crosses. I also have 2 corn snakes, blue & gold macaw, 3 dogs, and the wife has 3 beardies, 5 leo geckos, 2 fat tails and a small salt water aquarium. Not to mention the rug rat.

Here is a link to my pics,

http://gallery.pethobbyist.com/index.pl?thumb=1&stype=2&si=gene&perpage=28&sort=1&cat=500&user=
-----
There is a fine line between "hobby" and
"mental illness."

I like your pic of you water monitor. Would you consider him tame. How did you get him that way if so. How old is he or she and how much did you pay for him or her. Thanks for the info.

All of my monitors with the exception of the Argus are what most people would consider tame. I can handle them all including the argus with out being mauled but they prefer that I leave them alone.

I don't look to make my monitors into something they are not. That is / was a very hard lesson for me to learn because I got into this wanting a lap lizard. If you want that get a beardie. They seem to tolerate human interaction far better than any reptile I have ever seen.

Some monitors seem to like interaction. On occasion mine do. Especially when feeding.

How did I get them that way? I just lived with them and fed them. They learn quick if you mean good or bad. You want them to see you as good. I would occasionally soak Yoshi (the salvator) in the tub and he would climb on & off my arm when he was little. He used to also come out of the cage to me but now he prefers to be left alone though he permits handling. I use the gloves & sweatshirt because he has hellish claws and I don't believe in trimming them.

He was a baby farm hatched from Pro Exotics and I will have had him 2 years this Sept.

What does it matter how much he cost? A life is an investment at any price.

Later
-----
There is a fine line between "hobby" and
"mental illness."

Nice to see someone from my general area. Always seems i'm the only one into reptiles lol..