Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hello to all.
I've read this forum for a while but never have posted. I'm probably going to buy a hatchling rhino iguana before summer. I'm wanting to graduate to a really big lizard. I'd always wanted a monitor, but, in my experience they smell horrible due to the highly carnivorous diet. Everyone I inquire to about buying one pretty much tells me that the chances of getting a non-aggressive varanid are not in my favor. I kept a spectacular green iguana for ten years when I was a kid, so I understand the demands of a large lizard. I was just wanting to know of any reputable breeders or if anyone here may be expecting in the next few months. I'm dead-set on a hatchling so I can work on my preferred diet and behavior from the get-go. I live in Kentucky, so if anyone is near here then awesome. I'm planning on starting the hatchling off in a 75 gallon all-glass with the intention of something much larger by late summer. Maybe a trough? My wife and I are moving from an apt. to a house and I'm finally getting my coveted "reptile room" all to myself. I currently keep two frilled dragons and a prehensile tailed skink. That's all. I've been reading as much as I can lately and any other advice is welcome.
-Matt

I purchased mine from Ron St.Peirre. I was very happy. Ron and his wife Stella were very helpful following the purchase. They also had a reasonable price.

If you are also purchasing a home I would consider building some sort of outdoor pens for the summer. All my reptiles go outdoors for the summer for natural sunlight. I plant edilbe flowers in the enclosures to suppliment the natural danilions, plantain and other weeds. I'm sure your frillies would love it too! Here's a picture of my tortoise pen. All my pens are similar.

Good luck!

Brian

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Those pens are great. They remind me of the bearded dragon exhibit at the San Diego Zoo. Is there any coverage for them? How do you discourage cats from getting too curious? My buddy has a goldfish pond and it is constantly being raided by accursed felines. I'd like to find a house with an enclosed porch. When I lived with my parents, who have such a porch, my skink and iguana had the full run of it all summer (Yes, they were separated.)

The pens are actually old cold frames used for vegetables. At the time of the photos I made screen tops with frames constructed form PVC pipes. This was easy and cheap but not very functional.

Last spring I sepparated the larger frame (6X30feet) into three 6 X 10 foot pens with plywood barriers. I then made a hinged top for each section from 2 X 4s and 1/2 inch hardware cloth. I will take some new photos once the snow melts. They are burried right now!

I plan on to do the smae for the smaller frame in the posted photo (6 X 25 feet). At the time of the photo it housed 16 Russian tortoises, but due to poor spring weather and my mistakes I lost several to respitory infections. I am not going to purchase more tortoises until I'm sure I have fixed my mistakes.

I'll post another old photo of the pens below.

Thank you,

Brian

Very nice enclosures. I like the estethics of suncen enclosures but what do you do when it rains? I live in kentucky and if there is aheavy downpour in the summer my enclosure may flood even though I have a drain.

Tom