Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I am also from Tucson, Arizona. I keep many monitors outside and I was wondering how you have them set up for winter weather? Do you have an enclosed section with ample heat? Underground burrows? Bring them inside? I am just looking for some ideas and you sure seem to have the business down. I have made artificial burrows with heat in them, they have worked great so far. I used seperate rooms with heat pads, heat lamps, and some protected ceramic heaters. I know different monitors have different requirements but if you could just give me some ideas on outdoor enclosures I would sure like to hear them. Thank you!

Best Regards,
Brandon

Hi Brandon, first off, its a real bear keeping monitors outside and I do not recoment a newbie to try it. I am not saying your one, but surely many will read this.

Outside cages are the devil. I say that because they are both the, most fun and the least fun.

The temps here are in all directions, too hot, too cold, too both at once. I am sure you have experienced this. Its also too dry and to wet(if we get winter rains) Monitors(some species) take the cold all right, but not cold and wet. I hope you have not experienced this.

Yes, I have tried all the things you mentioned and more, and have yet to find anything that really works. Don't get me wrong, I have no problem keeping them alive outside. But they either get worn out from the extremes or just don't perform as well as the same species indoors.

My last attempts envolved indoor/outdoor cages, but even those are a pain in the holy hindend.

As you know, when its the right temps outside, monitors surely love being outside where they can see and enjoy all that outside offers. Thanks FR

I appreciate your reply, it is an honor for me to talk to someone I have known about and read about for so long. I remember your fist add in the Vivarium. I am not out to kiss butt, just honored that you take time out for those that don't breed the more rare species in captivity and only socialize with others that do so.

Now for my reply. I understand all the tempature and weather differences. I use a variety of different enclosures to compensate for some of the weather and extreme amounts of sun we recieve. Roofs, plants, misting systems, sand (both moist and dry), and many other types of shelters and ways to change the tempature gradients. I am sure you have done many different things just as I have. Well, I guess it will always be a temporary thing for many of my monitors. The summers and monsoon season are sure loved by some of them. The natural sunlight gives them that extra spunk also. Thank you for your comments and feedback. I would sure like to check out your set ups one day if possible. Not to mention seeing those Lacies! Well, have fun and thanks again.

You said, outdoors gives them extra spunk. This is an important statement. This is what is totally missed my most, especially the experts(academics)

It only gives them extra spunk if your indoor cages are lacking something. There is no majic outside, other then the ability to see and not be totally bored.

I saw exactly what you did, so I kept changing my indoor setups until those too had the same spunk. Only without the dangers of outside.

The advantages of outside are, free heatbulb(the sun) free electricity(the sun) and lots of cheap space, compared to the cost of a building.

The disadvantages are all the weather extremes and higher winter energy costs. With our setups. The winter costs negates the summer savings, so its a push.

Tell me more about your setups, thanks FR

That was a funny headline! Cracking whips! Just joking. Well, I have very large indoor cages with very large branches and different levels to play on and rest. So, I hope they aren't to bored in there. I also keep huge tubs of water that is heated for them to soak. The waters love it and the drain makes for easy clean up. My croc loves to soak after it eats also.

The outdoor cages change do to me trying new things to see what things work better. I have had some very large ones that measured 20x16x10 to smaller 12x12x10. I had stem walls made of brick 3 ft high on the larger cages with very deep footers to prevent any digging out. I have had ponds made of concrete with filtration systems and drains that again made for easy cleaning. I like to minimize that part as much as possible! I am sure you know the feeling. I have other animals to take care of and need cleaning, time is money. Well, I have made water falls around 3 to 4 feet high and kept the water ciculating. In summer it is real hot as you know and the sun will make algea grow if it isn't in a shaded area, at least most of it. So, think ahead on that part. I made small walls that partitioned a sand pit, dirt, potting soil mixtures and even a grassy area in some. The dirt and sand parts always had burrows and I would keep one to two with a heat mat for night time just in case. When I first made the dirt/sand ares I made burrows that they could dig and change plus make their own where they felt it necessary to dig. I have small misters in areas to keep the dirt from drying to much in certain areas. I like diversity a lot. A little here, a little there. They seem to be good at picking the areas they like as long as there are no problem spots that I create. I watch for areas that they could somehow injure themselves, cause they will. I keep large logs inside and some river rocks that they can do some foraging activities. I like to move things around sometimes a little at a time not to shock them. About once a month. It gives them a new area to play/check out. I also have plants in the cages. Some are large and sturdy, others are like vines and split leaf philodendrons. The large leafs they like to lay under sometimes. But, as I bet your going to say, don't they destroy them. Yep, some they do. One minute you plant them, the next they are a trampled, flat, history lesson. They have areas that they prefer to walk in and I definetly avoid those areas. A large lizards wieght alone will crush and destroy them. I haven't had any die due to digging yet. I thought that might be a problem, but not so far.I have small drip lines to the plants also, avoiding problems of them getting dug up or cut. I hang braches from the wall studs with easy access to them. They have loved these alot. Especially the one in the morning sun. But honestly the most visited sunning spots are on the south side of the cages. The two corners are the first spots I look to see where they are. They seem to like these spots the most for basking. I have some shade screen in parts to take a little load off the intense sun and hose it down often, huge swamp cooler, that and the vines.A roof on sctions provides solid shade too. Well, I have talked your ear off probably so I will cut this short now. Hope I told you something in all this babble! Have fun!

Brandon