Reptile & Amphibian Forums

hey. my baby water is doing well, very inquisitive and not nippy. but, i havent been able to feed him. i think he was on crickets, ive only tried mealworms and he just isnt into em. advice? im tryin to avoid crickets just cause of the chirping....one gets lost in the cage, chirps all night....you know what im sayin? i have pinkies on order also.

Hi, can you give details of how you`re keeping the monitor; enclosure size and type, temps/humidity, substrate, hides etc, etc, it`s difficult to offer advise without having those details. Thanks!

Right now, he is about 15 inches long. 40g, 48" long aquarium, wood top with metal mesh opening for light fixture. cypress mulch, humidity is real good, couldnt tell you a percentage). Dont have a thermometer in there, but Id say its probably 85-90 in his cage, basking is prob about 100 or more. I have 100w zoomed bulb. There is some condensation on the glass near his water, water bowl is like 12" x 8".....he is active, inquisitive. He burrows into the mulch sometimes throughout the day. I have a 3 foot log he likes to bask on under the light. He also has a plastic tube probably 8' in diameter he can go into to hide.....its just like a plumbing pipe.

Quick tip:
Only male crickets do that noise.

You can either use females and/or cut the male's wings before you offer.

You really must get a digital hygrometer, and a digital thermometer with a probe, you cannot possibly guess what the temps and humidity are, especially the (surface), basking spot!?
Glass fish tanks are for fish, not Varanids of any species....
No disrespect, just constructive criticism in an effort to help you help the monitor, before it`s too late...

agreed. its a glass terrarium....not meant to hold water....its temporary though,.,,i have burms and cuban iguanas that have all custom built cages that I built myself.....i know his needs as he gets older....but for awhile he will be in this. youre right, currently im guessing the humidity and temps based on past experience.....im gonna go buy crickets tomorrow, see how he responds.....he might just be into those cause that is all he has seen.....we'll see....thanks

When I got my baby water he was on crickets from the pet shop, I had gotten him meal worms and he was eating those and the crickets for a while but lost interest very fast, I started him on pinkies and he moved to fuzzies very fast and hasent skipped a beat yet, he slams 4 fuzzies every other day like its nobodys business, so yeah I would go with the pinkies.

Well thats good. I have already ordered pinkies, they should be here today.......though theyre not LIVe, Ill try to move em around, see if hes into it...thanks

Pinkies don't have to be moving. If you have the temps right the monitor will do the rest. Just a note- if a chirping cricket bothers you be ready for a 4 foot active beast that contantly relandscapes the cage, spilling water and pooping non stop within the first year!
Your going to miss that little chirping cricket!

Crickets do bother me.....at night......but my reptiles sleep at night usually.....My female cuban iguana scratches a ton sometimes......Ive had herps my whole life.....I know how they can be at times......I had a Nile when I was in my teens......So Ive got some experience with Varanus. Im not that ignorant guys. HA

He just devoured two pinkies(outside his cage) quite easily. Then I looked in his lil mealworm dish in his cage, all 8 I left for him are gone.....Pretty sure they didnt get out.....So Im assuming he is finally settled and comfortable enough to eat.