Wanting a Monitor!!!

[python_dan89]

Hey all,

Im very intrested in these animals they are awesome.
Thinking about getting a couple pref male and female, if anyone can help me with some info on these awesome creatures that would be good..
They will be inside i live in melb so conditons can be poor at times. What breed would be good for a first owner and inside (Tanks, Wooden Home)???? Any kind of info would be good :lol:
Cheers guys Talk soon Daniel

 

[geckos_are_great]

yeah monitors are great im getting an ackie and 2 weeks that will be my first monitor

 

[python_dan89]

sweet

sweet as man. You will have to post up some pics!!!
Do you no much about them size cost and how much room they need?

 

[Gecko_ProCs]

I have a Tristis
its an awesome little monitor
they get around 80cm total length with a tail around double the length of the body.

Top opening tanks are great because they tend to bolt when you open front opening doors.
They like a basking temp of up to 70C yep thats not a typo they like it hot!
Plenty of hides, be careful with any types of rocks you use because they forage and are strong animals and the last thing you want is it lifting a rock to have it slam down on its head.

Also look into "ackie stacks" so the monitor can choose its preferred basking temp.

hope this helps.

 

[python_dan89]

reply:

Cheers man help full info!!
can they go in glass tanks???

 

[Gecko_ProCs]

They can but they dont hold a great deal of heat as i have just learned.
mines currently in a 4ft glass tank.
But i'm selling it and going with a woodern one.

 

[Frozenmouse]

get some accies or one of the smaller ones they have big personalities and dont require huge amounts of space .

 

[Gecko_ProCs]

yeah ackies are great
i was tossin up between them and a tristis but then i saw the adult pair at wildlife world and loved em! after watchin them for a good hour i chose tristis

 

[Southern_Forest_Drag]

ackie or pygmy
personally love pgymys

 

[TWENTY B]

ackies or tristis are awsom 1st monitors.
Hot spot 60- 70. 100w flood light. Bunnings
4-8" of sand to dig in.
2 in a 4x2x2 minimum.
Glass tank is fine. You don't want to hold the heat in.
But be warned. Monitors are addictive.
I recently got 4 hatchie sandies. And they are so awsom words con't discribe.

 

[geckos_are_great]

pics?

 

[TWENTY B]

gouldii @ 9weeks old,

 

[diamondgal79]

we can only own black headed monitors or ridge tails on our current licence.
Stupid system in ACT i can own snakes but cant own a gecko until we upgrade the licence in a yers time. Crazy.
I love the monitors too just cant decided which ones lol.
I love the mertens hehehe

 

[Charlie09]

Go the tristis great sized monitor for your first one. I have mine in a 3x2x2 pine/mel enclosure with glass sliding doors, he does bolt anytime I open the sliding doors, but not when my girlfriend does, she just talks to him softly and he doesnt budge!

 

[python_dan89]

Thanks guys for all the info. Still havnt made up my mind. Any pics would be good

 

[Charlie09]

Here's a pic of my Tristis from about 4 month's ago, it was taken on an Iphone so pretty dodgy, will post more as soon as I can get a proper camera.

 

[python_dan89]

Thanks charlie09 good pic!!!!
Good looking monitor

 

[derekm]

we can only own black headed monitors or ridge tails on our current licence.
Stupid system in ACT i can own snakes but cant own a gecko until we upgrade the licence in a yers time. Crazy.
I love the monitors too just cant decided which ones lol.
I love the mertens hehehe

two monitors on the B list and only another two on the C list! One thing about the ACT list - there no chance of getting paralylsed by too much choice! And, unfortunately Varanus mertensi isn't on either list.

BTW, you don't have to upgrade your licence, just prove that you've done one year with at least one B-list species.

 

[Sturdy]

my first monitor was a spencers and he is awesome...

 

[python_dan89]

Cheers 4 info people ill keep you updated on the idea!!!