V caudolineatus

[Noxious]

G'day

Looking at getting a small group of these pygmy monitors in the near future. I've done as much reading as I can get my hands on, but their isn't a great deal online. Have had a look over any threads I could find on them as well. I'm currently over seas in Sweden and get back to Perth early next week. So hopefully my other half has done a good job of taking care of my critters while I'm away, and it sounds like she has.

I have keeping and breeding Australian lizards at home, it arrived at my door step after I had left to go OS. So I will give that a read as well.

From what I understand they like it hot and dry, and understand that they get smashed by RI if kept under humid conditions. What do people who have had success with these species suggest to be an ideal hot spot for this species? night time temps?

Everything I have read says that it's ok mixing a small group together. Has everyone else found this to be the case? mixing multiple males and females in an appropriate sized enclosure?

Feel free to add anything you think I may need to know. I'm open to all suggestions from people who have had success with this species. Please don't give me advice you are just regurgitating from somewhere else.

cheers in advance,

alex

 

[Niall]

Hi Alex,

I myself have been trying to track down a small colony of these critters in the past month or 2 and still have not found any for sale.
I have to agree with you about not being alot of infomation on them in captivity, thats why I have asked a few keepers and licenced takers that have had expericence with these monitors and all have said the hot spot to be around the 50c mark and night temps around the 23-24c mark.

I have been told that housing 1M and 2F in the same enclosure is fine, but not 100% on housing 2 males in the same enclosure.

Good Luck with the search.

 

[Kenshin]

think varanus gillenii and your on the right track

 

[Daryl_H]

as for trackin them to buy you could try danny brown or dave from pilbra pythons

 

[Echiopsis]

Keep them dry and hot 50-60 degree basking spot and keep the ambient temps up around 30 during the day. No water bowls, any humidity will have them heading down hill in no time and they dont recover. Dont keep multiple males together, theyre far more active and content with a single male and a few females. With multiple males one tends to dominate and the others slowly deteriorate. Theyre nothing like gillens as far as husbandry requirements go, gillens dont roll over with a bit of humidity.

I have a trio in an 800mm long enclosure with plenty of top ventilation and two 60W heat sources. If you hatch any keep them separate and feed them heaps, if you keep them in pairs or groups as hatchlings they dont seem to do well and refuse food.

 

[Noxious]

Thanks for the replies. With the no water bowl how do I get moisture to them? Or is it not necessary?

 

[Daryl_H]

Thanks for the replies. With the no water bowl how do I get moisture to them? Or is it not necessary?

try givein them a water dish twice a wek for half a day at a time

 

[Echiopsis]

I don't give them water at all, just make sure the feeders are well hydrated with carrot. You could probably get away with a bowl a couple of times a week like Daryl said, just keep the surface area to a minimum and make sure the enclosure is well ventilated.

 

[Noxious]

Thanks for the replies. Appreciated very much. I am actually thinking of building a specialty cage with plenty of top ventilation when I get home, rather than using a 'snake cage'.

What have you found the temprament of these guys to be like? I worked at a reptiles store about 5 years ago while I was studying and we had caudos from time to time. But we never had them for an extended period of time. They seemed quite shy and reclusive. Does this behaviour change with time as they become more comfortable?

 

[Echiopsis]

Mine were always reclusive, often not seen unless they were being fed. Now that i've sorted out the ratio a bit they seem far more comfortable in the enclosure and will often sit out and bask while i'm in the room doing things. So yeah, they do settle, it just takes a couple of years and the right mix of animals.