Mitchell's Water Monitors

[Guest]

Mitchells are very rare in captivity and can be hard to find in the wild. I could find mertens in twenty minutes no worries. Simon I will talk to a bloke I know who has bred them before and get back to you, saturday night most likely.
Cheers

 

[Hickson]

Andrew Melrose did a great talk on monitor husbandry at the Australian herp society last friday.

Did you travel all the way from Springwood to the city for the meeting?

 

[Ricko]

there are mitchels water monitors on the herptrader for sale juvies $550 each and they have 2.

 

[Simon_Archibald]

I have seen Andrew's house - top setup for all the lacies and the pit for the dragons/skinks/turts.

He's also an absolute top bloke. Lovely animals and all round champion.

Simon Archibald

 

[sobrien]

Hey Simon, did you end up getting any? I am really keen on getting some mertens water monitors and was wondering where I could get a big glass aquarium built up for cheap.
Also any important info you found out would be great!
Cheers, Simon

 

[Simon_Archibald]

Simon,
Haven't got any water monitors yet, but when I do it will be Mitchell's I look for instead of Mertens. URS currently has adult and sub-adult pairs for sale.

I wouldn't go to the expense of buying a big aquarium for them, rather get a plastic container like a square solid pond liner and have rocks / branches coming out of that. Build up a plywood (or other suitable material) wall around it and install heating in a roof.

Simon Archibald

 

[bigguy]

Baritji, Mitchells are very easy to find if you look in the right places. Ask your boss Marshall about the cool spots we found them in.

 

[Guest]

yeah I know now hehe, I have been talking to Sam Sweet a lot lately and he told me how to get them, I still find them hard to catch by myself though....

 

[bigguy]

Baritji, I never said they were easy to catch, I stated they are easy to find. There is a huge difference there specially with these monitors :wink:

 

[sobrien]

Cool thanks guys.
Simon,
I thought it would have been much easier and cheaper to have an aquarium as I will need a water heater aswell as a filter. Wouldn't it be far more difficult/messy to keep them in a wooden enclosure?

 

[bigguy]

Sobrien, I kept them for years in a wooden enclosure with no problems at all. Gave them a few hollow logs and a large water dish.

 

[sobrien]

Alright thanks bigguy. Did you heat their water? Also what was their main food items? I know they prefer yabbies, crabs and fish however what types and how often?
Thanks a lot for help,
Simon O'Brien

 

[bigguy]

Simon, The water was only heated by the cages temperature. As for their food, mine would eat good sized mice, Jellymeat, Turkey Mince, and gresshoppers. They rarely entered the water. They just acted like anyother small monitor.

 

[sobrien]

cool, thanks again.
Simon

 

[bigguy]

Your welcome

 

[sobrien]

Hey guys,
Quick question on their size(Varanus Mertensi). I have read maximum length from anywhere between 90cm and 180cm. How big do they average and what would be the minimum enclosure size to keep one/two?
Cheers, Simon

 

[dobermanmick]

Has anyone got any pics of enclosures that they are kept in ?

 

[hugsta]

Thanks for asking all those questions Sobrien, Helps me a lot as well. I'm hoping to eventually get some Mertens Water Monitors as well. But may be next year before I can.
I beleive their average size is around 4ft TL. As for enclosure size I would also like to know.

 

[sobrien]

No worries hugsta,
I am seriously in love with these guys. It will probably be a year plus before I get any either.

Simon

 

[hugsta]

I know what you mean Simon, I saw a fair few in February this yr down in Adelaide. I saw the ones URS at and also the ones at Gully Reptile Centre. Even my missus fell in love with them, so that's always a good thing.

I just need to know how big an enclosure they need and I'll build one, then the hunt will be on to find a trio.