Monitor suggestions

[Illium]

Hi all,

I have a 2.2 x 3.7m enclosure that will become available in the next few months as I move things around.

Its outdoors but in a prime location as its a closed off area with floor to ceiling views from the lounge room and my study.
The main prerequisite from the other half is I don't turn it into desert theme.
Would prefer to keep tropical or subtropical- ferns etc.

What monitor do people recommend? I would love a lace monitor or two but highly doubt they would appreciate an enclosure of this size.
Possibly a pair of mertens but think I would need to expand the pond.

Any other suggestions or reinforcements?

Cheers

 

[ReptileMad_98]

you could go with mangrove monitors, there smaller so you might be able to get a couple in there. or mitchells water monitor, there reasonably smaller than mertens.

 

[Tobe404]

Might help if you let us know where you are located, your experience level as far as Monitors go, more enclosure details, etc.

 

[Illium]

Located in Sydney.
Experience would be around medium, kept a sand monitor many years ago, have gillens and ackies at the moment (making room for larger ones outdoors) have caught lace monitors when I was younger with my dad at our block of land down south so I do have handling experience and know how temperamental they can be.
I'm under no illusions about behaviour and feeding.

Enclosure is ready for a bit of a make over and rake, there is a pond in there, about 1.2m x 0.75m.

 

[imported_Varanus]

Your local species are Varius and Rosenbergi and both would be a bit large for that enclosure IMO.

If you could seal it from the weather and offer a few hot spots you could likely keep some smaller desert species out there, Gillens as an example.

 

[Illium]

Desert species are out for this enclosure, must be green and garden like. I have staked out a 5.5x3m area out the back fro a spencers or panoptes.

BTW, the 1.2x0.75 is the pond size, not the enclosure size.

Im liking the idea of a pair of mertens or mangroves. If I extend the pond and implement outdoor heating is the size viable for happy and healthy pair.

On the same token, in regards to the Panoptes, even though I usually see them housed in a desert type enclosure (low humidity) their range seems to incorporate a large tropical area, anyone kept panoptes in a semi-tropical enclosure?
Im aware that the 2.2x3.7m may be a tad small, just thinking for another future area.

 

[Misnomer]

Rosenberg's. Once it starts getting cramped in there move it to your prospective new enclosure.

An expensive task to maintain a habitat for mangroves outdoors in Sydney. Give them a room in the house

 

[Illium]

OK, iv decided to scrap my current idea of putting a monitor in the smaller area mentioned, at least for now, the EWDs can keep it. Hard decision since the more I look into the Mangrove monitors the more I want one
Might experiment with a greenhouse and passive solar water heating over winter to see what temps I can keep.

So, where I was going to move my EWDs to will remain one section (I was going to divide it up) I will most likely house a pair of lace monitors.

One questions though, have people had success in housing turtles with lace monitors? There is a large pond in the area I plan to use for the monitors and would really like to move my older turtle into a bigger home and get him a friend.

Cheers

 

[Chris1]

good luck finding mangrove monitors, ive been searching classifieds regularly for 2 years and have only seen 1 adult male for sale.

 

[Illium]

I kinda figured as much, not ready for them anyway though.