Varanus Mitchelli????

[Luke1]

hey all,
I know they are on class 2 licence in NSW but my dad said that he will get a C.2 licence and if i buy everything he will buy some...so i have a few questions to ask...
i have looked and read through the search thing and googles not great bit yea...

1. would a 6ft long x 3ft high x 2ft wide glass tank be ok?
2. i want a water section and have made it to be 60cm wide x 60cm long x 30cm high and a small stream at the front of the tank that is 20cm long. Is this enough? if that much is water there will be 1m x 40cm of land...would that be ok if i also have a rock backing with ledges, cliffs etc?
3. is a diet of live fish, mice, roaches, crickets and meat good? and are feeder fish suitable?
4. what would be a suitable filter?

any other advice, info tank layout anything...is much appreciated. so thanks in advance....

Cheers,

Luke

 

[Luke1]

anybody???????

 

[Aslan]

Luke - PM Cruester or Freerider...

 

[cris]

I personally would have a larger enclosure for a goanna that size. In saying that though im sure you could keep them healthy in something that size.

I would imagine live feeder fish would be great food, but probably illegal, in qld you can get up to 1 years jail for doing that and im fairly sure it would be similar in NSW. Fish killed in a legal way would make great food as would the other food items you mention. Im fairly sure you can still feed them live shimps and crays in NSW without risking a jail sentance(unlike here) and that would be a good way to give them some exercise and fresh food.

I would go for the biggest filter you can afford, the better the filter the less(not no) cleaning will be required.

Does anyone keep these guys outdoors in cooler climates? or with turtles and/or water dragons?

 

[litoria]

Varanus Mitchelli

Hi Luke

I have kept Varanus mitchelli for the past 4 years. I have kept a pair in an enclosure 4ft long x 3 ft high x 3 foot wide and am looking to increase the size now. I have also had a pair breed in this enclosure. I have also found that in a smaller enclosure obtaining a suitable thermal gradient is hard given the high basking temperatures that are available and required for the species in the tropics, a larger enclosure would definately be beneficial. I also keep the species in a colder climate so getting the right temperatures has been important.

The species is highly aquatic and a water section in the enclosure is essential and the bigger the better. I have made a fiberglass pool and covered much of the base of the enclosure. i would try and make the water section as deep as possible. This species is highly arboreal and prefers to live in hollow logs, bask on overhanging limbs and occasionally lives in rock cracks. A rock background will not only increase the amount of space available to the lizards but also provide it with the opportunity to bask along a greater variety of thermal gradients.

My lizards are fed on a diet of fish, yabbies, fish flesh, pinkies and fuzzies, I have observed them in the wild feeding on a range of invertebrates and frogs. They are quite skittish in the wild and i have found it hard to get them to calm down. They will readily take food out of your hands and as yet i have never been bitten by one whilst handling. Having said that once they are warmed up they are extremely fast and caution is required when the enclosure is open to ensure they do not escape.

Not too sure on a filter. My water section is a fixed pool, which i change on a regular basis.

I have had the pleasure of working with this species in the wild and have had the opportunity to see hundreds going about their daily business. If there's anything you'd like to know Luke just let me know.

Cheers

Dave

 

[litoria]

Varanus Mitchelli

Hi Luke

I have kept Varanus mitchelli for the past 4 years. I have kept a pair in an enclosure 4ft long x 3 ft high x 3 foot wide and am looking to increase the size now. I have also had a pair breed in this enclosure. I have also found that in a smaller enclosure obtaining a suitable thermal gradient is hard given the high basking temperatures that are available and required for the species in the tropics, a larger enclosure would definately be beneficial. I also keep the species in a colder climate so getting the right temperatures has been important.

The species is highly aquatic and a water section in the enclosure is essential and the bigger the better. I have made a fiberglass pool and covered much of the base of the enclosure. i would try and make the water section as deep as possible. This species is highly arboreal and prefers to live in hollow logs, bask on overhanging limbs and occasionally lives in rock cracks. A rock background will not only increase the amount of space available to the lizards but also provide it with the opportunity to bask along a greater variety of thermal gradients.

My lizards are fed on a diet of fish, yabbies, fish flesh, pinkies and fuzzies, I have observed them in the wild feeding on a range of invertebrates and frogs. They are quite skittish in the wild and i have found it hard to get them to calm down. They will readily take food out of your hands and as yet i have never been bitten by one whilst handling. Having said that once they are warmed up they are extremely fast and caution is required when the enclosure is open to ensure they do not escape.

Not too sure on a filter. My water section is a fixed pool, which i change on a regular basis.

I have had the pleasure of working with this species in the wild and have had the opportunity to see hundreds going about their daily business. If there's anything you'd like to know Luke just let me know.

Cheers

Dave