Acktivity!

[jbowers]

Excuse the pun. Haha.

I got a pair of 4 month old ackies on saturday, nearly a week ago. I love them, but aside from when I just put them in the tank, they seem to spend nearly all their time hiding in the stack. When they come out to eat or poop they generally stay out for about 10-20 minutes and are super interesting, but then usually back in. Haven't seen them drinking from their bowl down in the cool end either.

Is this how they're going to be or is it just too soon after their move and they are still adjusting?

 

[jbowers]

Oh, just to add basking spot is on top of the stack in which they hide, and sits at about 62-66 degrees surface temp.

 

[bfg23]

They are still only young and everything is a threat to them, so they stay hidden most of the day.

They will come out as they get older and more comfortable with the surroundings.

I have had a hatchie lace monitor for a two weeks now and only seen him a few times because he is always hiding.

 

[Alldone]

My son has a diamond (I know it's a snake & not a lizard), who he's had for 'round two weeks & we have only seen him a couple of times in total. He stays in his hidey rock all the time.

 

[blakehose]

My Sandie moved in today..... I'm yet to see him! hoping he comes out for a nibble soon

 

[PhilK]

Give them time mate.. they need to settle in. Also, baby animals spend most of their time hiding in order not to be eaten.

 

[bigi]

We discussed this a little the other day on another thread.
Dont worry j they will be fine. They feel secure in their stack, they have ridges on their tails so in their natural environment they can tuck themselves in crevices nice and tight, thats where they are comfortable.
You will find they will bask for a while after a feed, then tuck themselves away, and will sneek out when its nice and quite and you are not about.
They will seek the heat as they need it so if thier not ontop all the time then your temps are probably ok if not a little hot.
As for drinking some you will see will drink however if it concerns you give them a spray of water, every 2 to 3 days, particularly to the sides of the enclosure where they hang out.
They will drink the droplets freely and it will help a little with sheds
i have four ridgies and what you describe is identical behavour so dont worry.
It will take many months for them to be familiar with you. I suggest feeding them with tongues, this way they will begin to associate you movements in the enclosure not as a threat. I am able to feed mine now by hand but they dont like to be handled, and still run away at times.
Age is the only cure for them and i am sure they will become used to handling in about a year

 

[jbowers]

Ah, I was under the impression that they were pretty active even as youngsters. Never mind. Still love them.

So should I lower my basking temps? They don't seem to bask under the light for more than about a minute or two.

 

[PhilK]

jbowers they will be active, but they are real live creatures and like to have quiet days too. Sometimes mine will wake up at 8am and run around all day, some days they'll wake at 2pm, some days they'll sleep all day. Just give them time to settle in and they will become more confident.

I wouldn't lower the basking temp. That hot temp is great for them for a flash-basking and it'll make the other layers of your stack the right temp so they can choose where to be.. keep temps the same I reckon mine love it HOT.

 

[jbowers]

Ok great. I realise they are animals who have varying behaviour etc. I also realise that being a young, small reptile in a new enclosure it will probably take quite some time before they feel comfy. I just thought I'd ask for some opinions on it, especially so when people ask why they are hiding so often at the moment, I have some solid answers to back it up.

Personally, I don't really care what they do as long as they are gradually feeling more comfortable in their new home, and will grow up to be healthy adult monitors.

 

[TWENTY B]

hive them a few weks to settle in, then they will be out all day every day.
your temps sound good, ackies love it hot.

 

[blakehose]

I just watched my little monitor have a hoon around the enclosure, he is much the same as what you are describing. He basked for a bit, ate crickets until he was full, ran back and forth onto the basking spot, and now he has gone for a nap

 

[jbowers]

Just an update: Since I seperated them, there really seems to be no change in this behaviour. The one that I still have, who was the more active one, just sleeps all day nearly every day, only coming out to eat and poo really, for about an hour at most.

Interestingly, since moving the other ackie to someone elses house, apparently it is out and about quite frequently. Basically not sure what I'm doing wrong?

Mine looks pretty fat all the time - perhaps I am feeding him too much and he doesn't feel the need to get out of his hide since I feed him with tweezers pretty often while he is in there? Maybe they are more active if you let them get a bit hungry? Any thoughts, as it seems odd that 3 of his siblings, one of them that used to be mine, are much more active in someone elses care and not in mine. I just feel like there is something I should change....

Basking spot sits at about 64-68 and the surface temp on the cool side gets down to about 25.

 

[PhilK]

My basking spot is 75 and I only feed them once a week or so.

 

[jbowers]

Mine is only 5 months old. I've read I should be feeding him every day?

 

[PhilK]

Sure feed him every day if you like. If I was a lizard and food came to me every single day on the end of tweezers in my comfy hide I wouldn't be going anywhere.. would you?

 

[jbowers]

Yeah, that's what I've began to think. Only reason I've been feeding him with tweezers is because the stack has little crevices they can hide in that he can't get to - but I think i'll start feeding him less often and only using the tweezers once he is actually out and about rather than rewarding a lazy lifestyle!

 

[PhilK]

Yeah just let him go without food for a few days it won't kill him, then whenever you see him out throw him one roach at a time so he gets them

 

[jbowers]

Yep, cool. Thanks for the advice man, will post back in a week or two with an update - hopefully I see a bit more of the little guy. He is growing REALLY fast.