Open Top Pits & Monitors

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MoreliaMatt

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Hi all,

at the end of the year i am moving to a new place that has a decent sized backyard.
i want to build in an open top pit because i want to get a pair of monitors, at this stage laceys, but maybe something slightly smaller....

just wanted to know what other people have done for outdoor enclosures, without using avaries, because personally i think the mesh of an aivary looks untidy.

obviously it will need to be on a concrete base so they cant dig their way out. what about height? how high should the walls be as to stop them climbing or jumping out?
i was thinking of a pond all the way around the edges like a moat (for water supply)

what could people suggest?
some pics could be handy too...

Cheers in advance!

Matt
 
Hi Matt, I have never built one but I am certainly in th eplanning stages to house my lacies. As for the concrete floor I am not goin to go that way. I intend to extend the fence abotu 600mm below the surface so that they can't dig out. That way they have a more natural enclosure. I have also already planted their gun tree. Unfortunately they will grow much faster than the tree. Your moat idea would probably negate the need for the fence extension. It is going to be 7x4m and will also have a hole into the shed for some indoor protection.
 
Well, firstly for a pond i would use an old bath tub which can be drained. Monitors will quickly dirty the water in a moat, making constant cleaning a hassle.

Instead of a concrete base many keepers just lay down strong chicken wire and then have their soil/bark chips over that.

The walls should be about 1.8m high and probably go into the ground at least 60-70cm.
 
peterjohnson64 said:
I have also already planted their gum tree. Unfortunately they will grow much faster than the tree.

Yeah Pete, i can just imagine the poor little gum tree bending to one side every time one of the Lacies climbs to the top of it.

Hey maybe they'll be able to catapult themselves out of the pit? :lol:
 
thanks for the quick replies guys!

youve both come up with some very valid points that i will definately take into account in my planning!

anyone else that wishes to spread some more ideas and concepts around feel free!

thanks!!

Matt
 
I recommend going to around 1 metre below the ground as laceys can dig deeper than 600mm with out to much trouble at all.
 
I lost an adult lacey from an open topped pit....cover it! My pit was 6 metres by six metres, it enclosed natural bush, including a 4 metre gum tree and stacks of low shrubs, a pile of sandstone boulders ,heaps of extra logs, I built a concrete pond, which was a pain to keep clean cos it filled with leaves. The pit walls were 1.5 metre high, and dug 400mm into the soil, walls were corrugated iron, with a lip to prevent climbing over the edge....it looked escape proof!
Water dragons, beardies stayed put, but "Charlie goanna" decided to up and leave after a few weeks of getting into his purpose built new home.... prior to this he was housed in 3 metre by 2.5 metre timber out door pit that had a chicken mesh roof....
Cover your pit!
 
the TWP has pit similar to what jack has dicribed except it has concrete walls with glass viewing cut into them, and they keep 2 varanus mertensi and 1 varanus panoptes (similar size to varanus varius) it has a concrete base and has large pond in it a lil less than half the pits size, which also house turtles, 2 fresh water crocs and this pit is a hexegon shape and is around 5-6m in diameter, the walls would be around 1.5m high like jack said his was
 
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