Pygmy Mulga Monitors

[wil]

hi all i am getting a pair of these guys this season and wanted to see some
of yours and of course ther setups
im oing to put them in a 900x6000x600 while they are young and eventually put them in a 1200x600x600
hot spot between 60-90C, river sand substrate etc
anything else?
cheers wil
anyone breeding them or reccommend someone?

 

[waruikazi]

Hot spot of 60c max! You will have raost monitor at those temps! And possibly a fire!

 

[wil]

that not what i have been told
but in saying that im not keeping them that hot, bloody hell
it will be bout 65-70c

 

[waruikazi]

I don;t know what you have been told but 90 degrees is far too high that is easily enough to get skin burns. When i had a trio of ackies i kept there basking spot at around 55C. But as long as you have a good thermo gradient you could get away with having any temp basking spot.

 

[dunno103]

Hi

there was a good article in Reptiles Aus Vol 3 issue 1

I am thinking of getting some too

Cheers

Steve

 

[PhilK]

wil, you gotta think what they'd be exposed to naturally. No way would a wild mulga monitor ever experience temps up to 90 degrees. 50 - 60 is where it's meant to be is what I've heard

 

[wil]

haven't found night heating to be at all critical, although it can't hurt to make sure they don't get below 10 degrees or so. The blasting hot basking site is the most important thing, just make sure the entire enclosure doesn't overheat. If you find that two 150W ceramics are too much, you might want to consider using just one, or even using a lower Wattage globe. I much prefer a light-producing heat source for them as it simulates sunlight and encourages basking. I use a 40 or 60W spotlight very close to a rock which gives them a basking site temperature of around 60-90 degrees (yes, they love basking at very high temperatures). Unless the temperatures get very low (below about 10 degrees), the spotlight is the only heat source I provide.

 

[wil]

that where i got it from

 

[waruikazi]

Do you have a reference? web adress? If you want to keep yours at 90C go for gold, they are your animals but i would strongly advise against it.

I'm not trying to attack you, you asked a question that i am answering.

 

[dunno103]

hi

I must add, I agree with waruikazi (60c at hot spot) and a thermal gradient is a must, temps may be 40c some days but they can get away from this to regulate their temp. Also when its cold they are somewhere where it is not cold.

Cheers

Steve

 

[dunno103]

Hi again

reading your post I consider cold for this species 20 degrees C.

 

[waruikazi]

there's some on herptrader add number 724-002

 

[Aslan]

wil, you gotta think what they'd be exposed to naturally. No way would a wild mulga monitor ever experience temps up to 90 degrees. 50 - 60 is where it's meant to be is what I've heard

I disagree - I think you will find the surface temperature available to wild monitors from arid regions can get far hotter than 50 - 60*c...

...my Ackies have a basking surface temperature of between 65 - 75*c (depending on ambient) and regularly bask directly under the lamp...and the already mentioned article from Reptiles Australia magazine has temperatures of over 80*c being recorded on occasion...

I think it is important to have your basking light very close to the basking spot to help achieve a scorching hot spot without massively affecting the ambient heat...

 

[wil]

but in saying that im not keeping them that hot, bloody hell
it will be bout 65-70c

i didnt say i was doing that, but have heard of it being done by a well known breeder
anyone got any pcs

 

[waruikazi]

Do you have a URL for where you read that info? I'm interested to read the rest of the article.

 

[Aslan]

It's not a URL it is in Vol 3 Iss 1 of Reptiles Australia (the one with the Ackie on the front) - there is an article on Gilleni (by Sdaji) and another on Ackies (by Jochem Van Der Reijden)...

Highest temperature recorded for the Ackies was 78*c, highest for the Gilleni is not specific but mentioned as "over 70*c for 8-12hrs per day"...(a little lower than my memory recalled)...

 

[waruikazi]

Thanks Aslan and Wil. I'll have to pull out my old issues lol.

Though i still stand completely by what i said, 60C imo is sufficient while still being safe. At 90 C i would be too worried about setting something on fire :lol: lol.

 

[wil]

any pics?

 

[Tristis]

90C is too hot. my tristis bask at 75c but lift there feet up, and they dont stay there for long

 

[Veredus]

If you are looking for a breeder you should talk to Sdaji. I keep my basking site about 60 to 70 degrees and my gilleni use the site frequently between exploration forrays, though I imagine 90C would be a little dangerous, 20 degrees can certainly make a lot of difference.