Varanus tristis

[sobrien]

Hey all you monitor keepers out there!
I have an enclosure by the mesurements of 100cm long, 50cm wide and 100cm high of which I am contimplating adding a pair of arboreal monitors to. If I provided elevated rocky areas along with branches etc, would this be a suitable enclosure for a pair of tristis or orientalis (Black headed monitors/ Freckled Monitors)? Thanks for your help, Simon.

 

[Simon_Archibald]

Personlly for adult monitors, I would provide minimum 4ft, if not up to 5 or 6 feet in length. Though, the size of your enclosure sounds pretty good - I don't think it would matter too much, just my preference.

Make sure though that temperatures offered are around 50 degrees at the hot end. This is advice offered to me by a very experienced keeper, and echoed by my vet.

Simon Archibald

 

[sobrien]

Thanks Simon. I too was wondering about the size as I hate seeing monitors in tiny living areas. However, I have read numerous times that these montiors can easily be kept and bred in small areas. But how small is small? I also have a 4foot x 2 x 2 but I decided against it as they are semi arboreal. Hmmmm, I guess I'll just keep reading.

 

[NoOne]

I found tristis to love hollow logs and stuff like that, i think your enclosure sounds pretty good, they do like climbing a bit so give them a few branches and as Simon says give them a good hot spot.

 

[sobrien]

Thanks guys, I'll give it a shot. If it doesn't work out I'll swap them for something smaller.
Simon

 

[Simon_Archibald]

Simon,
That enclosure size is the same as what I'm gonna be building for a pair of Spotted Tree monitors. According to text I have, they grow about 10cm or so smaller than the V. tristis - maybe they are a species you'd be interested in?

Simon Archibald

 

[sobrien]

I would be extremely interested, however Victorian laws prohibit them to be kept under the current licencing system. Well, it's more like they just forgot about them when writing the licences. So until the permits get reviewed I can't. I was looking at Gillens, but I'm far more interested in orientalis. Are you reading the Goanna book by Matt Vincent and Steve Wilson?
Simon

 

[Ricko]

hey sobrien they are reviewing the list and spotted tree monitors are to go onto the advance license in the next 12-18 months. along with a few other things

 

[Guest]

Scalaris have a large body size so are still a good size..why the hell are the on an advanced licence?

 

[Ricko]

because we dont have them on our license list at all they are going to start out on advanced and then be reviewed after a year.

 

[africancichlidau]

hey sobrien they are reviewing the list and spotted tree monitors are to go onto the advance license in the next 12-18 months. along with a few other things

What other things Ricko, Fileys perhaps???

 

[Guest]

Ah ok ricko, thats fair enough I suppose

 

[Ricko]

ammmm, nephurus amyae, spotted tree monitors, and a few others not sure about fileys YET but they are forcing the issue and there will be a fair few more species on the list in the next 3 years.

 

[sobrien]

Cool thanks for that Ricko, I knew they where coming I just didn't know when. The advanced licence is way too expensive anyway, I think I'll stick to Orientalis. Hey Brodes, may I ask what you think? What size enclosure do you currently house your Baritji's in?

 

[Guest]

Gday Mate,
I think you should be fine with that enclosure for sure, as long as you provide lots of branches, rocks, logs and a deep substrate. Orientalis are cool, but so are normal tristis...well so are all goanna's. My biggest Baritji is in a 5ftx2x3 (lxwxh) and the two smaller ones (hopefully breeding pair) are in seperate 3x2x2 enclosures.. They shall be going n a 4x2x2 (together) enclosure soon. You could keep them in a smaller enclosure as long as yu have plenty of surface area, which I find is best achieved making rock walls, putting plenty of logs in etc...enjoy them man!

 

[sobrien]

Thanks mate, will do! Now I just have to find some dosh :roll:

 

[hugsta]

and a deep substrate.

They love to dig too, and hide under objects.