Care Sheet for MonitorsAverage Rating Given To This Care Sheet Is 3.32 (1=lowest, 5=highest) Last Updated: 12/04/2003 |
Main Category: | Lizards |
Sub Category: | Monitors |
Care Sheet Submitted By: | Anonymous |
Years Experience: | 3 to 5 Years |
Species: | Water Monitors |
Other Species or Phases this Care Sheet May Cover: | Water Monitors |
Sexing and Characteristics: | Sexing water monitors can be tuff and you may have to wait a couple of years for them to show any kind of sexual characteristics. General characteristics of a male is a larger broader head, larger in body size then females, and if your lucky(which you most likey will be) if your monitor is a male is may show its hemipenes while it goes to the bathroom.
I found out my water monitor was a male after about 1 and a half years. He released his bowles and out came the hemi-penes. It is really not worth probing your reptiles unless you absolutely have to if your are working on a breeding project or somethin. |
Mostly Active During: | Day |
Substrate and Water Needs: | I use cypress mulch. I have tried other types of substrates such as bed-a-beast, soil, and peat moss. Basically you want a substrate that will help keep humidity levels up. |
Lighting and UVB: | I do not use any uvb bulbs. From what I have read else where they are not necessary for monitors. I do provide heat through use of a flood light, or two depending one what size cage I am using. |
Temperatures and Humidity: | I usually keep my ambient temperatures between 80F and 90F with a basking spot over 100F to 115F. Make sure your water monitor has plenty of room to regulate its body heat. |
Heating and Equipment: | I provide a kane heat mat with an adjustable thremostat. For smaller water monitors you can get away with a smaller bottom tank heater. |
Caging Provided: | I been through many many enclosures for my water monitor. I started with a small 20 gallon, to a 30 gallon, to a 4 foot cage, to a 6 foot cage, and now a 9 foot cage. In about 1 year I will give him part of a room. I built my cage out of melamine boards and sealed the end of the boards with aquarium sealant.
I also provide a 2x3 foot water bin for him to submerge in. |
Diet: | Carnivorous |
Description of Diet: | My water monitor is strictly carnivorous. I feed him mainly on ground turkey with some bonemeal and vitamins from a crushed centrum vitamin. I feed him mice every so often for a treat. Other treats include smelts and boiled chicken.
I used to cook the ground turkey but have recently started feeding him raw turkey. I mix his bonemeal and viamins in the ground turkey and make meatballs for him to eat. After making the meat ball I feed him some and freeze the rest. It usually takes a couple of hours for the meat balls to thaw out prior to using.
I have found my monitor having more energy since I switche from boiling the ground turkey to giving it to him raw. |
Supplements, Nutrition and Usage: | I supplement my water monitors diet with crushed centrum vitamins and bonemeal or calcium carbonate. |
Maintenance: | Maintenance can be tough. My water monitor contiunally goes to the bathroom inside his water bin. So I have a pump that I put in to pump the soiled water out just about every day or every other day. Keeping the medium clean is a tuff taske too but is not so bad. Overall cleaning and maintenance can be a bit over whelming the bigger your water monitor gets. Mine is always curious and can be tuff to contain him within in cage while cleaning. |
Some Words on this Species: | Although there is growing popularity amoung these lizards, you have to be aware that they grow amazingly fast! They can reach 6 feet easily in under 3 years. Never under estimate a water monitors easy going personality and dispostion. Water Monitors demand alot of respect, and can inflict very serious damage to humans and animals. I do not feel this is a starter lizard, and should really only be kept by people that can provide its caging needs and be able to afford its horrific appetite. |
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