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Member	Message
#2266345 Dominako View Profile	Not what I expected! All, I just picked up a hatching Nile Monitor and I am quite confused. Everything I read before I purchased him made me prepare for a savage little beast. I made sure I had the money and the patients to care for one but I expected to have to calm it down. However when I bought the thing he was all up for handling. He is a bit flighty if I wake him up but he has never hissed, whipped his tail, or tried to bite me. When I hold him he sits there and lets me pet him. He lives in great conditions, eats well, and is not lethargic. Do you think I have one of the rare exceptions? I have had him over a month.
05/14/12  11:21am
#2266348 Dominako View Profile	Message To: Dominako   In reference to Message Id: 2266345  Not what I expected!
05/14/12  12:03pm
#2266354 3240 View Profile	Message To: Dominako   In reference to Message Id: 2266345  Not what I expected! Temps? I’ve never had a monitor (even "tame" monitors) sit still unless it was too cool.
05/14/12  12:31pm
#2266355 Dominako View Profile	Message To: 3240   In reference to Message Id: 2266354  Not what I expected! He is always warm when I pick him up. His basking temp is about 115° and the cool part is about 80 - 85° and he has deep substrate to escape the heat if needed. He will not usually sit still when on my arm because he wants to get on top of ny head but once up there he just sits and lets me pet him.
05/14/12  12:40pm
#2266361 Daryl- View Profile	Message To: Dominako   In reference to Message Id: 2266355  Not what I expected! Maybe you got lucky? He may start to get an attitude when he gets older - currently he sees you as a vantage point but once bigger he may see you for you! You got any enclosure pictures?
05/14/12  01:39pm
#2266362 Savannahmonitorlover View Profile	Message To: Dominako   In reference to Message Id: 2266355  Not what I expected! Could u put a pick of the enclosure?? And my sav monitor doesnt hiss or whip either but I know over handling sometimes causes problems.
05/14/12  01:48pm
#2266363 Dominako View Profile	Message To: Daryl-   In reference to Message Id: 2266361  Not what I expected! I will try to get one when I get home. Just a visual, he is in a 40 gallon terrarium with 3 inch deep Cyprus mulch, he has a large water dish he can completely submerge in, he has a large rock cave hide and a few artificial foliage plants, also full spectrum lighting. He is also provided with adequate humidity. I am currently working on his super enclosure for when he is large enough.
05/14/12  01:55pm
#2266365 Varanus_odom View Profile	Message To: Dominako   In reference to Message Id: 2266363  Not what I expected! He’s already "large enough" to be put in a proper enclosure. When they are born in nature, they are immediately out and about in the biggest enclosure there is (Earth). Adequate temps/humidity cannot be achieved through a 40gal tank setup. Once you get him in proper enclosure with proper temps/humidity and proper soil (don’t use cypress mulch), he will spunk up real quick and you’ll start to see more of his/her natural behaviors. He/she is a stunner. Niloticus are gorgeous monitors but command respect especially as they age and grow up. Enjoy him lounging out on your head while he’s small because when he’s bigger... let’s just say you won’t want him up there! If you need any help/have any questions on enclosure setup, there are plenty of experienced keepers here to help you and your lizard. Cheers and good luck!
05/14/12  03:31pm
#2266366 Varanus_odom View Profile	Message To: Varanus_odom   In reference to Message Id: 2266365  Not what I expected! When you get the enclosure built, you’ll want to achieve a basking temp of about 130-140F rather than 110-115. Vents (if you need them) near the substrate level rather than at the top of the enclosure because heat/humidity rises and will escape rapidly out of the top. Offer multiple hides and position them in different temp zones throughout the enclosure so he/she has options. You can do this by burying logs in the dirt, placing flatstones on top of the substrate, etc. A hide should allow them to get away from you 100% and feel safe/snug. You’ll want a deep sandy soil mix rather than a few inches of cypress mulch. You can throw some leaf litter on top of the sandy soil. If you throw a flat-rock (flagstone?) on top of the sandy soil, he/she will dig up under it and use the surface for basking.
05/14/12  03:40pm
#2266368 Dominako View Profile	Message To: Varanus_odom   In reference to Message Id: 2266365  Not what I expected! What substrate would you suggest? I am not going to try to put on a pride show here (like I often see newbs do) because I genuinely want to give him the greatest life possible. The reason I am using cypress is because the breeder recommended it. I plan on providing him at least an 8ft enclosure with sliding doors. I already had the 40 gal and I knew that would not suffice for any real length of time. Any enclosure ideas would be awesome and I am sure Axel would appreciate your help!
05/14/12  03:49pm
#2266369 Dominako View Profile	Message To: Varanus_odom   In reference to Message Id: 2266365  Not what I expected! Thank you! Was the size I was planning on acceptable?
05/14/12  03:52pm
#2266371 Dominako View Profile	Message To: Dominako   In reference to Message Id: 2266369  Not what I expected! Also how deep should his substrate be?
05/14/12  04:08pm
#2266373 Norf View Profile	Message To: Dominako   In reference to Message Id: 2266371  Not what I expected! General guidelines used for minimal enclosure size for a single adult, L=2x the monitors length, W=1x the monitors length, H=tall enough to fit AT LEAST 36" of substrate plus space to climb and space for lighting. So you’re already looking at an enclosure size of at least 12x6x8 or so. Maybe a foot or so larger. I wouldn’t go for any less than 36" of substrate considering the potential size of the lizard in question.
05/14/12  04:20pm
#2266374 Norf View Profile	Message To: Norf   In reference to Message Id: 2266373  Not what I expected! What are you making of it’s diet right now?
05/14/12  04:23pm
#2266375 Varanus_odom View Profile	Message To: Dominako   In reference to Message Id: 2266368  Not what I expected! Where do you live, dom? Either go out in an old yard/field and load up some good ol’ dirt from the earth or head to a landscape supply and pack up some sand and soil and mix it up together inside the enclosure so that it holds well. An advantage of a more natural sandy soil substrate is that it will hold temps/humidity well and will hold up when they dig under. Cypress dries out into hard stick and won’t hold. 8ft will be fine for a year or two or more depending on if it’s male/female or how big it gets.
05/14/12  04:26pm
#2266377 Dominako View Profile	Message To: Varanus_odom   In reference to Message Id: 2266375  Not what I expected! Currently he is eating a diet of crickets (dusted), feeder fish, and fresh turkey (never packaged). I also wanted to give him some freedom as an adult around the house as long as he stays the temperament he currently is.
05/14/12  04:36pm
#2266380 Dominako View Profile	Message To: Dominako   In reference to Message Id: 2266377  Not what I expected! I live in Ohio so only indoor enclosures are possible. The substrate will be no issue to replace but obviously the cage change will not be instant. However I will build it with haste.
05/14/12  04:47pm
#2266383 Mdf View Profile	Message To: Dominako   In reference to Message Id: 2266380  Not what I expected! substrate is a most for your monitor, 2 foot plus, with warmed areas down below, if you live in a warm place this is achieved easily if not your need to build the cage off the ground so the air can circulate underneath. Regardless how tame your monitor is it still has the ability to take down food!! :) & it’s a cracking little monitor you own. :)
05/14/12  05:07pm
#2266396 SalvatorREX View Profile	Message To: Dominako   In reference to Message Id: 2266345  Not what I expected! pretty much evryone else said basicly what i would say, and its true about a monitor sitting still only when its cool... but if your temps are what you say they are. then you probly lucked up and should take full advantage of the rare situation you have. and continue to spend time with em, to make sure it’ll stay calm.. and i built an 8x4x4 enclosure for 400 bucks (LOWES) that included the lights mulch and soil , water dishes, etc. so i would go ahead and start thinking of a cage because he’s going to out grow what you have him in fast..but good luck though man. and the monitor has a killer pattern
05/14/12  06:13pm
#2266401 Dominako View Profile	Message To: SalvatorREX   In reference to Message Id: 2266396  Not what I expected! Thank you for your help! Haha Lowes was actually where I was gonna go. I love my little monitor and as weird as this may sound you can look at him and see that he almost looks happy in a way. Just how he looks in your eye and tilts his head out of curiosity. He stood out in his clutch and that is why I picked him. The others were all docile but he was the only one that would readily climb up to my arm as soon as I tried to put him back.
05/14/12  06:46pm
#2266439 3240 View Profile	Message To: SalvatorREX   In reference to Message Id: 2266396  Not what I expected! An 8’ x 4’ isn’t going to last for a water or nile monitor. Be prepared to build some much larger.
05/14/12  11:29pm
#2266480 Dominako View Profile	Message To: Dominako   In reference to Message Id: 2266401  More pics!
05/15/12  12:31pm
#2266481 Dominako View Profile	Message To: Dominako   In reference to Message Id: 2266480  More pics!
05/15/12  12:32pm
#2266482 Krusty View Profile	Message To: Dominako   In reference to Message Id: 2266481  More pics! Pretty. Looks like a little Perentie. :)
05/15/12  12:36pm
#2266484 Dominako View Profile	Message To: Dominako   In reference to Message Id: 2266481  More pics!
05/15/12  12:44pm

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