Dehtdrated Water Monitor

could it be that it is just the stored fat is gone in the tail area and not a dehydration issue, the front of him looks much better then in the tail area? He sits in his water bowl most of the time, sorry if the question seems dumb

not dumb, a skinny tail base is a sign of malnutrition, the lizard has been living off stored fat.

http://www.anapsid.org/heplipidosis.html

So since this is the case, i need to get his monitor to eat to fix this issue then?

If you get his enclosure, temps and all right, he should eat like a horse. If the set up isn't right, the monitor won't eat.

Esp if it's not hot enough, they need some heat for digesting. It's good that you're willing to do a ton of work, since that's what's required with the monitors.

Check out this thread on my local Herp society forums - Rich (Brand X Rodents) built an AMAZING Nile Monitor enclosure, and if you message him (he is also on here) he may be able to give you some pointers on enclosure plans. His divides in the middle, so that he can expand it at any time.. and you can see in the photos how large it already is. That doberman is not small, and the aquarium they are filling is 75 gallons.

Keep in mind that your water can get even larger than a nile, and the enclosure Rich has built wont necessarily hold an adult nile or water for it's entire life.

The soonest i can get him into a herp vet is next week if after i get this cage built and can't get him to
eat like a horse to bulk up, that will be the next step.
the temps are good now in his small tank. I think he ate a few small gold fish from his bowl , it was too messy this morning to tell but i didn't see any when changing the water. so at least he's getting something down.
I'll get a small hopper mouse tomorrow to see if he'll take something a bit bigger since he hasn't been to interested in some baby rats that my breeders just had.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by wolfy-hound

If you get his enclosure, temps and all right, he should eat like a horse. If the set up isn't right, the monitor won't eat.

Esp if it's not hot enough, they need some heat for digesting. It's good that you're willing to do a ton of work, since that's what's required with the monitors.

---

^^^^^^^^^this post right here^^^^^^ A++

come to think of it i do have a large deep tool box for my truck i don't use, i could build a wooden cage around like they do with the horse troughs,to keep upstairs untill i can get the room better well thought out that would give me a few months before he out grows that. it's about 2 feet deep so plenty of room for dirt to dig in
what do you think?

i'll get exact measurements after work tonight
but it would be around 2 and a half feet wide 4 and a half long then at least two feet taller then the box itself

it would be a start, but please don't procrastinate the new enclosure.