Formally Introducing Thyssa The Yellow Tree Monitor....

[qiksilver]

Hi,
Matt did a great job collecting photos/info on the different species of the indicus complex just for a pic reference.
http://indicus-complex.webs.com/

Anyway, I swear I've seen a stomach content review for indicus, but cannot find it now. Lots of crabs...

Also, personal opinion, stick with the bugs, they're a perfect staple (I love dubia as a feeder)... crayfish and prawns get expensive

*just fyi, indicus used for example as they're better researched, and thought to be similar

Hi skip, been a while.

[Skiploder]

Hi,
Matt did a great job collecting photos/info on the different species of the indicus complex just for a pic reference.
http://indicus-complex.webs.com/

Anyway, I swear I've seen a stomach content review for indicus, but cannot find it now. Lots of crabs...

Also, personal opinion, stick with the bugs, they're a perfect staple (I love dubia as a feeder)... crayfish and prawns get expensive

*just fyi, indicus used for example as they're better researched, and thought to be similar

Hi skip, been a while.

Hiya Mike - it certainly has.......

When I had more varanids, I took full advantage of being so close to Mr. Tuttle of Blaberus.Com..........roaches are the perfect varanid food - so easy to cultivate and so hard to have a monitor do bad on them.

A very close friend of mine keeps melinus. He lives in an Eichler home that has a fully enclosed open courtyard that measures 15x15. He has it fully planted with tropical plants and nice compact ( yet deep) pond. It's a pretty trick set up with times misters and supplemental heating. Next time I visit, I'll snap some pics.

During the latter part of the spring and through September, he keeps the melinus in the courtyard. They rarely climb the plants and instead tend to stay near the pond.

Watching them dive into the pond after crayfish is a trip - I mean the little buggers tear right after them and will dive all the way to the bottom to grab them.

He purchased several freshwater snails and plants to keep the algae down and the melinus will tear up the plants and depopulate the pond of all sizable snails.


Elizabeth:

Do not take the advice people are trying to give you the wrong way. Many dedicated varanid keepers are very sensitive to how monitors are kept. There is so much bad husbandry advice floating around that alot of these wonderful animals end up living unhealthy, uncomfortable and short lives.

I know that Repti-Racks is making aluminum-framed arboreal monitor caging. It isn't cheap, but then again, nothing about properly keeping these animals is.

The key is to provide proper space, proper heat, proper humidity and proper diet. Varanids like it hot, they need a lot of room to exercise not only their bodies but to provide room for exploration and mental stimulation, and they need a diet that is as close to what they would get in the wild.

Mike has already provided a link to Biawak - and most of the issues can be accessed on line. There are also a couple of dedicated monitor forums.

A word of caution - these forums are very intolerant and can seem downright rude when it comes to "newbie" questions. The best thing to do is join and then use the search function to expand your knowledge.

Check out:

varanus.net

[jmugleston]

Beautiful monitor. I'm a huge fan of the subgenus that includes V. melinus. As mentioned earlier, that is a beautiful example of V. melinus. When they were first imported in the late 90s they were given the misleading name "yellow tree monitor" which is sometimes still used (quince monitor is the name that typically is applied to them now). Though they are in the same subgenus as the prasinus complex (including the other yellow tree monitor V. reisingeri) they are actually more similar to the V. indicus or V. doreanus in care. Most of the mangrove type monitors tend to do better with large pools, climbing areas, and digging areas. They're kind of a pain to house relative to some of the others, but worth the extra effort. My V. yuwonoi are little bulldozers. Kind of sucks having a blue lizard constantly caked in a coat of brown, but it works for them. Anyway, congrats on the new purchase. The best thing is don't go cheap on caging. Spend the money in the beginning and it will be better on both of you.

Monitors are a bit of an obsession of mine so if you have any questions that I can help with feel free to drop me a PM.

J

[BPelizabeth]

Wow you guys are not kidding about the bogus information out there. I think that is why I was so adamant at first as nothing was adding up to what I was seeing. What I have found is that a lot of the true information is given in very scientific terms. (Hard read for my little blonde self)lol. I am still doing research on both species and will put on here a detail of the differences. In layman terms. Its amazing to me even some of the sites that are suppose to know about this stuff are putting out wrong information. Just crazy!! I do apologize if I offended anyone. Was not trying to....as I told Mike...I do not just take someones advice as the spoken truth unless I can see the actual proof. Mike you did that for me and I thank you! Skip.....you could tell me the sky is a shade of green and I would take your word for it!!!
J mug....I will totally be taking you up on that offer...watch out.

As far as the cage....not sure if you are familiar with anything my hubby and I have built but we are currently designing a cage for Thyssa. It will have a deep pool for her to swim in and we are installing a heater under it to keep the water at a better temp. We also will be istalling some type of misting system as well. The whole thing will be plumbed to a drain so that cleaning can be as simple as pulling in a hose and draining it out.

Ya know I am a huge proponet of doing your research prior to getting an animal and with Thyssa....I really thought I had it down....clearly not!!!!

Again I appreciate all of your help and check out her new photos....crazy lil monitor!!

Skip....I just love you!!!! You are truly the best!!

[jmugleston]

I'm still new around this forum so I'm not familiar with the cages you have done in the past. Sounds like you're doing it right though. Are you putting a filter on the pond? I grew tired of draining, cleaning and refilling water dishes every day so we attached a sump system to each cage. It allows us to keep things a bit cleaner and also allows the addition of a heater without worrying about the lizards breaking it and hurting themselves.

As for temperament, of the indicus-type I've seen more tolerant V. melinus than most the others. My V. yuwonoi will charge at me and chase me from their cages. The V. melinus I've seen aren't quite the same. In a proper set up they may be shy at first but even my defensive adults will now bask when I'm around. They just stand up and hiss a bit when I'm too close.

[BPelizabeth]

Ohhhh the sump pump is a great idea....I will bring that up to my husband. I come up with the ideas and the design and the hubby executes....lol I stay away from the technical build out. lol

I have really no experience with monitors ....this is my first. I originally thought I was going to get a tegu. But after experiencing my first mating season with a friend of mines tegu....I changed my mind. It was out to kill everyone and I gotta say....it freaked me out!! There is something to be said for a large tegu with his mouth open chasing you So far I am very lucky with Thyssa...she is very docile, and not timid or shy with us at all so far. Of course with anything...that can always turn ugly. So with that said my son is not allowed to handle her or the iggy or be around them without supervision.

PS....I would love to see pics of yours....

[jmugleston]

Ohhhh the sump pump is a great idea....I will bring that up to my husband. I come up with the ideas and the design and the hubby executes....lol I stay away from the technical build out. lol

I have really no experience with monitors ....this is my first. I originally thought I was going to get a tegu. But after experiencing my first mating season with a friend of mines tegu....I changed my mind. It was out to kill everyone and I gotta say....it freaked me out!! There is something to be said for a large tegu with his mouth open chasing you So far I am very lucky with Thyssa...she is very docile, and not timid or shy with us at all so far. Of course with anything...that can always turn ugly. So with that said my son is not allowed to handle her or the iggy or be around them without supervision.

PS....I would love to see pics of yours....

I'm doing some final adjustments to some new cages this weekend. Once those are done I'll post pics of the set-up (plus offer recommendations to avoid pitfalls I encountered).