Nile monitor care questions.

[trebersole]

Hey guys. I'm posting here because EVERY site that I look at provides different information on how to care for monitors...

I understand that I will need a bigger enclosure when it gets older, but for the time being he is about a foot long and the tank is a 75 gal. I've got a 160 wat uvb bulb and a 150w night time bulb over his basking area. It measures 93 degrees right now. I also have a ceramic heater (150w) over the water to help keep it slightly warm.

The socks are in the tank to help him get used to my scent.

Small feeder fish are in the water and there is a dish with smashed hard boiled eggs and some super worms for him to eat. There are a few hides in the cage as well.

I have a turtle filter running to keep the water moving and clean.

Any info would be helpful and appreciated.

I've had him for 3 days. Should I handle him or wait a while?

Substrate: forest floor zoomed



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[Artemisace]

Not sure if you're still looking for input on this or not, but your set up is awesome I've never fed my nile eggs, he's always eaten mice. He started on dusted pinkies and has moved up to whole hoppers now, he eats several at a time for now until he gets big enough for the next size. I started handling mine after just a couple of days (though I would imagine you're handling by now) My best advice is wear gloves, because they will tear your hands up with their claws and it hurts a bit. Honestly though it seems like you're doing everything right to me (I'm no expert though) mine has just started to really "tame" down, I think it more tolerates me than anything else. I say it because I don't know the sex and honestly don't care, I don't intend to breed them. Hope the little monster is doing well for you.

[jclaiborne]

Your basking temps are too low, and the basking area should cover the length of the lizard from snout to tail, which is generally accomplished with multiple lower wattage bulbs. I would start working on the full sized cage now, large lizards grow fast, are very active, have high energy and need space to move, climb, and in your case swim.

[Najakeeper]

Very nice points.

Basking temps need to be close to 140 degrees, yours is way too low.

Niles are hard lizards to socialize. Do not hold him but interact with him everyday.

[jclaiborne]

I would also like to add on that many people mistake these animals as being "tame" because when their basic husbandry needs aren't met especially low temps, they become sluggish. I have had my Tegu for about 3 years now, and even after interacting with her almost everyday she still has her moods where she comes darting at me mouth open. She acts quite a bit more "wild" (if you want to call it that) than others I have seen, I tend to do more enrichment work with her vs trying to hold her in one place.

[wolfy-hound]

I would think about target training/clicker training rather than hoping you'll have a Nile monitor you can hold or cuddle. When full grown, they can and will remove chunks of you if they decide to bite.

Definitely higher basking temps. Definitely start building that larger cage. My blackthroat is in an 8x8ft enclosure and Niles get longer. He should grow extremely quickly and should be eating a LOT of food. Tanks are not often a good option for monitors although yours is one of the better setups I've ever seen, so kudos.

[Najakeeper]

A bad day with a bearded dragon is a little blood on your finger. A bad day with a 6ft monitor is missing half your hand. And to be brutally honest, Niles are the a..holes of the Varanus genus. I have seen Crocodile Monitors that are tamer than Niles.

My V.cummingi is a captive bred sweetheart but even with daily interaction, he still huffs up if I startle him. If I bug him when he is feeling harassed he will tail-whip me, if I keep going, he will take a bite. Hence I have my thick gloves to use if he is acting up when he is out taking a stroll.



If anybody is going to take a responsibility like this, they need to know that it is a life long commitment with serious dangers. A tame giant monitor is very rewarding but one needs to put a lot of time and patience into it for that to happen.