Dwarf MOnitors

[ballpythonandragon]

Hello I was looking at the new Reptile Magazine and these caught my eye Ive loved the way monitors are since i first layed my eyes on a Sav. but i don't want anything that size with the aggrestion either. Where would i be able to find a breeder Thanks Aaron

[Python-77]

Check Kingsnake out there are normaly a few ackie adds a day there. Ackies are great BTW, I own 1 but plan on adding a few more later this year.

[ballpythonandragon]

hello again sorry but i was wondering if you could keep them in a 36L 28D 18H Vision tank?

[Shelby]

That'd be fine for even more than one ackie. A pair at least.

[hhw]

One important thing about monitors is that they love to dig and should be given a deep enough substrate, that holds burrows well. For ackies, you'll probably want 12"-16" of substrate or so, so you'll probably want a cage that can accomodate that. Plain old dirt works well. Pro Exotics (a well known monitor breeder) recommends decomposed granite, but I haven't found any so I can't comment from experience.

Varanus.net has tons of information on monitors, and is frequented by some of the best known monitor breeders out there like Frank Retes (Goanna Ranch), and Jon Kendrick (Niagara Reptiles), the author of the article you read. Also, Daniel Bennett's book, "The Savannah Monitor Lizard" is just an all-round fantastic book on keeping monitors in general. He's one of the few people in the world who have studied monitors in the wild as well as successfully bred them in captivity.

[Shelby]

varanusweb.com is also a good resource.