Quote Originally Posted by apple2 View Post
If Rhasputin's monitor is happy, then there's nothing to worry about. Not all reptiles are the same. I have a BP that enjoys climbing trees and is rarely in a hide. Does this mean that she is neglected and unhappy? No, it just means that she is a bit different, and should have these needs met. She is happy, almost always eats, and has no problems being handled. I guess she's just an odd BP. Maybe the same is true for Rhasputin's monitor. Personally, I believe that reptiles should have the 'normal' accommodations, no matter how quirky the specific herp is. If they choose to use it, then the option is there. If they don't, no harm done. Not all reptiles are the same, and if Rhasputin's monitor isn't like other Savannas, then so be it. I would recommend giving the monitor the ability to burrow if she so chooses, even if she usually doesn't dig. It may be a bit more work, but it will give the monitor the ability to dig if she wants to. I'd try changing the substrate a few times to see if she chooses to dig in another type. I would also recommend a larger tank, if only to allow for a deeper soil. You can build a new custom enclosure in a few days, and it might make your monitor happier. Seems like it's worth a try!

Also, it seems as if this thread has turned into a big attack thread. People are accusing each others' husbandry right and left, while still not having given an answer to the OP.


-Apple2
Apples to oranges Mr. Apple.

Ball pythons have been observed taking to the trees in the wild to hunt. Your ball climbing and using branches is not abnormal behavior, it's hard wired into his pea sized brain.

Likewise many balls do not use a hide.

But for a varanid, digging into soil is much more than a security issue. It serves a number of biological functions - most important of these are thermoregulation and hydration.

Without a deep and appropriately comprised substrate, a monitor will suffer in the long run. Acting lazy and not digging are indications that something is wrong with the animal. Lazy is not normal for a monitor and not digging indicates that the material type and depth is unsuitable.

Let me state for the record, that it is impossible to properly care for a exanthematicus without an appropriate enclosure and deep substrate. A glass aquarium, with or without a screen top, is universally considered one of the worst choices for housing a varanid in. Can the animal live? You bet. But I can also stuff a person in a dark closet and have it live. It's the quality of life and overall health of the animal that should be considered, not the wounded pride of the owner.


For better or worse, this thread may be referenced by someone who is planning on getting a sav someday. While I certainly hope Mr. Rhasputin's monitor the best, I am more concerned with that next person who may read this and how they will parse this information.