Quote Originally Posted by Sunny1 View Post
Your post brings up a question, Daniel. Hypothetically, for a new monitor owner, what would you suggest as far as care of a monitor (ie Yellow Ackies)? You say to "understand the basics and then build upon that by watching the animal", it may be a dumb question, but what do you mean by that exactly?
These are some of the basics that I include as part of my care....I am still learning everyday....alot left to learn and the monitors are my best teachers....so these 'basics' is kinda fluid....not static and fixed.

I make sure each is provided with a basking spot of 130-150 deg F, a warm side temp of 85-90 deg. F, a cool side temp of 75-80 deg. F, a warm dry area, a cool dry area, a warm damp area, and a cool damp area. If a female is in the enclosure, a nesting site is provided.

I manage my enclosures and husbandry to provide those basics. But the way that I provide those basics varies across my collection and the monitors use the 'tools' that I provide for them in different ways. For example....If the monitors do not use a nesting box that I provide, then I get a new one or change the existing one....Maybe I did not have the right substrate in the nesting box, maybe it was too wet, maybe it was too dry, maybe it was too hot, maybe they had access to those conditions somewhere else in the enclosure so they ignored this box....so many questions, but only the monitors know the answers....it is a fun game to play...I like the challenge

People have success with many different methods. So always ask people "Why limit yourself to what is on one caresheet?" Too many people set things up one way because they read it on a caresheet, figure it 'works', then keep the animal like that until it dies. Where is the fun in that?

I currently keep my monitors in 4 different ways......they all do well, but I notice different behaviors from animals kept a certain way....it is interesting to compare them to each other....all kinds of personalities....all sorts of different behaviors...

I always say monitors are a 'thinking man's reptile'. They are complex, smart reptiles that have unlimited potential if provided the opportunity to thrive.

Hopefully that answers your questions....if not, let me know...ha ha...