View Full Version : New Baby Water Monitor
Danimal
09-21-12, 09:25 AM
This is the new water monitor. Only Varanid I am currently keeping. Picked it up at a show a couple of weeks ago. Eating well on crickets, worms and a pinky once a week. Was a little lethargic the first week but very active now.
http://lizardgallery.weebly.com/uploads/8/7/1/5/8715687/7378053.jpg
http://lizardgallery.weebly.com/uploads/8/7/1/5/8715687/8667439.jpg
Aanayab1
09-21-12, 03:29 PM
It's so tiny! The pencil really is a crazy looking comparison. What do you got the little bugger housed in?
simpleyork
09-21-12, 04:07 PM
I love the look of waters there's just something about them
Gregg M
09-21-12, 04:12 PM
Nice salvator.
You should be feeding this species more than one mouse a week. You should do a half rodent half insect diet.
Also, how are you housing it? Not trying to sound like I am grilling you, it is just that most people buy Asian water monitors without fully understanding whats involved.
infernalis
09-21-12, 05:58 PM
Nice salvator.
You should be feeding this species more than one mouse a week. You should do a half rodent half insect diet.
Also, how are you housing it? Not trying to sound like I am grilling you, it is just that most people buy Asian water monitors without fully understanding whats involved.
Yes please.^^^^^
We would like to see your monitor live a long and healthy life.
Danimal
09-21-12, 06:57 PM
Ready, set, go.... This was an impulse buy. Don't panic and extinguish your flames, I'll explain. My wife and I often hit any kind of animal show that comes to town mostly just to look. I kept a water monitor before, I know what's involved. Because of that I never really intended to keep another and really only because of the space they require.
simpleyork, I am with you, there really is something about a water monitor. I love them. I have not seen another since mine past about 15 years ago. When I saw this little guy I literally stopped in my tracks. So I say to the fella, That's a cute little baby you have there, how old? He tells me its about 7 mo old. Hmmm....Whaa. I ask him if its eating pinkys and he says ground beef and turkey. So I bought it, impulse. Right now it's in an exo terra. Soon I will move it to a 75 gal tank or, ideally, straight into one of the enclosures I am going to build, if I have one ready. Even that will not be its permanent home.
It didn't eat first couple of days. I offered Pinkies, crickets and worms. Finally started eating the crickets, then worms and a pinky last Friday and a pinky today. Thus, a pinky once a week. I skipped a day and when it didn't take it, offered one everyday there after until it took one today. I will offer another on Sunday and so on and so on.
This little one is very active and looks much, much better than when I brought it home. Still shy and in the hide when I am active but moves around when I settle down to work. Sometime in the next few weeks it will go to the vet, like all the animals in my home do, just to get a physical. . .
infernalis
09-21-12, 07:23 PM
you don't have to worry about flames here.. we run the haters out of town quick at this forum.
Danimal
09-21-12, 08:15 PM
Ah, good to know but the short-sighted are not the only propagators of the heat, it comes from the over zealous as well and as often. No worries, it was only a little tat for my perceived ignorance before there was proof of. You get more flies with honey and all that....I didn't take it the wrong way, I was just having a little fun. :crazy:
Ivanator
09-21-12, 08:48 PM
That definitely is a cutie! It wont stay small for long though so enjoy it while it lasts.
millertime89
09-21-12, 11:25 PM
I soooo want one of these but I know right I don't have the room, congrats on the little one, hope to see more pictures as he grows.
Hi there. When you go to the vet, do not let them worm it since its a favourite activity of theirs and only causes harm at this size. The only thing you need to be worried about right now is respiratory infections that claim a lot of these guys.
As long as you get it to eat, don't worry about what he is eating at this point. They are not pigs (unlike niles, savannahs and some others) so depending on where in the digestion process the last meal is in they might skip a day on their own.
Danimal
09-26-12, 07:06 AM
Hi justme, Thanks for posting. Why don't you introduce (http://www.ssnakess.com/forums/newthread.php?do=newthread&f=28) yourself. :)
infernalis
09-26-12, 07:07 AM
Hi justme, Thanks for posting. Why don't you introduce (http://www.ssnakess.com/forums/new-forum/) yourself. :)
Thanks.... good post.
i should but some know me anyway. just havent connected the name yet. im not much of a forum guy. ill go say hi later tonight when i have access to a real keyboard
Danimal
10-10-12, 12:53 PM
Last weekend I moved the little guy from the 18x18 to an 18x36 just to give a little more digging room. Appetite is full on, he is eating healthily and looks to be growing but it's hard for me to tell how much, I am not good at judging things like that. I need a visual aid for scale. That's why I used the pencil in the first picture. I am going to try to get another pencil shot but it won't be as easy as the first time, he is feeling a lot better and is exhibiting proper defensive behavior. ( I wear my gloves now :) ) Here are a couple picts.
The first couple are for Antonio, examples of the ip camera. I threw it up this morning as an after thought. So the positioning is not perfect and the shots are a little blurry but you get the idea. These were screenshots taken with my iphone this morning after I got to work. The screen shot is built into the mydlink app.
http://lizardgallery.weebly.com/uploads/8/7/1/5/8715687/1049470_orig.jpghttp://lizardgallery.weebly.com/uploads/8/7/1/5/8715687/2699651_orig.jpg
This from a regular camera
http://lizardgallery.weebly.com/uploads/8/7/1/5/8715687/3515765_orig.jpg
half logs are sorta useless. and so are other cubicles. they are ok for a quick spook spot but not a real hide long term
they like it tight, all sides tight. the more uncomfortable it looks to you the nicer to them
Aanayab1
10-15-12, 08:46 AM
I find the half logs useful not as hides for the monitors but for for crickets and roaches in the monitors enclosure. They serve as a good spot for the insects to hide and once the monitors caught on it serves as a feeding station where I notice the monitors going to get the hiding food.
Dananimal: thank you. I am still debating on which one to get though. I want one that takes and saves video/pictures as well as live feed...
AjaMichelle
10-16-12, 09:07 AM
You should cover the back and two sides with an opaque material so they aren't see-through. :)
Congratulations!
infernalis
10-16-12, 10:14 AM
half logs are sorta useless. and so are other cubicles. they are ok for a quick spook spot but not a real hide long term
they like it tight, all sides tight. the more uncomfortable it looks to you the nicer to them
Indeed, I have seen monitors squeeze into really tight spots. even the burrows are tight fitting. they feel secure that way.
Danimal
10-17-12, 11:28 AM
- The log was mostly buried he burrowed in from the back side but I can't figure out why he pushed the cypress out the front. He also has a burrow in the back left corner and has a burrow inside the pot. He moves between all three. You can't tell from the picture but there is 6-8" of soil/sand to dig in. There looks to be a lot of cypress but it's only a very thin layer.
-Actually I keep all 4 sides covered most of the time. I started with the back, then went to three and finally 4. He does better with 4. Because he is in my office where I spend a lot of time, It interrupted his basking a lot when I moved around so I gave him a little more privacy.
Indeed, I have seen monitors squeeze into really tight spots. even the burrows are tight fitting. they feel secure that way.
Takes "monitor proofing a space" to a whole new level does it. Was it whitey44 who lost his after it went into a wall? Plenty of cases like that which is why you shouldn't freeroam one but thats another topic
Anyhow here is a chubby bebe for reference on how the weight on them should look like with proper care
http://www.picvalley.net/u/1953/9313586779073432161350513751RIuIjROS3EL5hg2I9A8P.J PG
http://www.picvalley.net/u/1827/10265460205024287681350513754uvR4VLKHNtiCD7pMlmEg. JPG
they really dont like the camera
As for it basking, wouldn't worry too much about it as long as the ambient is high enough, say 88 day and about 84 night time. He will digest just fine under those even if he doesn't bask (or you see him basking).
disclaimer: The above applies for waters, other species might as well die with those temps.
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