Feeding them with tongs can help to form a trust and handling can progress from there. Do not force them to accept human interaction. Youngsters are naturally nervous, so require very calm and careful handling.
Video can’t be loaded because JavaScript is disabled: Wildlife Wednesdays – Mangrove Monitor Lizard () Handling Tips Also check for any sheds or leftover food. Water bowls for drinking should be refreshed daily and swimming water should have floating debris or animal waste removed. If you have the space, a large enclosure could be built to house a swimming area at one end rather than using a bowl or tub. A large water bowl is essential for these water lovers. Add a hide either by using a simple box or building one with pieces of wood and rocks. This is especially important when they are young, as juveniles tend to by nervous. Plants can be used to create natural barriers and hiding spots for your monitor. If you plan on including live plants, try to choose a nutrient rich substrate. Substrateįor the substrate, a deep layer of Cypress mulch and moss or a soil/sand mix would work well. Misting the enclosure once or twice a day will also boost the humidity. You can also add a layer of hydroton ball beneath the substrate to retain moisture. Providing a large water bowl or swimming area will help to maintain the humidity of the enclosure. At night, the temperature should be allowed to fall to around 78☏/28☌. Your lighting should be on around 12 hours per day and off for 12 hours to create a day/night cycle. Bulbs that emit UV light are also important as this helps reptiles to absorb vitamin D. They help to maintain heat but do not produce light.Ī basking bulb controlled by thermostat or an MVB bulb manually monitored will both provide adequate light and heating. If you require an additional heat source, try ceramic heaters. This should heat the surface temperature under the basking lamp to around 120☏/48☌. The ambient temperature should be 80-90☏/26-32☌, with their basking spot sitting between 95 and 100☏/35-37☌. Heating and LightingĪs with other reptiles, monitors are ectothermic, so you need to provide a heat source for them to control their body temperature. If you have a pair, you will need a large space. This will need to be at least 6ft long, 3ft wide and 3ft deep. Hatchlings and juveniles can be kept in terrariums or large aquariums, but once they reach 2ft, they should be moved to a larger enclosure. Sizeĭue to their large adult size, these monitors require custom built enclosures as they grow. Housing for mangrove monitor care have some specific requirements in order to mimic their natural habitat. They are also covered in small yellow dots along their back and tail. Size: Most adult Mangroves grow 3.5-4 feet/1-1.2m, however, records show they can grow as long as 5ft/1.5m.Ĭolor: The body is a dull brown, with some individuals showing a very dark body. Their body is covered in small scales and they have 5 clawed toes on each foot. They have a large, smooth head and a long neck. When they swim, they tuck they legs flat against their body and use side-side motions to swim. Mangrove monitors look like small dinosaurs and move in a similar way to crocodiles. They generally live around 10 years, but they are capable of living up to 20 years in captivity. The average price is $200/£175 but this is dependant on region, age and sex of the monitor. Mangrove monitors are mostly sold by specialist reptile stores or private breeders. They do well in the wild and populations have been steady or growing, so they are currently listed as Least Concern by the IUCN.
Their biggest threat is hunting, as their skin is used to make leather for drum heads.
They are most often found in forests with saltwater streams and rivers, but can be found in other habitats. They are similar in appearance to the Komodo dragon, but not as large. The mangrove monitor is a semi-aquatic Australian native, but can also be found on surrounding Pacific islands.