Juvenile nile

Yungair23 · #1 (**permalink**) 05-23-2006, 01:33 PM

I have gotten a juvenile nile monitor in trade for my boa. The cage i have set up for him is a 4 foot all around box ( 4ft high, 4ft wide, 4ft tall ) I have put about 2 ft of dirt in the entire thing which is alot of dirt i would have to say. I have a wood platform that is level with the dirt but under the platform is like a cave. Whom i got the nile from said he only eats live hoppers but im going to be varying his diet alot. I plan to have mealworms for him all the time and will give him frozen thawed hoppers twice a week. I also can get but am posting to check if its ok i can get crawfish, shiners (any size), and nightcrawlers. I work at a fishing store that carry's these and whosales them. Another question i needed to know is if i need a uvb light? I dont have one right now but can get it if needed.

BWSmith · #2 (**permalink**) 05-23-2006, 01:38 PM

I would stick with standard prey items. Yes, UVB is needed.

Yungair23 · #3 (**permalink**) 05-23-2006, 02:17 PM

ok thanks so standard would include meal worms right.

chrispaine · #4 (**permalink**) 05-23-2006, 09:25 PM

lots of work..... http://forums.kingsnake.com/forum.php?catid=55

BWSmith · #5 (**permalink**) 05-23-2006, 09:38 PM

My computer will not let me click that link, the site it links to is too retarded.

CruiserMaiden · #6 (**permalink**) 05-23-2006, 09:39 PM

Lol BW! that bad huh?

chrispaine · #7 (**permalink**) 05-23-2006, 10:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BWSmith

My computer will not let me click that link, the site it links to is too retarded.

haha.. hey there is some good info around all the crap.

Yungair23 · #8 (**permalink**) 05-24-2006, 12:13 AM

i couldnt find any info on that link...I know the basics just wasnt sure about uvb because i have heard people say monitors dont need it though some say they do i look at it as it cant hurt him anyways so why not use it.

Yungair23 · #9 (**permalink**) 05-24-2006, 12:31 AM

also the nile im getting does bite occasionally and i want to stop that asap if everytime he bites me i squirt him with a bit of vinegar will that stop him from trying to bite? Will he eventually understand i dont taste good?

Sponger05 · #10 (**permalink**) 05-24-2006, 12:35 AM

Don't listen to people who claim monitors and bearded dragons dont need UVB- trust. You should see how messed up my buddies bearded dragon looks from not having proper UV lighting for 5 months.

Yungair23 · #11 (**permalink**) 05-24-2006, 12:41 AM

Oh i know for 100% fact that bearded dragons need uvb but i have heard that monitors dont require it but like is said im using it anyways.

Dachande · #12 (**permalink**) 05-24-2006, 01:28 AM

i have raised and have the potential to breed a monitor that wasraised without "special" uv bulbs. as long as insects are supplemented, offered enough and other common requirements are met, it will be fine. it has been proven by breeders of various monitor species.
i use outdoor halogen flood lights from lowes or home depot. 45-50 watts.
please tell me you own other monitors. a nile is not a good first choice. it may be the only lizard you keep considering the food bill.
stick to insects and if you use your bait shop crickets, gutload them before feeding with carrots or mustard greens. then dust them. when it takes whole vertebrate prey such as mice and chicks, no supplementation is needed. it gets alot of nutrients from bone, skin, organ and muscle tissues. which is why snakes don't need uvb, whole prey offers everything.

chrispaine · #13 (**permalink**) 05-24-2006, 08:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dachande

i have raised and have the potential to breed a monitor that wasraised without "special" uv bulbs. as long as insects are supplemented, offered enough and other common requirements are met, it will be fine. it has been proven by breeders of various monitor species.
i use outdoor halogen flood lights from lowes or home depot. 45-50 watts.
please tell me you own other monitors. a nile is not a good first choice. it may be the only lizard you keep considering the food bill.
stick to insects and if you use your bait shop crickets, gutload them before feeding with carrots or mustard greens. then dust them. when it takes whole vertebrate prey such as mice and chicks, no supplementation is needed. it gets alot of nutrients from bone, skin, organ and muscle tissues. which is why snakes don't need uvb, whole prey offers everything.

well said... lots of no one has ever had any problems from not using UV with monitors... When feeding insects or even mice you should supplement with a multivit and calcium with vitD3 which helps them digest food. Don’t get me wrong I am not a pro with these guys not at all, but I have spent a lot of time talking with people who are 'monitor pro's'. In the end the choice is yours but you wont have any problems with out UV when there are people out there that have had generation after healthy generation with out. Good luck with that big lizard.... (I just looked at my argus, I think he was having a dream, his eyes are closed and he is moving a little ha)

AJS · #14 (**permalink**) 05-24-2006, 11:05 AM

Whilst I would agree with everything Dacahande said about UV bulbs not being an essential addition to a monitor's captive environment, I would like to mention an abstract that I read concerning captive komodo dragons and the levels of 25 hydroxy Vitamin D3 levels with respect to the various methods of D3 supplementation they received. When maintained using oral supplements only the male and female dragons had levels of 23nmol/L and 17nmol/L respectively. The male, then moved to an outdoor enclosure was rechecked and found to have levels of over 200nmol/L, and the female kept indoors, was provided with oral supplements and a mercury vapour bulb was tested and found to have levels of 180 nmol/L 25 hydroxy vitamin d3 levels of 180. Following his brief stint outside, the male was taken indoors and maintained under the Mercury Vapour bulbs for a longer period of time, and upon testing was found to have 25 hydroxy Vitamin D# levels of 250nmol/L.
I am aware that the Chester Zoo maintained K dragons using oral supplementation exclusively and were able to maintain normal levels of D3 blood sera, but this was done in a precise manner. I am afraid that I do not have the full report on the Komodos anymore, but I have seen it a number of times on the web, so you should be able to find a copy. With regards to the animals at Chester Zoo, Bob Macargar of ReptileUV.com told me about them when I emailed him to ask for his opinion on varanids and UV light.
As a sidenote, I have seen it suggested that it is actually adequate (i.e in excess of 135 degrees at the basking spot) heat that actually plays a more important part in D3/Calcium metabolism than the actual quality of the light, this could explain why many people have success when not using d3 ( also what dachande mentoned about the "complete" nutrition offered by whole foods probably helps to explain why uvb isn't vital for larger monitors) however, like most things concerning varanid husbandry this is merely speculation.
One final thing, whilst haloogen lights are great for dwarf monitors, I read a post on another forum which explained perfectly why they should not be used with bigger monitors ( although I knew they shouldn't be used with larger monitors I had never thought about why, the following information is paraphrased from the original post) Halogens work like spotlamps, they focus an intense beam of light into a relatively small area, and this is why they are able to provide high temperatures. However, as a monitor grows its' mass increases, therefore it takes longer to heat up and needs to spend more time under the lamp to reach its preferred temperature, as it grows, the beam from the light is being focused on an increasingly small area of the monitors body, thus the potential for burns rises dramatically. This isn't something you have to worry about until your monitor is much bigger but I thought I would mention it.
Regards,
AJS

Yungair23 · #15 (**permalink**) 05-24-2006, 02:33 PM

thanks im using a powersun 160 watt anyways once that burns out i may not use uv lights. I mostly can get mealworms for my monitor from the bait shop small goldfish i can also get but will only do that once a month and just put 5-10 in his water tub. Thanks for the help i will update you all once i get him he should be coming tommorow.

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