Dry enclosures

[DRZRider]

I wanted to post some pictures that show the damage that dry enclosures and screen tops can cause. Even monitors from deserts need to have the humidity watched and screen tops should be avoided. I hope none of you ever have problems like these.
The front toes are missing on the girl.

This guy has an infected foot.



They are both doing great now!
Thanks for looking,
Ed

[jbd123]

I will definately be changing the screen top on my cage!

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[razeraze]

I have a humidifier going all winter.

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[jtmoney]

I also run a Humidifier all winter. If you have a screen top cage that you like its simple to fix. Buy plexi-glass or acrylic and cut it to fit over the top

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[razeraze]

What is the humidity in your cages Ed and do they differ with the different species you keep.

There has been a lot of talk about humidity lately but no numbers. My blackthroat and sav stay between 50% and 70%. Sometimes I soak the cages more frequently to give more of the rainy season 90%.

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[DRZRider]

I don't know the humidity. When it looks dry I spray the enclosure and maybe poor water into the substrate. I keep the tree monitor more humid than the other monitors I have.

I don't worry about the ambient humidity too much. When the monitors want humidity the go into their burrows where it is nice and humid. That is a big plus for deep dirt substrate in custom enclosures.

Ed

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[Jem_Scout]

OMG those poor babies! I'll never understand why people get animals that they don't learn to take care of. How hard can it be to crack a book???

I'm glad these two are in your care now.

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[DRZRider]

Thank you. I really appreciate that.

Ed

[razeraze]

Originally Posted by Jem_Scout

OMG those poor babies! I'll never understand why people get animals that they don't learn to take care of. How hard can it be to crack a book???

The problem is Jem_scout many books are misleading or very out dated. Really good books are hard to find and so are really good monitor keepers. I know of only a handful of people who have bred monitors in captivity and even less who have had a single monitor over 10 years.

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[Jem_Scout]

Originally Posted by razeraze

The problem is Jem_scout many books are misleading or very out dated. Really good books are hard to find and so are really good monitor keepers. I know of only a handful of people who have bred monitors in captivity and even less who have had a single monitor over 10 years.

That's why people who REALLY give a hoot about the animals they're getting DO their "homework" BEFORE they get the animal and not afterwards. They ask REAL monitor keepers (not just breeders) and not some fly- by -night keepers. They read REAL books and REAL monitor sites and LEARN about them first. With me just cruising books and sites for the last few months myself, I can tell which ones are full of junk talk and which ones are not. It's not rocket science Raze, it's common sense and intelligent research.
*Hops off the soap box*

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[Smits]

I have a lot of respect for all you successful keeps of monitors.

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[razeraze]

Jem_scout
When I first got into monitors I bought 3 books. These 3 books were all by an herpetologist who had studied monitors, how ever did not keep any of them. The husbandry advice was terrible. I did not have access to a computer and 2 of my monitors died from following the books. Before I got my 3rd monitor I finally had access to a computer, I called every zoo that had bred komodo dragons, or monitors. I called farms and zoos from Indonesia and Australia as well as breeders or keepers from California to New York. After all of that, I had a basic idea. Then I found all of these wonderful forums and have learned which books to buy and who to ask questions of.
It is not so cut and dry if you are not internet savvy or do not have access to the internet.

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[Jem_Scout]

"Jem_scout
When I first got into monitors I bought 3 books. These 3 books were all by an herpetologist who had studied monitors, how ever did not keep any of them. The husbandry advice was terrible."

Exactly!
It's like trying to tell a parent how to raise a baby that's never even had a baby! That should have been your first red flag when you looked at those books. How could that author KNOW when he never even RAISED monitors before?

[razeraze]

The book does not explain he does not keep any monitors, I found that out later. I found that out from people who know him. There was great anatomy information and taxonomy information, but terrible husbandry information.

I asked an author about some of his books and articles he stated editors will put in ideas so they can sell cages or else the books and articles will not be released. Many books and articles are decent but you find out the nitty gritty when you ask the author.

You would be surprised how many articles and books are written by people who do not own any of the animals in the book. You find out these dirty little secrets when you dive into the monitor world.

[DRZRider]

Hey Razeraze, do you remember when "a certain author" came onto the forums and told people not to buy his latest book because the publishers dumbed it down so much. Now I see people recommending that book all the time. I think I actually own it.

Ed

[razeraze]

Was that Mark? I recommend it all the time but I always tell people to not listen to the basking surface temps. Ben cleared that up for me. I know Mark was ticked at reptile magazine for recommending a 75 gallon for an Exanthematicus. Dirty politics as usual with the reptile community.

Unfortunately I have found with all monitor books there is no guideline or care sheet. More like a collaboration of ideas and evidence and you must know how to sort through the junk by asking a ton of people or comparing it to other books. How ever since it improved the way I find and accept knowledge I now wish snake keepers did the same thing instead of offering the same husbandry advice and cookie cut care sheets.

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[DRZRider]

Yup, that was Mark.

I really think you would enjoy breeding something. (Ackies maybe?) I learned the most when my old dumeril laid her first clutch. I learned more in two months than I did in the years before then. I hope I am better now than I was then since I lost most of the eggs and her too.

I still miss her.


Ed

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[razeraze]

Well, the misses is harping at me, so I have to go. Not to mention we have to medicate our retic tomorrow.

Another reason I am worried about breeding is everything you said, not to mention John A.s complications.

I just don't know if I could go through all that and then have to sell them to idiots.

It is a ton to think about, I think I will start with the snapping turtles first, at least they can be released.

I am sorry for your loss, it never seems to get any easier after losing a reptile.

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[nokturnal1980]

As it seems I am missing it while searching. What are some of these "good" publications that have been referred to? A few years ago I also lost a dumeril. I am now trying to gain better knowledge but there is a lot of crp to sift through and a lot of it is repeating. This makes it more difficult to cut the crap as it were.

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[KrokadilyanGuy3]

I see the same problems with other 'desert dwelling' animals. Amazing how much an animal fares when you take in account of their actual habits and habitats. Instead of reading basic caresheets or dumbed down books.

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