What substrate is good for argus monitors? Using a siphon (or better yet, a mechanical water pump) and a hose will make emptying and refilling the pool much easier. Change out the water once weekly or whenever it gets soiled, and give the basin a good scrub with disinfectant before refilling.
Of course, deeper is better if you can provide it. For this reason, your pet will need its own “swimming pool.”Īt very least, the pool needs to be 1/2 to 1/3 the length of the enclosure and large enough for them to completely submerge (at least 12” deep). Reptile humidifiers and foggers should only be used with distilled water and require frequent disinfecting to keep your reptile from getting sick.Īrgus naturally live near bodies of water in the wild, and seem to do better in captivity when there’s a pool in their enclosure. Daily misting with a pressure sprayer and/or using a humidifier connected to a humidistat is helpful for maintaining high humidity. Humidity should be measured with a wall-mounted digital hygrometer placed in the middle of the enclosure. Average humidity levels should be between 60-80%. What humidity levels do argus monitors need?Īrgus monitors are a tropical species that needs a humid environment to stay healthy. In that case, use a radiant heat panel connected to a thermostat to maintain a comfortable ambient temperature. Heating should be turned off at night, unless the enclosure gets cooler than 70☏ at night. Do not use ceramic heat emitters (CHEs), heat mats, red bulbs, or blue bulbs, as these are not as effective. You will need enough lamps to evenly heat an area at least the size of the lizard’s body. Provide heat for your monitor by imitating the sun with a cluster of halogen heat lamps placed on one side of the enclosure. Surface temperatures can be measured with an infrared thermometer (“temp gun”). Nighttime temperatures should be no lower than 70☏. A cooler area should be available on the opposite side of the enclosure, as low as 75☏, but no higher than 85☏. What basking temperatures do argus monitors need?Īdult argus monitors need a basking surface temperature of 140-145☏, but juveniles may prefer lower temperatures around 120-125☏. Use 6’ of strong 6500K LED or T5 HO fluorescent plant grow lights for best results. This is extra important since you will be using such a large enclosure. Since argus monitors are active during the day, it’s beneficial to provide an additional daylight-spectrum lamp to make sure the enclosure is brightly illuminated. Make sure that the fixture your UVB bulb is housed in does not have a clear plastic bulb cover. The UVB bulb should be housed in a reflective fixture like the Arcadia ProT5 and placed on the basking side along with the heat lamp. Elevate the basking surface so your monitor’s back will be 14-16” below the lamp. The UVB should be mounted inside the enclosure. Here are the best UVB bulbs for argus monitors housed in a 8’L x 4’W x 4’H enclosure: Aside from helping provide a day/night cycle and providing an infinite supply of vitamin D, UVB is also good for the lizard’s overall health. Do argus monitors need UVB?Īlthough argus monitors have been shown to be able to survive without UVB lighting with the right diet, we still recommend providing UVB to your pet as part of providing optimum husbandry. Young argus monitors less than 18” long can be temporarily housed in a 36”L x 18”W x 18”H terrarium with at least 6” of substrate.Ĭohabitation (keeping multiple argus monitors in the same enclosure) is not recommended. This size of enclosure is not typically available for purchase, so you will likely need to order one custom-made or build your own. If at all possible, larger is strongly recommended, in addition to regular opportunities to free-roam (supervised) for exercise. How much space do argus monitors need?īecause of their large size, a single adult argus monitor should be housed in no smaller than a 8’L x 4’W x 4’H enclosure. They can make great pet reptiles for advanced-level keepers willing to put in the work. They’re extremely active, and do not like to be grabbed. Both sexes are slender yet powerfully built.Īrgus monitors are active, engaging, and can have intense personalities.
Males are significantly larger than females. They generally prefer riparian (close to water) habitats, and are strong swimmers.Īrgus monitors usually have a brown to reddish background color with dark markings around the head and banded pale spots on the body. Argus monitors ( Varanus panoptes ) are 3.5-5’ long, diurnal, terrestrial lizards native to Indonesia, New Guinea, and certain parts of Australia.