Finally getting custom terrarium!! now what monitor/exotic reptile should I get.

  • We are currently upgrading MFK. thanks! -neo
I guess a better question here is are you willing to shell out $200+ for the ackie (provided that you find one), and another chunk of money monthly to feed it. Don't forget that you need at least 12" of substrate, too.

I know but is 3.5 feet by 20 inches ok?? can I breed any bug that are suitable for them to eat and also legal in Canada??? What substrate??
 
Read this article; it will answer pretty much every question that you have about these monitors.

As for the cage size, go with 36" x 24"; that's the minimum, so stick to that if you have to shrink the cage. Do not decrease the width lower than 24"; just tell your dad that you're fine with shrinking the length to 36" from 42" if you can get the extra 4" of width. Besides, why go with such a weird width? It's a waste of wood to do 20".
 
Read this article; it will answer pretty much every question that you have about these monitors.

As for the cage size, go with 36" x 24"; that's the minimum, so stick to that if you have to shrink the cage. Do not decrease the width lower than 24"; just tell your dad that you're fine with shrinking the length to 36" from 42" if you can get the extra 4" of width. Besides, why go with such a weird width? It's a waste of wood to do 20".

24 inches won't fit in the room in my basement. Doesn't the ackie have a flexible tail? I'm also going to but a large piece of wood for my ackie to rest to max out for more space. My biggest problem is the feeding. Do i actually have to shell out 300 bucks a year for a single lizard??? not to be cruel but is there an alternate diet other than crickets and meal worms? I'm pretty sure i'm not allowed to breed incect since reptiles keeping was almost out of the question. Can i feed an ackie with meat such as turky and pork and also pellets (if there is any?). I can feed the ackie crickets too but not as often as asked. Can i catch common grass hopper and locust and worm in my back yard to feed the ackie??
 
Read this article; it will answer pretty much every question that you have about these monitors.

As for the cage size, go with 36" x 24"; that's the minimum, so stick to that if you have to shrink the cage. Do not decrease the width lower than 24"; just tell your dad that you're fine with shrinking the length to 36" from 42" if you can get the extra 4" of width. Besides, why go with such a weird width? It's a waste of wood to do 20".

ya it a wonderful article. the author is the one that is going to biuld my tank!! LOL!
 
24 inches won't fit in the room in my basement. Doesn't the ackie have a flexible tail? I'm also going to but a large piece of wood for my ackie to rest to max out for more space. My biggest problem is the feeding. Do i actually have to shell out 300 bucks a year for a single lizard??? not to be cruel but is there an alternate diet other than crickets and meal worms? I'm pretty sure i'm not allowed to breed incect since reptiles keeping was almost out of the question. Can i feed an ackie with meat such as turky and pork and also pellets (if there is any?). I can feed the ackie crickets too but not as often as asked. Can i catch common grass hopper and locust and worm in my back yard to feed the ackie??

Is the door to your basement small or something? I'm confused as to how the width of all things is the issue here.

As for the feeding, you're looking at a big food bill for these guys:

Because of the speedy metabolism associated with high temperatures, acanthurus should be fed five to seven times per week, with younger animals being fed daily. Insects such as crickets, wax worms, mealworms and roaches make up most of the diet of captives, but pink mice and frozen-thawed ground turkey are also readily taken-especially during the breeding season. Adults have been known to become obese when fed pinkies more than three or four times per week, but if kept on an insect diet they may be fed every day. Bits of fish and scrambled egg have also been accepted in the authors' group of ackies. Live insects and pinkies are grabbed swiftly at mid-body and then brought to "killing stations." These stations, usually the rocks or boards in the cage but sometimes cage walls, serve to give the animal a lever in which to break the neck of the pinky or squash the insect so that it may be handled and swallowed more easily. Ground turkey or frozen-thawed pinkies may be offered on rocks or small dishes near hide areas. If the prey isn't moving, ackies may not accept it, but tong feeding for the first couple of weeks may get the animals used to unmoving prey.

ya it a wonderful article. the author is the one that is going to biuld my tank!! LOL!

You might want to ask him some of these questions as well as read the entire article beforehand.
 
can I feed my ackie a steady diet of eggs, turky and meat and feed them cricket or bugs once a week or so?? as for the meat and eggs is like 4 to 5 times a week??
 
I'm placing the terrarium beside the door and the gap is only 22 inches. My dad wants to leave 2 inches free.
 
what about garden worms, locusts and snails??
 
can I feed my ackie a steady diet of eggs, turky and meat and feed them cricket or bugs once a week or so?? as for the meat and eggs is like 4 to 5 times a week??

No.

I'm placing the terrarium beside the door and the gap is only 22 inches. My dad wants to leave 2 inches free.

Ah, okay. Is there any other place that it might fit? It'd be preferable to have the width be 24", but if your friend who's building the cage thinks it'll be fine then go for it.

what about garden worms, locusts and snails??

The worms and snails should be fine; I'm not sure on the locusts (or are you referring to grasshoppers). You might be able to find canned snails that are canned in water; those are pretty cheap from what I understand and are a good food source provided that the ackie will eat them (they don't always eat dead stuff).
 
No.



Ah, okay. Is there any other place that it might fit? It'd be preferable to have the width be 24", but if your friend who's building the cage thinks it'll be fine then go for it.



The worms and snails should be fine; I'm not sure on the locusts (or are you referring to grasshoppers). You might be able to find canned snails that are canned in water; those are pretty cheap from what I understand and are a good food source provided that the ackie will eat them (they don't always eat dead stuff).

What kind of diet would be the cheapest for them but of course also acceptable?? i would prefer not to buy incests every week for the ackie. As for for the "locusts" i'm pretty sure they are grasshopper. They are green and brown in colour. as for the canned ones do you mean the ones for human consumption like escargot?? Don't they put other ingredients??
 
MonsterFishKeepers.com