My Little Monsters

[Wiggles92]

Here are some pictures of my newest additions in their first grow-out enclosure.

Now can anyone guess what they are? And no guesses for you, Lep!

 

[oneyedfish]

Nile monitors?

 

[Wiggles92]

Nile monitors?

Yes, that's correct.

 

[Vicious_Fish]

Nice pick up wiggles! You're braver than me....so what's the long term plan on those beasts?

 

[Wiggles92]

Nice pick up wiggles! You're braver than me....so what's the long term plan on those beasts?

Haha, I guess I am a little brave for getting them. My main thing was that I wanted monitors that could be given a rodent/meat-based diet as adults, so that ruled out savannahs, ackies, and the other smaller species.

The long term plan for them is somewhat up in the air until I determine what gender they are. If they're a pair or two females, then they'll be sharing at least an 8' x 8' x 4' enclosure (probably will do 12' x 8' x 4'); if they're both males, then they'll each get at least a 8' x 4' x 4' enclosure. I'll adjust the enclosure sizes based on how much they grow between now and June which is when I'll be starting construction on their enclosure(s). I'm also considering making an outdoor pen for them for the summer months once they get large enough; the trick will be ensuring that they can't escape as well as making sure that they don't get too cold.

In the meantime, they're getting moved to my 75 gallon in a week or two; they would be in there now if there were some 75 gallon size screen lids at the reptile show.

They're going to have a pretty varied diet throughout their lives, too. Their current daily staple is going to be crickets until my roach colony gets going well enough to feed them those as a staple. I'm offering them various secondary foods daily, too, and they'll be getting F/T mice, chopped whole hard-boiled eggs, scallops, roaches, ground venison, and fish on a rotating basis as their secondary food item for the day. I'm also going to get some earthworms to toss in there to give them some mental stimulation as they really seem to enjoy digging; the roaches I tossed in today burrowed but were quickly dug up.

 

[Pazzoman]

Nice monitors wiggles, you came from Penn to white plains? Nice Ride!

Anything new at the expo? Did you notice any price reductions on any reptiles?

Lol these are the questions I would have for you on my thread lol!

You should document thier growth even as something simple as a measurement every month with pics...

Good Luck with the nile hope it tames down for you...hows the behavior so far?

Sorry for so many questions! Just sucks missing out on the expo!

 

[Wiggles92]

Nice monitors wiggles, you came from Penn to white plains? Nice Ride!

Anything new at the expo? Did you notice any price reductions on any reptiles?

Lol these are the questions I would have for you on my thread lol!

You should document thier growth even as something simple as a measurement every month with pics...

Good Luck with the nile hope it tames down for you...hows the behavior so far?

Sorry for so many questions! Just sucks missing out on the expo!

No, I got them from the Pittsburgh Reptile Show & Sale, but I would like to go to White Plains at some point, though. I got these two in a trade; they were the nicest ones in the "select" grade bin of Nile monitor babies.

I plan on taking pictures of them on a weekly basis if time allows. I'm going to work with them daily once they get a bit bigger; they're pretty squirmy at this point, so I'm not going to do anything beyond tong feeding training and limited handling for now. Based on my reading, they do tame down to an extent if you work with them daily, tong feed, and give them plenty of space.

 

[Lepisosteus platyrhincus]

Y didnt i get a guess?? Lol. They look really good dude. Gonna be fun building some enclosures. Keep your mom away from them so they dont scare her like ur snakes did.

You know, you could come hang at Hamburg saturday?? Hint hint!!

 

[Wiggles92]

Y didnt i get a guess?? Lol. They look really good dude. Gonna be fun building some enclosures. Keep your mom away from them so they dont scare her like ur snakes did.

You know, you could come hang at Hamburg saturday?? Hint hint!!

You didn't get a guess because you knew the answer. Actually, my mom doesn't mind them although she doesn't like the roach colony; I should be fine as long as they don't eat the cat when they get bigger.

I can't do Hamburg this time as I need to go to the Steel City Reptile Expo the next day.

 

[Pazzoman]

No, I got them from the Pittsburgh Reptile Show & Sale, but I would like to go to White Plains at some point, though. I got these two in a trade; they were the nicest ones in the "select" grade bin of Nile monitor babies.

I plan on taking pictures of them on a weekly basis if time allows. I'm going to work with them daily once they get a bit bigger; they're pretty squirmy at this point, so I'm not going to do anything beyond tong feeding training and limited handling for now. Based on my reading, they do tame down to an extent if you work with them daily, tong feed, and give them plenty of space.

Cool...thier should be a site where all reptile expos are listed as I only know of 3 expos...

Everything sounds aewsome, cant wait to see your progress....so heading to another expo... any particular animals your purchasing a little sneek peek for us?