Black Throat Monitor housing

[MustangGT]

I have a Black Throat and I would like to hear of other setups for Monitors. As far as tank size, lighting, Heat, humidity and bedding.

Also if someone can through in what they are feeding there monitors.

Mine is still small so I am feeding him crickets. He doesn't like superworms and I heard that mice aren't good for him. I want to vary his diet so any help will be appreciated.

Thanks

[LdyDrgn]

Young monitors will take insects, meal worms, small rodents (pinks), small shrimp and bits of fish, hard boiled egg (chopped up WITH shell) and ground turkey that has been cooked with a little bone meal added.

Our adult monitor gets quail, hard boiled egg, rodents, fresh water shrimp and on ocassion, giant hissing cockroaches. :)

[PadraigC]

ohhh the problems I can for see..........
for starters get the notion of small out of your head. Yea they stay small but, they have the capability of achieving 4ft in close to a year. Housing a 20 -40 gallon tank will buy you a couple of months...What I do with my varanids granted there dwarfs is use livestock water troughs and customize an acrylic top. For a blackthroat a 8x4x4 cage is prob the minnimum you can get away with for an adult. Heating should consist of an ambient of around 82-85 with a hotspot 120-135 (with a cooler area of 65-70 because believe it or not they can tolerate those temps and you dont want baked monitor)there bouts (hotter when bigger) Substrate monitors love dirt....real dirt they can dig with tunnel with. Ive used a couple of mixes before till i found one that works in my setup. Yours may be different. Humidity you need to feel what is to dry. Obviousily not to wet but, consitent enough that your monitor looks dehydrated. Food, crickets are great, superworms and mealworms are sometimes a problem for younger monitors hatchlings -5months in my exp. and they seem to avoid them. As for rodents true, they are bad to feed consitently as a baby but, by the time your monitor is 1 year they will encompass your monitors diet. I wouldnt feed rodents to a young monitor more then 2-3 times a week. Rodents are great for all sizes. Other foods maybe appealing but, should be used sparringly. For example the ground turkey diet is thrown around as great for monitors but, many dont prepare it right. Nothing is better then whole rodents with those ymmuy bones and guts. Pinks also seem appealing but, chopped crawler mice are a better choice IMHO
It seems that you should of put some more homewrok into this aquistion luckly there is a plethora of reliable reading on the captive husbandry of V. Albig's

[MustangGT]

Thank guys for the input.
I have an Iguana, Tortoises, and snakes.
This is my first Monitor and I want to make sure everything I am doing is correct and in his best interest.
He is only 3 months old now so I am a little nervous and question everything I do.
I have read a lot online, but it seems a lot of the suggestions contradict each other.

You guys are serously a big help. Any other info is still appreciated.

Thanks

(Also from the SINCITY)

[LdyDrgn]

I didn't indicate that any one food item should be the main diet. They do well on a varied diet. I apologize if I wasn't more clear.

[crocadilekid]

mointors will eat anything that can fit into there mouths like fish mice just about anything

[PadraigC]

monitors will eat anything thta will fit into their mouts...... should they?

I mean I could eat a Big Mac everyday but, should I?

Monitors in my opinion should be fed rodents period.......there are times for exceptions but fish may seem cool but, most fedder fish are swimming bacteria and parasite machines

[LdyDrgn]

Freshwater shrimp that has been farm raised and frozen... bits of REAL fish that also has been farm raised and frozen, not that feeder junk.

Our Ornate monitor gets rodents and quail as her main diet. Hard boiled eggs, freshwater shrimp and sometimes hissing cockroaches as treats. She will also get the ground turkey once in a great while to add a touch of variety. She is a very healthy and extremely strong girl, LOL She hasn't suffered from having a varied diet. ;)