Ackie monitor care sheet.

[Terry]

This is a simple read through care sheet. I have made this my self over about 4 years of keeping them. you can use this to guide you with other monitors to.

Species: Varanus acanthuras acanthuras. ( Red ackie )
Varanus acanthuras brochyuras. ( Yellow ackie)
Also know as spiny or ridge tail monitors.

Subtrate and water needs:

1 FT to 2 FT of top soil mixed with sand. You can get play sand and top soil from home depot, LoweÃ?¢ââ??‰â??¢s, Canadian tire. Make sure thereÃ?¢ââ??‰â??¢s no pesticides or fertilizers in it thought. Mix it so that it will hold a burrow and so it stays moist down underneath the surface. I use a mix of 60% dirt and 40% sand.

For water, all you need is some sort of dish that will hold enough water so the lizard can fit in it comfortably. I use one of big ones the pet stores sell that look like a rock.

Lighting and UVB: No UVB or UVA is needed for monitors.

Temperatures and Humidity: 50-60 % humidity is alright. 70-75F cool side 85-90F warm side and basking spot 125-150F. Try different temps see what your lizard likes better as it might re-act different to higher temps.

Heating and Equipment: 50-60 watt out door flood lights work great.

Caging:

For one single adult I used a 4x2x3 FT home made cage. All it is, is a wooden box with sliding glass doors 2 small vents and a light hung in side. I have mine so it has 1 FT of dirt and sand. Or you could make it to hold 2 FT of dirt.

Diet:

Mostly crickets, every now and then i would dust them with repti-cal that helps provide calcium and vitamin D-3.
Things you can feed.
Crickets.
Roaches.
Super worms.
Meal worms.
Wax worms.
Horn worms.
Silk worms.
Canadian night crawlers.
Pinky mice.
Hopper-Fuzzie mice ( Depending on how big your ackie is )
Leopard geckos.
House geckos.
Anoles. ( Brown and green )
Red minnows.

Any thing they can fit in there mouth that is a whole prey item.

 

[GOT_TEGUS]

Terry great care sheet good info

 

[Terry]

Thank's. I looking through this forum and saw that there was lot's of question's on here about ackie's that this could answer, so I thought it was a good idea about. I also talked to Bobby first about it. I hope this helps people.

 

[dicy]

u forgot acanthurus insulanicus (Mertens 1958)
and by monitors do not need uv a / b isnt a great thing to put in a caresheet i personaly always use uv in the viv (mercury vapor bulb) since the collors of the animals seem to look nicer and i sa a great difrence in acktivety during the day when i was not using it just my thougths on uv but evryone says sumthing else

 

[Terry]

This care sheet is for my experience. I have only owned red and yellow ackie's. UVA/UVB is not needed, I have tried it useing the MVB's and I did not see any difference accept the $30 difference. My ackie's have done fine with my care and most of my info has come from other owners you might know of if your on v .nl.

I see you own gillini, would post some pic's. There one of my favorites but no one in Canada keep's or breeds them.

-Terry

 

[dicy]

i understand whut u r saying about the uv and iam not going to discuss cuz those discussions never end i dont work whit gilleni annymore but i hope i can do again soon i can post sum old pics if u want i only keep v.timorensis v.prasinus and v.tristus monitor wise

 

[Terry]

I think V. tristis will be my next species of monitor as well. Depending on the money I could get a few different species. I met a guy who breeds wild and white kingorum, pilbara and kimberly rocks, trisits, storri, caudos, red and yellow ackies. Theres to many to choose from and there all so nice looking.

 

[dicy]

gotta love odatria monitors

 

[tupinambisfamiliaris]

I think I'm going to put a flourescent tube inside my ackie cage. I have an extra fixture and reptisun, so why not? I want to see if it changes anything whatsoever. I talked to Bobby once about montiors and UVB and he seemed to believe pretty strongly that they would benefit from it. Although he's 5 years old and has done fine without it up to this point, I figure it can't hurt. If it adds a bit of vitality to my favorite little indestructible lizard, then it'll be worth it.

 

[crimsonrazac]

Thanks for the little care sheet, I picked up a yellow ackie about 2 weeks ago and i'm getting another 3 hatchlings this weekend or next week.

 

[Terry]

Sweet, wish I could afford that many of them. This winter im going to be building a 4x2x4 cage and hopfuly this spring or summer Brandon will have some black head monitors.

 

[nivek5225]

Nice caresheet. I have a trio of red ackies, they are about a year old now, but I still don't know their sex. Would you be able to sex them through pictures/video?

 

[Terry]

Sorry, I am not good enough yet at that to make a good guess. How long are they? And how thick is there tail? You might be able to candle them.

 

[alyjohn]

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