# Mangrove Monitor [varanus indicus] Care



## DeanThorpe (Apr 9, 2006)

Hi All.
My mate is getting what we believe to be a mangrove monitor dropped off tongiht [baby from hamm via buyer who now wishes to sell it]

Had a quick google for care but not too much about, i have a general idea of course but would very much appreciate anyone with hands on experience giving us a quick run through on your opinions.

Or anyone who doesnt keep but has done a fair bit of research or whatever... i can usually spot a good care sheet from a bad one but i dont have time to go through everything online and spot the good from the bad and ugly.

Many thanks in advance for any help.

oh, building a [lhd] 4x4x2 vivarium tonight [cut wood last night] for its arrival.


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## liam.b (Sep 2, 2006)

could we see some pics please!


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## DeanThorpe (Apr 9, 2006)

its not here yet mate.


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## liam.b (Sep 2, 2006)

lol ok, is it going to be yours then?


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## DeanThorpe (Apr 9, 2006)

nope.
My mate rickie who works in our local rep shop phoned up yesterday whilst soem guy who had just been to hamm came in and showed a couple pics of what he got from hamm...

Turns out its a monitor... almost defo mangrove [orignally thought water but once we saw the pics ourselves after meeting him from work at 3-30 yesterday and havin a good image search] it turns out its a mangrove..the guy doesnt want anything that cant be housed in a 4x2 for life so rickie is taking it on... he is well excited...is paying what the guy says it cost...200 quid which i think is a bit high but i dont really know.

Anyway... he wanted to get it off the chap asap for obvious reasons but the largest vvi they sell in the shop is 4x2..which would be fine for a bit.. but he also didnt have much money [he actually leant me 200 quid the other day lol]

So they came back to us [he and his gf] and we spent the evening cutting the wood [of which i have plenty] for a 4x4x2 vivarium which he has just no picked up [dads car] and we ar emeeting them there at his in an hour where we will assemble the vivarium.

I have also given him a megaray bulb i had spare and about 40 quids worth of cork bark as well as other bits and bobs.

The Monitor is likely to arrive around 8pm when the viv will prolly not quite be finished but it will be shortly after, with 4-5 of us on the case itll get done pretty quick.

Just wanted a bit of advice on husbandry to be safe.


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## liam.b (Sep 2, 2006)

is it fully grown then, i know their not small! lol is he going to keep it in a 4,4,2 then?


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## DeanThorpe (Apr 9, 2006)

no its a baby.
prolly cb in germany or whatever im not sure, by the pics it appears to be only a couple months old.

it will eb in the 4x4x2 until it needs upgrading...when that will be i dont know.. prolly around a year.


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## liam.b (Sep 2, 2006)

hope it all goes well, and get pics up when you can lol


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## Diablo (May 25, 2007)

Dean this should be helpful for you 
Reptileguru.com - Reptileguru.com - Mangrove Monitors - Care Sheet

Mangrove Monitor care sheet

Check them out mate. Also you could PM Rick_Albig for more information.


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## DeanThorpe (Apr 9, 2006)

thanks mate, I found the second one but hadnt spotted the first one you posted.
will read it now mate.
and yeh, i searched captivebred for ricks posts on them but came up virtaully empty..i think thier search function has a few glitches lol


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## Razaiel (Oct 17, 2006)

Good luck with it - look forward to seeing pics when he's arrived : victory:


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## Lucifus (Aug 30, 2007)

Very nice monitor.


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## DeanThorpe (Apr 9, 2006)

Reading whats available it seems a basking are of 95-120... cool end as with virtually any lizard about 80 f... 60-90 humidity... and dotn let it get too cold at night [75-85..hmm]

We turn all heating off at night with our lot and figure 65-70 is ok for most.. but it warns on the sheets ive read that thats too low which i dont know whether to take as "one of those care sheet things" or to actually take notice of..

is night time heating necesary for these does anyoen know off hand? the room temp at night where its going is liek ours, usuallyno lowerta70-75 anyway but is this a particular issue?

I gave rickie a ceramic anyway but if so ill make sure it gets rigged up... whereas i was thinking its a bit unecesary. [and i think he was gona use it f his sugar gliders]


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## Razaiel (Oct 17, 2006)

It might be an idea to give Rick (Rick_Albig) a PM - he has dealt with most types of monitors. He hasn't been on the forum lately as he's been busy but will respond to an email. I leave CHE on for my sav but I have no experience with mangroves


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## DeanThorpe (Apr 9, 2006)

cool, well we will play it safe for tonight and ill get him to keep the room warm overnight and ill email rick later on as we are now about to leave.

I dont leave any heating on for any of our lizards including the bosc but keep the rooms above 65f and have never had any probs BUT i am aware tha tropical areas tend to have less of a temp drop at night [id still assume 75 fine mind] but as this is a baby i think its better to be safe.

thanks, speak in a bit.


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## Razaiel (Oct 17, 2006)

I guess I'm just used to leaving the CHE on. It can get pretty cold in our house overnight. He's just a pampered lizard :whistling2:


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## Steve (Aug 20, 2007)

Hey Dean, had a quick google on them and they seem to cover a huge distribution area which leads me towards them being hardy and versatile. Might be worth googling an area where they are know to thrive and checking the climate data for that area. That should give you an idea of natural temps, humidity etc. : victory:


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## Rick_Albig (Aug 29, 2007)

Hi Dean. Indicus are great species of monitor to work with! Sound like you have the basics right but ill just add a few bits:

Temperature: They are very susceptible to burns from basking lights as there skin is allot more fragile than most other monitors, for this reason it is essential that the basking light covers 100% of the snout to vent length of the animal. 110-130f surface temp would be the ball park figure i go for. Ambient temps in the day ranging from 90-75 and i would try not to let it fall below 75 at night. They are from tropical mangrove swamps (hence the common name) ranging across Asia near the equator so the temps are fairly constant and high.

Humidity: They love it high! 70-100% with a large bowl to swim in.

Substrate: They love to dig and hide in damp leaves and boggy substrates. I have used leaves and compost and kept it almost sodden with great results, you can also add some earth worms to keep the substrate in good condition as it becomes almost impossible to spot clean! (they like to rearrange everything lol!

Enclosure size: They are semi arboreal varanids and will use every inch of space you can give them. I housed my doreanus juvenile (Blue tail - very similar species) in a 4x2x4 (lxwxh) and that worked well.

Here are a few pics of my old enclosure.
























































Rick


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## Razaiel (Oct 17, 2006)

Great pics, Rick - and a lovely monitor :mf_dribble:


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## Rick_Albig (Aug 29, 2007)

Cheers Razaiel : victory:


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## miffikins (Feb 25, 2007)

They're such pretty monitors, both mangroves and blue tails. Would love to see some pics Dean. 

: victory:


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