# Bosc Monitor



## SteamedPolecat (Apr 11, 2011)

Hi, i'm new here and this will be my first thread, i'm getting a bosc/savannah within 2 weeks, i need a bit of advice on lighting cause it seems confusing to get the right kit.

here is what i was thinking for him, basking light, a 40W halogen floodlight, i also had the idea of a sunglo. what would you suggest?

heating is just unknown for me, what's recommended for heating, should it be a ceramic bulb, should it be an AHS heater, could it be a strip light type bulb? what power output? (the lower the better)

if anybody can answer any of these i'd be grateful. i'll be having him when he is about 1/2 months and it'll be my first reptile. he will be in a 5x3x2 from when i have him and i'll seperate it for him so it's smaller when he's younger, to say a 2 foot viv for a month or 2


----------



## Whosthedaddy (Nov 29, 2009)

You may struggle to keep an eye on him in a viv that large when he is a baby. He may also find it hard chasing down food as well.

They are shy reptiles and like to hide and cram themselves into small spaces.

A simple 100w R80 spot bulb (2 for a £1 kind of thing from Tescos) is ideal for basking temps or the bulb of choice for most is the par30/38 spot lights from Homebase or eBay. 

Most boxes with a reptile on are just normal household items but marked up in price.

Aim for basking temps 120+ and even up to 140-150 is fine. As long as ambients aren't too low then a ceramic or tubular heater (for patios) would be the best bet for the winter months. At present I have no night time heating for my 6x3x2 and haven't for the last few months. I use a ceramic on a pulse when needed.

Humidity 60-70% by using a sand:soil mix (the most common being 40:60) and a spray every so often. Play sand from Argos is the best bet and plain bog standard top soil from B&Q is ideal. Add some coco fibre or play bark chips for some added texture and humidity control.

Diet is the most underrated item in the Boscs care, they should eat inverts until they come out the ears and then some. This will not cause them to become fat, a heavy rodent diet will do this for you. They are hungry little things and will soon take food from the tongs when they slowly come round*.

Don't be too quick on trying to handle him, just leave him be and enusre that you keep moving things around in his viv, changing water, spot cleaning. This will allow him to get used to you being near him and being no danger to him too.

Not sure how old she was when I got her?










A few months later:










A few more:










A year +:










The big boy is 4 years old and mahossive compared to Dave, my female at 25", Percy was 38" when I got him and has probably grown since.










* It took the best part of a year to get some form of trust from my Bosc. She is still not too keen on being picked up but you can pet, rub and pull her around with no problems. My large male on the other hand is another kettle of fish.


----------



## retri (Mar 5, 2008)

only thing I would add is get some UV lighting in there, its still debatable as to weater it benefits them, but it will do no harm and being a basking lizard why wouldnt you provide a UV source : victory:


----------



## SteamedPolecat (Apr 11, 2011)

well what would be the ideal size to box off for it in this viv when i get it, can't really afford a small and large one just yet, and don't wanna have to have a small one for like 1 month to then have to buy a big one anyway.

i was planning on seperating it up for it, when it's older, building a 8x4x4 from a feeding trough, (seen it on the internet) when it's much bigger, the person i'm buying from has experience with them for a long time and can help out, but the viv and lights are from else where,obviously i'll pick it up over time but i have read countless care sheets, it's just the set-up that confuses me.


----------



## SteamedPolecat (Apr 11, 2011)

i know have 2 R80 spots, they're 60W each but i assume that'll be fine cause they're R80 still, got 2 fittings for when it's bigger to to make a bank, it's still the heater getting me, the ceramic and AHS heaters are all far to expensive for what i wanna spend, and i hear conflicting ideas about heat ceramic bulbs/heat emitters. later on in it's life it'd have the bigger viv and i'd shell out for the ceramic tubular heater, but until then, will a ceramic emitter/bulb be okay?

i have 2x standard bayonet caps for a ceiling i plan to wire into 1 plug when it needs 2 lights, would it be safe to do so or have 2 seperate cicuits instead?

sorry for all the questions, but i just want to house such an amazing animal as comfortably for it as possible


----------



## mstypical (Feb 16, 2011)

I'm picking up a baby CB11 bosc at the end of the week :2thumb:

Any tips? I have a MHD and have had lizards before, but nothing on the scale of a monitor!


----------



## SteamedPolecat (Apr 11, 2011)

got him now, he's about 8 weeks old, he's tiny, around 5-6 inches i'd say, got him today, put him in the viv about 2 or 3 hours ago now and left him to it, he's exploring well, he has a bamboo root with fake leaves draped over it, with a coconut hide hidden right at the back under it, he also has a big open space to run around in where his basking light is with another exoterra rock hide under the light for him to sit on and hide in, he will have a proper big, smooth rock soon that will be cleaned and dis-infected, temps seem stable,round 70 at the cool end and upto 80 warm end, his basking spot feels really hot, but not been able to test the temp, i think it's adequate. 60W R80 about 10 inches off the floor.

i'll post photo's, but does it sound ok for now?


----------



## SteamedPolecat (Apr 11, 2011)

here is Sir. Montgommery climbing his bamboo root










the leaves over his bamboo roots with a cocohide right in there at the back really well hidden, i can't even see it










size of his viv, i can lie down in it, not flat, but comfortably.










here's the rock/hide under his basking/heat light. it's gonna be a real rock very soon from someone's garden, cleaned and dis-infected (they have geckos and do the same)


----------



## BoscMonster (Jan 20, 2011)

*Hi*

Hi 

Sorry to jump in im also a new owner to had mine about 2 weeks now, how deep is the substrate in there.

I've got about 6 inches, Have a log in there for him to bask on but it allows him to dig in, (to hide) made his own tunnel network underneath.

Lots of places to hide will stop him getting stressed about being exposed.

Nice Bosc though 


























Enjoy him their amazing to watch


----------



## BoscMonster (Jan 20, 2011)

Ooops other 2 didn't work


----------



## SteamedPolecat (Apr 11, 2011)

it is around 2 or 3 inches, but i will put another 35l bag of top soil in, i need to mix it all with play sand aswell to stop it clumping.

On a side not, how long did your bosc take to start running round and being comfortable in its viv?


----------



## SteamedPolecat (Apr 11, 2011)

Sir. Montgommery has his new basking site all set up now, he seems to enjoy it, i buried his coconut hide with a toilet roll leading into it in the warm end and moved his rock-hide to the cool end, he's been basking for 20 minutes now with no signs of moving, so i think the extra bulb has helped alot.


----------



## SteamedPolecat (Apr 11, 2011)

this has got pic heavy. but i couldn't edit my last post.

he has had a 100% turnaround with the second bulb, even willingly climbing out the viv onto my hand and all over me (including running around my back and down my top) and has been running happily for absolute hours now.










as you can see monty has gotten very brave today and is really loving being here by the look of things

he runs down the viv, up his rocks and logs and back to bask over and over. he also had his first pinky (or 1 cut in half and both halves) and is doing well
thank you everyone who helped me in the process of getting one for advice.


----------



## bollocklegs (Sep 19, 2009)

*hopefully you will have one of these in a few years *


----------



## SteamedPolecat (Apr 11, 2011)

he's a big lad. i'm happy with him now having been here 3 days and already going crazy, good signs for a tame lizard i assume? is there such a thing as over-handling? xD i wanna do it everytime he goes against the glass scratching


----------



## bollocklegs (Sep 19, 2009)

no i dont think so mate just dont let him get to cold being out the viv : victory:


----------



## SteamedPolecat (Apr 11, 2011)

bollocklegs said:


> no i dont think so mate just dont let him get to cold being out the viv : victory:


he's only out for like 5 mins at a time, he is loving the sun when sitting on my shoulder, (these words shouldn't go together) it's quite a warm day in England so he will be ok i assume


----------



## BoscMonster (Jan 20, 2011)

You got lucky, mine as comical as he is, still dives for cover as soon as i open the viv door.
He used to run for cover as soon as i got near the doors but he runs around not so shy anymore.
Still cant get my hand too near without getting a tail whip :whip:
Only thing i can suggest also i've done with mine is in my water bowl its big enough for him nose to tail - square so i put a longish rock just wide enough for him to wedge himself between the bowl side and rock, he seems to like this as he's shedding and can bathe and rub himself against the rock to help shedding.

Earlier the locusts that are to big for the 2 Leos i gave to him, 4 -5 big locusts - they didn't last long lol ragged them around until he tore a chunk off.

















ed


----------



## SteamedPolecat (Apr 11, 2011)

that rock idea is good, he's small enough to nose to tail in a waterdish for now, as soon as he gets new water he's straight in and then running round in the substrate, getting dirty and then repeating, have to change it all the time, he will need bigger everything within 2 months i'd assume.

Also, gut loading crickets, is rhubarb a good idea? Is it toxic for example, just chucked it in cause it's all i had at the time.
He gets on fine being passed over people to hold aswell, he loves people and running into the hole on the back of a box file on my pc desk which is next to the viv.


----------



## BoscMonster (Jan 20, 2011)

Yeah same here in and out the water all day it gets minging really quick.

I put it in for him to wander round on but he seen him using it rub on.
Little things you notice as an owner you see with your bosc.

Im in the middle of using a repti flo 200 pump making custom water fall.
Using water resistant sealant and slate, he'll grow out of it quick but hoping it'll help with humidity.

I'll add some pics of it, the pump is mains power only about 3in square (tiny) and only a £10 ebay.

As noobs we could probably learn alot here just bouncing ideas of each other, seeing what each of our baby bosc do as habits.

Just about see the pump will add more photos


----------



## SteamedPolecat (Apr 11, 2011)

does yours ever turn his nose at crickets, Monty seems to only eat about 4 a day


----------



## BoscMonster (Jan 20, 2011)

Try some locusts as well they don't move as fast especially once gut loaded.
Gave Rexx some large size one about the size of his head bit longer.
He didn't even blink straight after them, gives him something else to chase something new.

I try to mix it up so he doesn't always have the same stuff. Something new keeps him curious.


----------



## BoscMonster (Jan 20, 2011)

Could also try some meal worms just sling a small handful in let him dig about to find them.

Usually stick a big lettuce leaf in with some cucumber on top and oats and sling some mealworms on top, gives the mealworms some to eat and all the crickets and locusts go there for a feed to.

Bosc wont touch it but he'll be watching it for prey


----------



## BoscMonster (Jan 20, 2011)

About 10 days ago








Yesterday must have grown 2-3 inches odd


----------



## SteamedPolecat (Apr 11, 2011)

do they really have such random big growth spurts? :| he is a little small for locusts atm

he looks basically the same as mine aswell, shorter head though, sure it isn't a female? (idk what monty is but the petshop owner said likely a boy) even i have the thing where he gets double spots on his back. what wood is safe for his viv? found an epic connifer log. but apparently it's no good for reps?


----------



## SteamedPolecat (Apr 11, 2011)

also, what do your night time temps go to, and your day temps? my day time is like high 30 degrees c warm end and about 27 ish cool end, and at night it drops to a uniform 21... does that sound alright for him?


----------



## BoscMonster (Jan 20, 2011)

Yeah my night time temps are about the same 22 sometimes 24 depending on our central heating.
My Ambient air is 32 centre of tank, cool end 25 with temp gun and basking spot of 60 with temp gun.
Humidity is usually about 55% but give a quick spray once day in the morning.
Where your temperature sensors located high 30's sounds high for ambient should be around 32 max really which it 90F, could be that your ambient sensor is picking up extra heat directed at it.

Speaking to another owner says they grow really fast for the first 3 months, lol no idea about sex but if she's a girl will need to think of another name :gasp:

Not sure about the conifer people say no because of the sap in it is toxic, from what I've Google'd and read i'd say no. If in doubt leave it out.

You got any new pics of your tank


----------



## SteamedPolecat (Apr 11, 2011)

yes mate i have, i'll put them up in abit. Monty has grown about an inch since i got him, he's just nudged over 8 inches. About 9 weeks old

*EDIT*

these are the pics, taken a minute ago on my phone.










it's a vivexotic EX55


















you can't see alot here, but it's his bamboo roots and leaves all over it, but you get the idea...


























Monty before i changed his viv to what it is now, that dug-in coconut is now under the bamboo and you can see his new basking site.

but yea, he just topped 8 inches when measured last night, ate 8-10 crix yesterday aswell, couple weeks and i'll let him play in the bath, and at his size i have let him explore the living room so as to make sure when he is older he won't be scared.


----------



## BoscMonster (Jan 20, 2011)

Hey nice setup, yours digging in at all mine loves it lol. Like that bamboo root.

You'll need a bigger water bowl for him i think something he can lay down totally in soon, you got any UV in there.
Using a 2 ft florescent got the, fitments from B&Q really cheap just the 10% bulb was costly but worth it for him, plus the visible light is lot nicer.


----------



## BoscMonster (Jan 20, 2011)

Your temp sensor i can see is up the hot end of the tank, if you move it down to the middle you might get more accurate ambient temp, the basking lamps are probably giving of a lot of radiant heat to the sensor, pushing the numbers up.
Ambient should be the air temperature in the tank, if there is another heat source affecting the sensor your reading won't be true.


----------



## SteamedPolecat (Apr 11, 2011)

no uv cause he gets on without it, his waterbowl will be made bigger, but he just fits not to tail for now, gonna start making his second layer in his viv like next week


----------



## BoscMonster (Jan 20, 2011)

Don't have the space for a second layer unfortunately defo wanna see what it looks like what you planning on putting up there.


----------



## SteamedPolecat (Apr 11, 2011)

nest week probly.


----------



## Lara&Martin (May 6, 2011)

Hi 
This is our new Bosc Titan we got him about 4 hours ago 
Ive heard from alot of people that when they first get their Boscs they're really shy and jumpy.
Titan is the opposite hes running all over, confident when i put my had in the viv and has been puttin on a show for us since we got him home!
is this good thing and should we still wait around a week to handle him?
Also how do we intdroduce him to his mini swimming pool? Do alll Boscs like swimming?


----------



## BoscMonster (Jan 20, 2011)

I'd leave him alone for at least a month, make yourself visible by doing general maintenance, changing the water and the odd tweak.
Lets him know your not a threat.

Let him come to you.
Patience is the key, if you scare them when they're young they'll remember.


----------

