Monitor Lizard

This page is educational reference material for preparing questions. A licensed veterinarian examines the animal, makes the diagnosis, and sets the treatment.

A genus, not a starter lizard

Monitor lizard means Varanus. The animals in the pet trade run from ackies around 2 feet to water monitors, crocodile monitors, and other species that become enormous. Adults run 2 to 8 feet or more, they often live 15 to 25 years or more, and care is advanced. Temperature, humidity, and diet depend on the species. An 80 to 130°F gradient and 40 to 80 percent humidity are ranges that contain opposites. They are not a recipe you can set and forget.

What the genus shares is intelligence, a strong feeding response, and a need for heat you measure on the basking surface. Whole prey or insects, depending on the species, beat a can of dog food. The enclosure minimum of 8 by 4 by 4 feet fits some medium monitors and is a joke for a large adult. Identify the species before you believe a tank size. A baby with no scientific name is a risk, not a deal.

Tame, powerful, and not a roommate

Many monitors learn their keeper. They also learn the feeding routine and they can hurt people and other pets. Salmonella precautions are ordinary handwashing. Loose time on a bed is a bad plan. Build the adult enclosure, find a vet who will see a monitor, and only then choose a species whose adult size you can live with. Ackies, savannahs, and black-throats are different projects with their own pages.

Appetite loss in a monitor is easy to miss because people expect a fast. The not-eating guide and ARAV are the practical tools.

Monitor lizard questions

Which monitor is this page about?

No single species. Ackies, savannahs, black-throats, water monitors, and others are all Varanus. A typical adult is 2 to 8 feet or more, because the genus is that wide.

Is there one monitor setup?

No. An ackie can live in a large dedicated cage. A water monitor or a large tree monitor needs a room. Eight by four by four feet is a minimum for many species and too small for some.

Are any monitors beginner pets?

As a group, care is advanced. A few smaller species are kept by careful beginners who built the adult cage first. A mystery hatchling labeled only monitor is how people end up with an animal they cannot house.