What is
the classification of the
Blue Tree Monitor Lizards?
Name:
Varanus Macraei.
Class: Reptilia.
Order: Squamata.
Family:
Varanidae.
Genus:
Varanus.
Group:
Varanus Prasinus
Species:
Varanus Macraei (Blue Tree Monitor Lizard)
Where do
Blue
Tree Monitor Lizards come from?
From the
Islands in West Irian, Indonesia.
What is
their Status?
CITES II
What is
their Habitat?
Blue Tree Monitor Lizards
inhabit the island’s humid
rainforests. They inhabit the trees, very rarely venturing to the
ground.
How big do
they get?
Blue Tree Monitor Lizards
males reach 100cm nose to tail, most of which is the prehensile tail. They are one of the
largest tree monitor lizards worldwide.
How long
do they live?
Due to their
rarity in captivity, and their recent discovery in 2001 it is unsure how long they live.
Are
Blue Tree Monitor
Lizards dangerous?
No, they are
not venomous and relatively placid. I have not had personal experience of
an aggressive outburst from my lizards and have found the monitor lizards to be
relatively calm.
Some care is
required when working with and handling these monitor lizards due to
their sharp claws, which do scratch flesh, and their mouthful of teeth.
Some keepers suggest using thick protective gloves as for emerald tree monitor lizards , but I have not found this
necessary. They also have a tendency of whipping their long tails when
initially pick up nervous, but generally calm very quickly.
Would you
recommend a
Blue Tree Monitor Lizards as a pet?
Generally
Blue Tree Monitor Lizards are gentle, placid, non-aggressive lizards. I
find them generally hardy animals given the correct vivarium conditions
and good daily husbandry and a balanced diet and due to their small size
make a very good alternative to the larger more commonly kept monitor
lizards.
With water
and food these monitor lizards can be left while going on short vacations without
a problem. I do suggest that arrangements are made for a friend to check
the lizard’s condition daily and ensure the heaters and lights are
operating and the correct humidity is maintained.
What is more
they make great pets for people with allergies against fur and feathers –
when was the last time you saw a furry or feathery lizard?
What do
you keep your monitor lizards in?
We build our
own vivariums. Our adults are kept in glass fronted vivariums and the
juveniles are kept in smaller vivariums with a similar setup as the
parents.
What size
vivarium should I use?
I keep my
adult pairs in 1.5 x 1.5 x 0.6m vivariums, this would be the absolute minimum
for a pair. The message is simple the more space the better. These
monitor lizards prefer a high vivarium decorated with large diameter
hollow cork rolls. I also include
fake plastic plants, but some keepers prefer real plants (non-toxic of
course).
What do
you feed your monitor lizards ?
We feed
mainly locusts and pinky mice to the adults and occasionally a crack
chicken egg. The locusts are allowed to roam freely within the
vivarium, which provides good exercise and mental stimulation to the
lizards who actively hunt them throughout the day.
What kind
of substrate is best?
I use bark
specially prepared for reptiles. I find this bark holds moisture and
helps maintain a steady humidity (60 to 80%). It is also easy to spot
clean during the week and I've never had a problem with it.
I also add
moistened moss through out the vivarium, again this assists in maintaining
the humidity levels.
What
temperatures do you recommend?
A daytime
ambient temp of 80 F (27degC) is good with a hot spot of 120 F (46 degC)
is recommended, for night the hotspot is switched off and an ambient of 80F (27degC)
is maintained.
Humidity is
essential for this tropical species; I spray my vivariums daily, which
maintains 60 to 80% humidity. Spraying is also important as these
monitor lizards prefer drinking water droplets from leaves than from a bowl. I
also do supply water bowls, but have
have never seen the animals drinking from them.
Try to
purchase all your equipment from a specialty reptile pet store. They sell
products that are specifically made for these purposes.
Do these
monitor lizards need light?
Yes, they
need exposure to UV light. I provide this using UV lamps, setup to
switch on in the morning and off at night. These lamps require changing
once or twice a year as they wear out and the UV output reduces.
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