|
|
|
Nile
Monitor
(Varanus niloticus)
Habitat:
African river basins Diet:
Insectivore/Carnivore
Adult Size: 4-7.5 feet
Lifespan: 10-20 years Native To:
Africa |
|
Did
You Know:
-
Like all Monitors, the Nile
Monitor has a forked tongue
and highly developed sense
of smell
-
Nile Monitors are highly
aquatic, but have sharp
claws that make them
excellent runners and
climbers on land
-
In South Africa, they are
called “leguaan,” which is
Dutch for iguana
Caution: These pets are not
recommended for anyone who is
not a very experienced reptile
keeper.
The material below is a general
guideline, and is not intended
to serve as your sole source of
pet care information. Visit a
veterinarian trained in caring
for reptiles and consult a broad
range of literature to ensure
that your pet receives adequate
care.
|
|
Things You Should Know About The
Nile Monitor |
|
The Basics: |
Nile Monitors are large,
intelligent lizards with
powerful jaws, raking
claws and lashing tails
that tend to have
aggressive temperaments.
This makes them
ill-suited for anyone
but an experienced
reptile keeper. Nile
Monitors are illegal to
own in some states
without a license. There
are two variations of
Nile Monitors in the
wild – the Nile Monitor,
which has five torso
bands, and the Ornate
Nile Monitor, which has
seven. The Ornate
Monitor also tends to be
brighter in color and
smaller in size than the
Nile Monitor, and is
restricted to the
southernmost sections of
its natural habitat
|
|
Enclosure:
|
Nile Monitors should be
kept in large, spacious
enclosures measuring at
least twice the length
of the lizard on all
sides. Niles need high
humidity, so avoid wire
mesh enclosures. They
need a very secure
enclosure that retains
humidity. Niles enjoy a
variety of branches or
elevated shelves for
basking and logs, sticks,
tree limbs, half logs,
rocks and cork bark
slabs on which to climb.
They also require a
water receptacle large
enough in
which to submerse
themselves. It should be
sturdy and not easily
tipped over. |
|
Substrate:
|
There should be at least
enough substrate (about
two feet) for the Nile
Monitor to burrow and
make tunnels. Deeper
substrate also helps to
retain moisture and
regulate humidity.
Recommended substrates
include dirt, reptile
bark, cypress, Aspen
bedding, or proprietary
lizard litter. |
|
Temperature:
|
Nile Monitors should be
provided with a thermal
gradient of about 85˚ to
90˚ Fahrenheit with a
basking area of 120˚
Fahrenheit. Night time
temperatures can drop to
the low 70’s. Nile
Monitors do not need
high humidity; levels of
about 50-75% are ideal.
This can be accomplished
by misting and providing
a few localized humid
areas. Important –
see the Note About
Day/Night Cycles and
Heating below. |
|
Lighting:
|
Nile Monitors require
full spectrum lighting
with 5 ˝ UVB, and ample
space for basking. They
need a 12-hour
light/dark cycle. Night
lighting will make for
better viewing of the
Nile Monitor’s
activities.
Important - see the
Note About Day/Night
Light Cycles and Heating
below. |
|
Note About Day/Night
Light Cycles and Heating: |
All
reptiles, including this pet, must have
distinct day and night periods in their
enclosure to maintain their biological
rhythms. (See the lighting entry above
for the specific length of this animal’s
day/night cycle.) The day period
must be light; and night must be dark.
A timer should be used to set day/night
periods. If a heat source is required to
maintain correct nighttime temperatures,
use heat mats or strips mounted below or
on the side of the tank, infrared heat
lamps, ceramic heat emitters, or a
combination of these products. This will
allow the enclosure to be heated while
remaining dark. Follow directions
carefully with all products. If ceramic
heat emitters are used, always choose
fixtures with porcelain or ceramic
sockets and to protect against fires do
not place them by dry wood or flammable
fabrics. Ceramic heat emitters must be
kept out of the reach of children and
all pets, including dogs and cats.
|
|
Diet:
|
Babies and young can be
fed various insects,
small fish, and
appropriately-sized
newborn rodents. Adults
can be fed shellfish,
mollusks, fish, chicks,
mice or rats. They may
also be given vertebrate
and invertebrate prey,
crickets, mealworms and
roaches, lean ground
turkey, cooked eggs,
canned dog food and raw
beef heart. Babies
should be fed daily and
adults daily to every
other day. Watch for
obesity, since they are
always hungry and will
generally take anything
offered. It is necessary
to provide calcium and
vitamin supplements as
part of the diet. Please
read the supplement
section below: |
|
Supplements: |
Rodents fed to this
animal do
not need to be
dusted with any
supplements. If this
animal is given insects
as any part of its diet,
our veterinarian offers
this advice.
Dust insects with a
plain calcium supplement
every time they are
given offered to the
pet. (Avoid using a
calcium supplement with
added phosphorous,
unless specifically
directed by your
veterinarian, since this
can promote kidney
disease.) Also dust
insects with a D3
supplement once a week
and a vitamin supplement
two times a month.
As
a rule, a growing
juvenile's food should
be dusted more often
than an adult's. Follow
product label directions
when applying
supplements, and avoid
over-supplementing food.
This is only one
recommendation, consult
your veterinarian for
specific directions on
supplementing your pet’s
food, since there are
many variables that go
into determining the
best supplementing
regimen for a given
animal. |
|
Water: |
Fresh, chlorine-free
water should be
available at all times.
Do not use tap water
unless it has been
treated with a
conditioner to
neutralize chlorine and
heavy metals. Do not use
distilled water. Nile
Monitors have a tendency
to soak and defecate in
their water, so it
should be checked and
replaced as needed. This
lizard must be provided
with a water pool that
is large enough to allow
it to submerge its whole
body. |
|
A
NOTE ABOUT WATER: |
All water given to this
pet for drinking, as
well as water used for
misting, soaking or
bathing must be 100%
free of chlorine and
heavy metals. (Not all
home water filtration
systems remove 100% of
the chlorine and heavy
metals from tap water,
so check your system's
specifications before
using it to filter water
for your pet.) We
recommend that you use
unflavored bottled
drinking water or
bottled natural spring
water and never
untreated tap water. If
tap water is used, you
should treat it with a
dechlorinating treatment.
Do not use distilled
water, which can cause
severe medical problems,
since it lacks minerals
that are essential to
important body functions. |
|
|
How to Handle A Nile Monitor
Nile Monitors can be very
aggressive and therefore
handling by an inexperienced
herpetologist is not
recommended. However, if
acquired at a very young age, a
Nile Monitor can be tamed with
daily handling, a lot of hard
work, diligence and patience.
When holding make sure to
support body and legs and secure
tail. This lizard will bite. A
large towel should be used for
handling.
|
|
Look Out For This:
Although native to Africa, Nile
Monitors have been found in
Florida, most likely the result
of pets being released into the
wild. They are considered an
invasive species in Florida,
where they are potentially
dangerous to humans and their
domestic pets.
|
|
Recommended Nile Monitor Supplies:
|
|
|
|
|