# Black headed monitor care



## Shikito123 (Apr 30, 2019)

Hi, A lot of you have probably seen me on here a lot. I was thinking about getting a lace monitor, however, I will be starting uni next year and probably not the best idea to rent with a huge monitor lizard. So I've been researching smaller monitor species, the black-headed monitor really caught my eye. they look like stunning lizards. however, I haven't found much on care for them. 

would anyone be able to give me some information on raising them and keeping them, please? 
thank you. I want to do as much research as possible before committing to a new animal.


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## timothyng1998 (Apr 30, 2019)

Quite arboreal monitors, minimum 4x4x2 enclosure. Give plenty of tree hollows/ hollow tubes and ducts. Basking spot 50-60c. A sandy/ coir peat substrate would be fine. Feed dusted insects and turkey mince, eggs. 
In general, pretty similar to any other monitor care but just need more height


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## Shikito123 (May 1, 2019)

would a 2.4m x 1m x 1m be good? or add more height?


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## Imported_tuatara (May 1, 2019)

varanus tristis tristis (the larger, blacker variant of black headeds should imo have a minimum of a 6ft enclosure, with..varanus tristis orientalis? being smaller and having a 4ft enclosure minimum.
skittish, not good for handling and pretty shy. some of the largest dwarf monitors, decently arboreal. that would be alright, but considerind varanus tristis trists can get almost 3 ft with orientalis getting close to 1.5-2ft, 4ft height would be better.


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## Bushfire (May 3, 2019)

I keep breeding pairs in 1m x 1m x 1m no dramas. At first they seem skittish but all of mine have become pretty good in time, coming out to be tong feed. Basking spots are 50 - 60. Multiple hollows are good - I have a mix of branch hollows and ag pipe. Provide UV.


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## Shikito123 (May 27, 2019)

Imported_tuatara said:


> varanus tristis tristis (the larger, blacker variant of black headeds should imo have a minimum of a 6ft enclosure, with..varanus tristis orientalis? being smaller and having a 4ft enclosure minimum.
> skittish, not good for handling and pretty shy. some of the largest dwarf monitors, decently arboreal. that would be alright, but considering black headeds can get at least close to 3ft, 4ft height would be better.


okay, ill go 4ft tall and 2m long, so they have more height. 
what size enclosure should hatchys have?
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Bushfire said:


> I keep breeding pairs in 1m x 1m x 1m no dramas. At first they seem skittish but all of mine have become pretty good in time, coming out to be tong feed. Basking spots are 50 - 60. Multiple hollows are good - I have a mix of branch hollows and ag pipe. Provide UV.



thank you, do you have a photo of your set up? id love to have a look and get some ideas


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## Imported_tuatara (May 27, 2019)

Shikito123 said:


> okay, ill go 4ft tall and 2m long, so they have more height.
> what size enclosure should hatchys have?


hatchies would be alright in a 2ft enclosure for a few months, though if you wanted to they'd be fine in the adult enclosure, maybe adding a divider to make it smaller.


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## Shikito123 (May 27, 2019)

Okay. Awesome. I'll have a 3ft ready for them. Would mock rock be good or could I just use prices of wood? I'm thinking having at least one peice of rock where the basking light is so they get the belly heat too and from what I've seen most of the time their environment is bush, so I'll incorporate that into the large enclosure 

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