# Spencers Monitor Basking Temp



## ReptilianHybrid (Dec 9, 2013)

Hi just want to see what temp people keep their Spencer's Monitor at. 
I've been told 4 different basking temps from 4 different shops ranging from 36.0c to 70c and every store keeps and one breeds monitors. One even has a Perentie basking in 36c. I've seen two posts on here recommending 70c as well but seems high?


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## Demansiaphile (Dec 10, 2013)

For Christ sakes. 

Monitors should be at 50-70 degrees fullstop. There's no argument. 
They probably have the air temp at 36 which is completely different to surface temp.
Having the surface temp at 36 is basically torture. That's not it's optimal temp and would only keep it warm for a short amount of time making it go back to the basking spot. I.E it would be a slave to the light.

Myself and the other person recommending 70c have found numerous varanid species in the wild and all the surfaces that they bask on reach 70-80 degrees regularly. I've seen lacies walk across park BBQs to grab meat. Perenties sitting on escarpment hot enough to cook eggs and Ackies on rocks too hot to flip.


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## Pythoninfinite (Dec 10, 2013)

This actually doesn't need a poll - any experienced KEEPER/BREEDER (not SELLER in a shop) will tell you what Demansiaphile has said, today and yesterday. 70C is not high if it's a localised basking spot - monitors bask for periods of time at very high temps, and then move off to do monitor stuff, then come back to bask when they need a top-up. 

Get rid of the poll, it serves no purpose except to confuse intending keepers. It's not actually a matter of opinion, it's a matter of fact that monitors need very high basking temps. To poll this is just silly.

Jamie


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## Burnerism (Dec 10, 2013)

How about giving the guy a break. He has asked around and still unsure has come here for advice. For Crist sakes. Drop the snarky attitudes.


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## Blinky (Dec 10, 2013)

Burnerism said:


> How about giving the guy a break. He has asked around and still unsure has come here for advice. For Crist sakes. Drop the snarky attitudes.



A few of us who actually keep the species told him politely and accurately yesterday what temps, as Pythoninfinite said it is not a matter of opinion.


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## Pythoninfinite (Dec 10, 2013)

Burnerism said:


> How about giving the guy a break. He has asked around and still unsure has come here for advice. For Crist sakes. Drop the snarky attitudes.



The problem was with the poll. In some matters, husbandry/keeping techniques can vary. With regard to large monitors and heat, there is no question. Large arid-zone monitors NEED relatively very high basking temps, he was politely told this by experienced keepers but remained unconvinced. He's quite at liberty to keep on doing whatever he wants to do with his lizard. We can lead a horse to water, but...

Jamie


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## Rlpreston (Dec 10, 2013)

I think you are underestimating how low 36c is. That's about human body temp.

Best take the advice of the knowledgeable guys above. As they've said, there's no 'personal preference' for this one, just a right and a wrong way.


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## ReptilianHybrid (Dec 10, 2013)

Pythoninfinite said:


> This actually doesn't need a poll - any experienced KEEPER/BREEDER (not SELLER in a shop) will tell you what Demansiaphile has said, today and yesterday. 70C is not high if it's a localised basking spot - monitors bask for periods of time at very high temps, and then move off to do monitor stuff, then come back to bask when they need a top-up.
> 
> Get rid of the poll, it serves no purpose except to confuse intending keepers. It's not actually a matter of opinion, it's a matter of fact that monitors need very high basking temps. To poll this is just silly.
> 
> Jamie


Haha yeh youd think and iv brought the temp up to 60 so far im listening its just that iv had at least 20 people on here tell me they keep these particular monitors and have told me all different temps. Go see my thread on my monitor respritory infection and a guy just told me 2 mins ago that theres no point doing a poll its clearly 50c he even quoted a book!

- - - Updated - - -

Can you see what im saying? Everbody believes theyr opinion for a valid reason so its a matter of filtering out the oppinions and seeing what the actual facts are. If I go back into scales and tails oldest reptile shop in south Australia hel give me attitude and say im stupid for listening to forums and go back down to 36c and hes had 100s of monitors even has a perentie in his shop basking at 36c ring them if you don't believe me. so im trying to see what the majority of people that keep them or have experience think. and thanks to the guys that have answered so far iv brought my basking temp up to 60c will go 70c next week


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## champagne (Dec 10, 2013)

Surface temp and air temp is two different things. Also with larger monitors I provide a long basking site so they can heat there whole body at once. One heat lamp for a meter plus long monitor isn't a large enough surface area. A monitor will survive with a surface temp as low as 50c they will sit under the bask site longer and you will be risking problems if you over feed.


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## Bushman (Dec 10, 2013)

It must be confusing for you to deal with all these differing opinions. 
Put simply, large terrestrial monitors like _Varanus spenceri_ require a basking spot ideally in the 60°C range, with the cool end of the enclosure in the high 20's by day. (~Husband & Bonnett)

If in doubt, observe the behaviour of your charge. 
Does it seem to be enjoying the extra heat?
Does its tongue start flicking rapidly and does it look more alert with the extra warmth that keepers here are advising? 
If it was spending all of it's time basking when you kept it at cooler temps, then it was being kept too cool. It should be active and alert and alternate between basking and exploring. 
It's good that you've decided to raise your temps considerably following the advice of keepers here and I'm sure that your new monitor will appreciate it.


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## ReptilianHybrid (Dec 10, 2013)

Thanks bushman 
I had him up at 55c for the frst three months and iv only had him at 36c for 2weeks since I got the bad advice from my reptile shop.
Since iv put the heat up to 60c 2 days ago he'll bask about three four times a day for 5 to ten mins then wander around for a hour, hed spend 70% of his time sleeping under the light but at ground level under his basking area on his sand which is about 31c. What percentage of the day should he be basking ? Hel eat regularly seems happy he doesn't hiss or puff anymore. He even sits at the front of his tank watching me and will walk onto my hand slowly and lift him out like a gentleman


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## Bushman (Dec 10, 2013)

My pleasure. Happy to help. Sometimes pet shops and zoos keep their animals on the cool side, so that they make better displays, as they're always out basking for viewing pleasure.
What you describe since bumping up the heat sounds good to me. I can't give you a percentage, as it varies with the animal. 
Spencer's Monitor is one of the most placid goannas and will tame up nicely if you go gently.
Enjoy your new goanna.


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## ReptilianHybrid (Dec 10, 2013)

Thanks Bushman, maybe you can write this better for me but to anybody else new to monitors and getting told different advice on basking temps id say from what everybody has said on here min 50c max 70c and find a temp in between that's makes your monitor have a good lifestyle and to not always be basking from too cold or to not bask at all from too much heat.


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## champagne (Dec 10, 2013)

ReptilianHybrid said:


> Thanks Bushman, maybe you can write this better for me but to anybody else new to monitors and getting told different advice on basking temps id say from what everybody has said on here min 50c max 70c and find a temp in between that's makes your monitor have a good lifestyle and to not always be basking from too cold or to not bask at all from too much heat.


I said it will survive at 50c but you asking for trouble keeping it that cool. Surviving and thriving are two different things. If you want your monitor to live a long happy life, I would be looking at mid to high 60's at a min.


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## reptalica (Dec 11, 2013)

Just wanted to ask given the extreme temps optimal for this species how do or what do we all use to get our temps up to the optimal range i.e. basking spot. 

**I sure as hell not going to put a bbq in any future enclosure **


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## ReptilianHybrid (Dec 11, 2013)

Yeh cancel the bbq reptalica  iv had him at 60c for 2 days now and today he wont go neer the hot end hes curled up in the cool corner at 25c almost hiding. It seems from the way he.s acting is that he doesn't going neer his basking spot if the heat is over 55c. should I just force him to adjust champagne or adjust my temps to suit him?


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## andynic07 (Dec 11, 2013)

May help people to help you if you explain what size enclosure and how it is set up.


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## saximus (Dec 11, 2013)

andynic07 said:


> May help people to help you if you explain what size enclosure and how it is set up.



As well as a couple of photos if possible


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## ReptilianHybrid (Dec 11, 2013)

I think the question here is who or where In Australia actually has the facts?. I think theses guys are hardy and will live in anything makes people think that that's the temp they like


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## andynic07 (Dec 11, 2013)

You are right in respect to there is many ways to skin a cat but there is such a thing as temperature range and ideal temperature. Not sure about monitors but with snakes the "ideal " body temperature of a python can vary depending on what is going on in its life eg. Illness or motherhood or brumating so it is pretty hard to pick that one special temperature and that is why we have a temperature range for the hot end and a temperature for the cool end then let the python regulate itself. 

You are also right in respect to them being a lot more hardy than some people give them credit for, I do not provide any of reptiles night time heat throughout the whole year but I think some people on here who have answered know this and have a lot of experience. Some like Jamie have kept reptiles for a long time and at the start before research and the Internet they learnt by trial and error. This leads onto my next point which is there may be lots of right ways but the crucial part is knowing the wrong ways and some of the older guys have learnt this the hard way.


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## Red-Ink (Dec 11, 2013)

ReptilianHybrid said:


> I think the question here is who or where In Australia actually has the facts?. I think theses guys are hardy and will live in anything makes people think that that's the temp they like




Varanoid Lizards of the World by E. Pianka

A Guide to Australian Monitors in Captivity by D. Brown

Plenty of facts galore


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## reptalica (Dec 11, 2013)

I personally wouldn't force him to adjust unless u have a doctor on call.  

I'd hope by now having experience with these that by forcing them is only going to end up with a cranky monitor and that would not be a pretty sight.


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## imported_Varanus (Dec 11, 2013)

ReptilianHybrid said:


> Yeh cancel the bbq reptalica  iv had him at 60c for 2 days now and today he wont go neer the hot end hes curled up in the cool corner at 25c almost hiding. It seems from the way he.s acting is that he doesn't going neer his basking spot if the heat is over 55c. should I just force him to adjust champagne or adjust my temps to suit him?



Maybe add a few more hide options at differing temps and just adjust the amount of time you have been adjusting things? A bit of P&Q may be all he needs. Nothing wrong with 60C for a Spencers (as many have pointed out) as long as it's only a hotspot. 

I had mine outside in Western Vic and often found them active when air temps were in the low-mid 40's, but they did have tunnel options. To clarify, hotspots were well over 80C in mid summer and frequently used. If you're in any doubt, take a temp gun and check road surfaces, they are often found basking on tarmack in places like Mt Isa, Winton and Julia Creek (QLD).


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## Paintbrushturkey (Dec 11, 2013)

reptalica said:


> Just wanted to ask given the extreme temps optimal for this species how do or what do we all use to get our temps up to the optimal range i.e. basking spot.
> 
> **I sure as hell not going to put a bbq in any future enclosure **



1 or 2 100W CHEs generally do the trick depending on the size of the basking spot, but you can grill sausages on the basking rock, too, provided your monitor isn't faster than you


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## saximus (Dec 11, 2013)

Taken from three very reputable sources:

"Basking spots should be in the 60°C range, with the cool end of the enclosure in the high 20s°C." Keeping & Breeding Australian Lizards, Mike Swan, p.516

"A basking temperature of 45°C-55°C with a heat gradient of 28°C-35°C elsewhere in the enclosure is ideal." A guide to Australian Monitors in Captivity, Dr Danny Brown, p.161

"The surface temperature of the basking spot should be at least 45ºC, preferably somewhere between 45-55ºC." Raising Lace Monitors, David Kirshner, p.5


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## Rogue5861 (Dec 11, 2013)

I have my ridge tailed monitora setup with 2 basking sites, with ambient temps of 25c at lowest cool end at bottom and 36-42c on background in cool end. Basking site on background is 50c and basking site on a stack is 70c.

All 3 inhabitants prefer to sit on the background an nap (at +36c) then on the floor or a hide at 25c. Basking times depends on what they are doing (digesting or just warming back up), but they all regularly use the 70c basking site to get a quick top up. The 50c hot spot is used when they want to warm up their whole body slower, but bask for longer.

The stack is 5 levels high with different temps on each level, normally declining around 7-9c per level. So 70, 61, 53, 44 and 33c. These levels are also all used at different times.

Any desert species of varanids in captivity should be given a hot spot of 50-70c, with the possibility of two sites at different temps prefered. Ambient temps should be 28c at the lowest with around 35c being optimal. These are opinions i have of how to keep them based on information provided from keepers and breeders on this forum as well as others i have spoken with.

Got a mate that works at a pet store and has been told to tell customers to keep bearded dragons with a basking site on 32c (should be 38-44c), due to the possibility of people cooking their new pets. 

Sorry for the long winded post.


Rick


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## ReptilianHybrid (Dec 12, 2013)

Thanks guys this is what I was hoping for when I joined allot of ideas and opinions. This was very helpful to me and im sure others will learn from this too


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