# Ackie / gillens Monitor set ups



## haydn (Jan 12, 2018)

Could i please see what other keepers set ups look like and what the enlosures are made out of.

Cheers Haydn


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## Murph_BTK (Jan 12, 2018)

haydn said:


> Could i please see what other keepers set ups look like and what the enlosures are made out of.
> 
> Cheers Haydn


I think there is a thread on here with the enclosures, i am sure someone on here will link it


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## haydn (Jan 12, 2018)

Murph_BTK said:


> I think there is a thread on here with the enclosures, i am sure someone on here will link it


thanks mate, your the person that had a nasty bite on the arm?


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## Murph_BTK (Jan 12, 2018)

haydn said:


> thanks mate, your the person that had a nasty bite on the arm?



hahaha yeah mate , my blacked monitor bit me , pretty good, i didn't clean it and ended up in hospital for 5 days and opened up and had it cleaned out , so if and when you are bit clean it out once cleaned clean it again too make sure!


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## haydn (Jan 12, 2018)

damn! can ackies do that?


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## Buggster (Jan 12, 2018)

haydn said:


> damn! can ackies do that?



Technically any animal could do that- if you don’t clean out any bite wound properly you’re likely going to be very susceptible to infections.
Particularly with monitors as they carry so much bacteria in their mouths.

Always have an antibacterial in my reptile room just in case I ever get bitten. Wash out the wound with it- stings like a bitch but would rather that then an infection.
I’ve also sprayed some open bites out with normal dilute f10 when I had misplaced the usual stuff. Worked the same


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## Imported_tuatara (Jan 12, 2018)

i don't see how it's so much of a surprise honestly. Even brevis can give some pretty nasty bites for their size, nor even taking into account not cleaning it well enough, etc.


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## haydn (Jan 14, 2018)

Whats a minimum size enclosure for 2 or more ackies, as babies till there adults?


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## Imported_tuatara (Jan 14, 2018)

i'd say 4 feet tall at the minimum, 6-8? feet long? just judging by memory from reading about them, i'm pretty sure 6x2?x4 would do, yeah. they like to burrow anyways


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## haydn (Jan 14, 2018)

would that be able to house 2 or more u think?


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## Imported_tuatara (Jan 14, 2018)

more? no. two? maybe...probably not though, but i'm not experienced with keeping monitors, just researching them a heap lol


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## vampstorso (Jan 14, 2018)

Let's see if we can get @imported-varanus @Richard Biffin 

A lovely and knowledgeable person for monitor advice, if I do say so myself


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## haydn (Jan 14, 2018)

never owned lizards and snakes before, so doing as much research as i can, get everything right before i even think of getting anything


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## Richard Biffin (Jan 15, 2018)

vampstorso said:


> Let's see if we can get @imported-varanus @Richard Biffin
> 
> A lovely and knowledgeable person for monitor advice, if I do say so myself


To Kind, Vamps! I kept mine, both Ackies and Gillens in 1200mm x 800mm x 600mm glass vivs, the last measurement being height, not width, so more floor space than usual. Great species to keep, very hardy if you provide a suitable hot spot (50C-60C, and over). Heat'um and feed'um. Of course, you would have an ambient enclosure temp of 25C-30C, depending on weather forecasts for your area. Hope this helps.


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## Foozil (Jan 15, 2018)

Absolutely awesome enclosure @Richard Biffin !


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## haydn (Jan 15, 2018)

holy lord, thats an awesome enclosure, which ones the ackie and gillens enclosure or are they similier set ups/ cages? how many u have per enclosure. atm planing some enclosures in my head before i put to paper also working out the size the enclosure has to be because of the nsw CoP


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## HerpNthusiast (Jan 15, 2018)

Incredibly basic this is when i first got him as a hatchie now i've added a few rocks and branches he's going fine absolutely loves it.


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## haydn (Jan 15, 2018)

how old is he


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## HerpNthusiast (Jan 20, 2018)

haydn said:


> how old is he


now a year old, looking to upgrade to a melamine style so i can get a breeding trio


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## haydn (Jan 21, 2018)

i want a ridge tail


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## HerpNthusiast (Jan 21, 2018)

haydn said:


> i want a ridge tail


they are a stunning animal to watch and keep other monitor species are just as full of character as my ackie i hope to get him a mate this year.


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## RSP01 (Apr 8, 2018)

Richard Biffin said:


> To Kind, Vamps! I kept mine, both Ackies and Gillens in 1200mm x 800mm x 600mm glass vivs, the last measurement being height, not width, so more floor space than usual. Great species to keep, very hardy if you provide a suitable hot spot (50C-60C, and over). Heat'um and feed'um. Of course, you would have an ambient enclosure temp of 25C-30C, depending on weather forecasts for your area. Hope this helps.
> 
> 
> View attachment 322799
> ...


Hi,

About to get my first Ackie. What depth do you have for the substrate and what do you use? So many conflicting ideas from researching. Would like to know from some one who has kept them.
Also My enclosure is 900 x 450 x 450. How long will that last until I would have to upgrade?


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## pinefamily (Apr 8, 2018)

That would be ok for 1 ackie, but more is better of course.
I use washed playsand from Bunnings, roughly $7 a bag. You just need to tip it out into a tub to dry before putting it into the enclosure. Our guy digs around in it, and fills his water bowl with the sand too. Depth wise, at least 3 or 4 inches (10 cm) would be fine.
And build yourself a tile stack. your ackie will love it. There are plenty of threads on the DIY section on how to do it.


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