# which monitor :S



## myteam (Apr 18, 2010)

im currently planning on purchasing a monitor
i would love a merterns but from what i understand it will require a lot of space
so i thought about a mitchells but i cant find much info on them anywhere
id love to keep a water based monitor thats why i thought about these two
can u please give me your thoughts and reccommendations on which monitor would be best
thanks


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## myteam (Apr 18, 2010)

im thinkin more towards a mitchells as i can keep it inside quite easily but am havin trouble finding any infomation on them at all
does anyone know much about them or keep them
please let me know thanks


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## fabregasreptiles (Apr 18, 2010)

_accies_


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## sesa-sayin (Apr 19, 2010)

*mitchells*

mitchells are very hard to come by. very seldom on the "for sale " sites..do u know where they are available from ?


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## myteam (Apr 19, 2010)

I know it's pretty hard even finding info on them. I really want a water monitor wat do use reckon about martens as mitchells are my 1st preference ?


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## myteam (Apr 19, 2010)

I'm havin trouble findin info in both merterns and mitchells. Can somebody help me with enclosure size requirements, temp, food etc please


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## Pythoninfinite (Apr 19, 2010)

Try some of the many books out there... Mertens especially are well cited in the literature and in some sites on the web. Mitchells are not common in the trade. You're obviously not looking very hard.


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## fabregasreptiles (Apr 19, 2010)

do u have a class 2 license??? if not, you cant get a mertens water monitor. the best starter monitor is probably an accie or two as they are very easy to keep


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## AllThingsReptile (Apr 19, 2010)

yeh mate id say start simple and get a ridge tailed monitor as they are quite small and to my understanding easy to look after and breed(for a monitor)


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## bellslace (Apr 19, 2010)

Hi my team,

I can help you with some info, the Mertens Water Monitor diet includes fish, freshwater crabs, frogs, insects and if available turtle eggs ( though i very much doubt we as keepers could ever provide  lol )
Breeding takes place throughout the year with a bias towards the dry season ( winter pattern). 3 to 12 eggs in a clutch 270 days and 30c to hatch. Habitat: Tropical to sub-tropical river banks, swamps and lagoon edges, which may be in rocky escarpments or sedimentary flood plains with riverside forest, woodland or tall shrubland. Head and body length 47.5cm total length 117cm. Here is a great link I found with some more info on the Mertens Water Monitor Varanus mertensi.

The Mitchells Water Monitor Diet includes fish, insects, freshwater crabs, spiders and small vertebrates. Females are gravid in dry season Lay from 3 to 11 eggs. Habitat: Tropical shallow edged creeks, rivers and lagoons with fringing trees and bushes ( often paperbarks ) Head and body length: to 35cm Total length: to 96cm , you can find some more info via this link Mampam Conservation - Varanus mitchelli

Try and get yourself a copy of a book called Encyclopeadia of Australian Animals Reptile Edition written By Harold Ehmann The National Photographic Index of Australian Wildlife. published in 1992. Fantastic book for any reptile keeper has everything and anything on every aussie reptile there is in great detail. inc. sub species. This is where i got this info from.

Hope it helps!


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## cris (Apr 19, 2010)

Mitchells are awesome, but i have heard they are shy. Mine seem great and dont seem more shy than any other monitor i have kept. The are the only species that i hand feed(mostly because i want to keep my fingers) and seem to adjust very well to captivity. That said i have been keeping monitors for a few years now and gave them time to settle in. They are basically like a tree monitor that lives near water, they require a hot basking site and seem to appreciate water and climbing space. Hollow logs and gaps under bark seem to be prefered hiding places.

The only trouble i have had with mine is trying to teach them to live in harmony with fish and shrimps :lol:

Mertons are much larger and require much more space, which makes them less suitable to being kept indoors unless you have a spare room.


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## myteam (Apr 19, 2010)

Thanks so much for ur help bellslace and cris it's muchly appreciated. I'd love a pair of mitchells but it seems to me a merterns will be easier to find . Where snouts are u located Cris and where did u purchase your mitchells from?


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## fabregasreptiles (Apr 19, 2010)

i dont want to annoy u or anything, but im just wondering if u have a class 2 license.???


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## myteam (Apr 19, 2010)

I do that's why I'm asking about a mertens as well as a mitchells


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## fabregasreptiles (Apr 19, 2010)

sorry bout that. just widnd't want u to get into something u cant get. is this ur first monitor????


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## bellslace (Apr 19, 2010)

[email protected]!


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## myteam (Apr 19, 2010)

Ur good mate. First monitor but I've kept beardies water dragons jungle carpet and a massive coastal. I just really want a monitor now but I would like a mitchells pair . From wat I've heard there very hard to track down so I'm searching aha. I've just had some trouble findin info . Have u had any experiance with any monitors? I'm not interested in accord btw Lol


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## myteam (Apr 19, 2010)

Yeh first monitor but I've owned beardies water dragons jackies jungle carpet and a massive coastal. Just really want a water based monitor do u have any experiance with the 2 I'm refering to ? And btw I'm not interested in accies jsut so everyone knows lol


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## myteam (Apr 19, 2010)

Sorry posted tht twice aha It didn't load I thort it stuffed up aha


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## fabregasreptiles (Apr 19, 2010)

i only have 2 accies. but from wat ive heard, mertens are really good monitors but hav'e heard much of mitchelli's so must be very hard to get a hold of some. i would go for mertens but really its down to wat u like more


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## fabregasreptiles (Apr 19, 2010)

i have 2 accies, jungle, maccie,bredli,2 beardies


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## myteam (Apr 19, 2010)

yeh i think they must be hard to find. id also like a pair thats why i was thinkin mitchells as it would be easier to house a pair of them compared to mertens.
if i cnt find any mitchells think ill have to settle for a mertens.


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