New baby ridge tailed monitor advice

[Pirateherpss]

I just got a baby ackie, and set up his new enclosure today. I know they entirely different to caring for bear dies (which I'm usually used to) so some advice would be appreciated. I made video because its so much more easy to explain/ show my setup and how i care for him. Its clear for you guys too to understand where I'm coming from to give me advice or pointers i need.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rkv2JZVYYtM

It is very much appreciated if you lot, who are experienced with ackies, could help me out a little. Maybe things i need to change or anything really.. take a look for yourself what i have going on. cheers!

** also, do i need UVB for the little guy? I've read everywhere with something different about uv. THANKS!

 

[Illium]

No UV you will get away with as long as you feed him whole prey and make sure you keep up on your calcium and vitamins.

As for your setup, I wouldn't use chips. Just washed sand is generally good. Not enough hides, I'm assuming the log he was under isn't hollow or he'd be in it.
Finally, you have no hot spot, get a wall mount GU10 fitting from bunnings for $12, a 50watt halogen and mount it over a bit of slate. Get that temp to about 60c in one spot and he'll be a happy lad.
My final advise, even for an Ackie, make sure the GU10 has a mesh cover.

 

[Trewin]

I will be getting one soon and from the care sheets iv read u need at least one foot of substrate for him to burrow in

 

[dodgie]

Give him some small hides,places he can wedge him self into and that will make him feel secure.

Cage temp of about 30c-35c and a basking spot 60+.

If you give him lots of heat and places to hide he will feel secure and you will see him a lot more.

 

[Baxter]

i use play sand mixed with red dessert holds burrows and moisture really well, get rid of the vent up the top as well, wanna keep the humidity in one vents plenty. have a look on https://www.facebook.com/groups/SydneyReptiles/ i posted some photos of my ridgetails

 

[Pirateherpss]

thanks for all the great advice.. with the heat, its like 30-35c.. and that hide i have under the globe is so hot. not sure what the exact heat on it is. but it is so hot you can't keep your hand on it. Wouldn't this burn the little guy?? he is so small and fragile, I'm sure it would burn his feet and belly if he was on it for more than 5 seconds...

 

[dodgie]

If it's too hot he will move to somewhere else.
Try making a ply stack for him with a hot spot on top then he will find the temp he want's.

As for UV i have never given my monitor's UV but i do give them chopped up young mice from day one that way they get all the vitamins and minerals they need.Some people use calcium and vitamin powder every third or fourth feed.

 

[Pirateherpss]

If it's too hot he will move to somewhere else.
Try making a ply stack for him with a hot spot on top then he will find the temp he want's.

As for UV i have never given my monitor's UV but i do give them chopped up young mice from day one that way they get all the vitamins and minerals they need.Some people use calcium and vitamin powder every third or fourth feed.

Ahh okay.. so i should chop up pinky mice for him? could he be too young to eat that?.. Also, i have never seen him eat. He ignores crickets when i put him with a few in a feeding box or in his enclosure. Ive watched him for 1/2 hr waiting to see if he goes for the crickets. (I'm using smalls, so they are the right size for him.) ? I know he is eating them, as they are missing when i leave them with him, and he doesn't look too skinny. Im so used to beardie hatchies smashing crickets as soon as they see them. Is that normal for my ackie to not be interested in them?

 

[pinefamily]

Ackies are notorious for not liking change. When I first put a tile stack in with our three, they didn't use it for nearly a week. Now, they are on it every day. Try him on chopped pinkie rats as early as you can, as well as the pet chicken mince (it's the only one with minced up bone in it). As he gets bigger, he will take a whole pinkie mouse from tongs too.
A tile stack is a great ay for ackies to moderate their own heat, and easy to make. 4 or 5 tiles, some small blocks of wood, and some liquid nails and you're done.

 

[dodgie]

I don't think there's a lot of goodness in pinkies so try hopper mice or larger mice that have fur on them.

Young monitors can be very shy when you first get them so give him some time to settle in to his new home and make sure the temps where he is hiding are correct so his body temp is high enough that he can move to the hotspot and warm up properly.Adult monitors can be cold but they have the strength to move to the hotspot and warm up,baby's don't have the strength to move around when there body is cold and can't move very well.

 

[Pirateherpss]

Ahh okay.. yeah he is defiantly very shy, doesn't like being picked up at all. Always on the run!.. he is definitely eating though. so thats a good thing. Thanks

I don't think there's a lot of goodness in pinkies so try hopper mice or larger mice that have fur on them.

Young monitors can be very shy when you first get them so give him some time to settle in to his new home and make sure the temps where he is hiding are correct so his body temp is high enough that he can move to the hotspot and warm up properly.Adult monitors can be cold but they have the strength to move to the hotspot and warm up,baby's don't have the strength to move around when there body is cold and can't move very well.

- - - Updated - - -

oh sick.. I've seen so many videos on other peoples ackie enclosures and they all have the same idea as you with the tiles and wood to separate them. Ill definitely make that for mine asap. Cheers!!!

Ackies are notorious for not liking change. When I first put a tile stack in with our three, they didn't use it for nearly a week. Now, they are on it every day. Try him on chopped pinkie rats as early as you can, as well as the pet chicken mince (it's the only one with minced up bone in it). As he gets bigger, he will take a whole pinkie mouse from tongs too.
A tile stack is a great ay for ackies to moderate their own heat, and easy to make. 4 or 5 tiles, some small blocks of wood, and some liquid nails and you're done.

 

[BigWillieStyles]

Looks like a great setup to me. I dont have Ackies, but do have monitors. I would probably have more branches for him to climb on. A branch that allows him to get closer to the basking lamp for the hotter temps would be good too.

I dont provide my Gillens with UV, but coat every feed with UV powder.

 

[Ramsayi]

but coat every feed with UV powder.

What the hell is UV powder?

 

[Shotta]

What the hell is UV powder?

ultra violet blacklight powder

 

[Ramsayi]

ultra violet blacklight powder

Maybe if everyone started feeding UV to their pet lizards we could eradicate skin cancer? :shock:

 

[Pirateherpss]

ultra violet blacklight powder

oh wow.. I've never heard of that! dont even think they sell it in my local reptile store.. ill have to research it and check it out!

 

[Shotta]

oh wow.. I've never heard of that! dont even think they sell it in my local reptile store.. ill have to research it and check it out!

lol its not for reptiles,it is used in paints/sand amongst other things.., to make it glow under black lights

 

[Pirateherpss]

lol its not for reptiles,it is used in paints/sand amongst other things.., to make it glow under black lights

hahah oh damn.. literally thought everyone was talking about an actual thing that existed that people were using on their reptiles... "uv powder" hahaha

 

[BigWillieStyles]

What the hell is UV powder?

Use your initiative! Its quite obvious I meant calcium powder.