Sand Goanna Help Please

[OdessaStud]

Hi all ive just become the proud owner of a sand goanna and am not shy to say i know nothing about them at all.
Anyone that can give me some advise on the correct husbandry methods I should use and information ie size expectancy .
Ill post a pic of him/her hope im talking about the right type of goanna got it from someone who just liked to collect em but new nothing about them.It is on licence they give them to anyone these days,this person was definatly not the sharpest knife in the draw but all the herps are well looked after.
Thanks in advance people look forward to learning about my new friend giddy!!

Odessa

 

[OdessaStud]

Starting to feel silly hear people surely somone knows something about these guys!!

 

[jordo]

I don't really know what a young sand goanna looks like, but that looks a bit like an ackie. If it is a sandy then I can't really help all I know is they'll need quite a large enclosure. Send Simon_Archibald a pm he might be able to help you out.

 

[Pythoninfinite]

Definitely not a sand goanna (V. gouldii), looks like an ackie to me. Sand goannas have a distinctive stripe through the eye, and grow to 1m+. Plenty of info on ackies available, and they're easy.

Jamie.

 

[JasonL]

Although I'm not 100% certain, that looks like the flavirufus sub species of sandy, they are easy to keep (like most monitors) They loved to be baked and hate the cold. Most captive sandies Ive seen grow to around a meter, although some gouldii gouldii grow to 1.5 TL. They will eat anything and are extremely fast.

 

[Magpie]

It does not really matter what it is for now, except for your licence details.
It will need a hot basking spot, 50-55C.
Sand or similar is usually used as a substrate, give it tight crevices to hide in.
It will need anough room to move around freely, I'd suggest twice it's length for the width of the cage and twice that for the length. If it is a sandie, it will end up needing to be kept in a very large cage or outdoor pit.

 

[OdessaStud]

Re: RE: Sand Goanna Help Please

It does not really matter what it is for now, except for your licence details.

:roll: you want the details with or without sarcasim lol

 

[hugsta]

Re: RE: Sand Goanna Help Please

It does not really matter what it is for now, except for your licence details.

:roll: you want the details with or without sarcasim lol

I think mags was referring to the fact you will need to know exactly what it is for your licence. If it is a sandy than fair enough, but if you have down a sandy and it is an ackie, the details will be incorrect on you licence.

 

[JasonL]

RE: Re: RE: Sand Goanna Help Please

It's a sandy, flavirufus have rosetts like ackies.

 

[raptor]

Yep its a Sandi, a very young one.
They like it hot and lots of sand as in the evening they borrow under the sand.
Are very easy to keep and handle, pm me if you want some more info

 

[OdessaStud]

RE: Re: RE: Sand Goanna Help Please

I bought a sand goanna on paper but as someone who knows nothing about them maybe ive been stooged.Tried to contact the person I bought it off to no avail so you guys are all I have to positivly id it,It has got the lines from the corner of the eye back along the head and would be about 18inches long.I fed him/her a small mouse last night with no problems but still would like to know how to care for it properly.
Sorry Magpie sometime i type without thinking ,words always come across more bluntly on screen.
Thanks for the input
Odessa

 

[Magpie]

RE: Re: RE: Sand Goanna Help Please

Hey, no offence taken at all. I was just trying to say that it does not matter what it is, the husbandry is the same for all of them really. You've got time to work out what type of goanna it is, but it needs to be housed correctly now.

 

[JasonL]

RE: Re: RE: Sand Goanna Help Please

It's quite easy, look at it's tail, pale tip it's a sandy, and as far as sandy's go, flavs are the best in my opinion anyway.

 

[Pythoninfinite]

RE: Re: RE: Sand Goanna Help Please

Still don't think it's a sandy, at that size it would be very brightly coloured. A photo of the tail would be telling...
J.

 

[hugsta]

RE: Re: RE: Sand Goanna Help Please

Is the tail spiny or smooth? If it is spiny it is not a sandy. If it feels very spiny when you run your hand towards his head, then it would be an ackie. Very different tails. It does look like an ackie to me I must admit, a full body shot would be great.

 

[Tristis]

it looks more like a tristis to me. this is a sand monitor

 

[junglepython2]

I'm going for a sandy for what its worth, its head doesnt look ackie to me.

Maybe send it to slateman for the southern cross comp :wink:

 

[cris]

RE: Re: RE: Sand Goanna Help Please

Looks like a sand goanna to me too, dunno what sub species though.
Just feed it mainly on whole rodents and as mentioned a large enclosure with very hot basking spot and lots of good hides and digging opportunity.

Be careful if you have been handling rats too, it might think you are food if you smell like a rat and they have big teeth.

 

[OdessaStud]

RE: Re: RE: Sand Goanna Help Please

His tail feels slightly prickly I hope this pic helps a bit more
Eh!!!! thanks guys

 

[Tristis]

RE: Re: RE: Sand Goanna Help Please

its a tristis ornitalis (?? spelling??) freckeld monitor