Alex Crowder 75,487 views. Respiratory problems are a result of the parasites that are often getting in contact with them in the wild. Nile Monitors tend to be both predator and scavenger. Of course, bigger is always better when it comes to reptile housing and this is especially true for a monitor that likes to climb, swim, run, and can grow to be nine feet long. To prevent this illness, exposure to proper lighting, feeding them with the right diet, and supplying them with calcium and vitamin D3 is helpful. 4:28. They feed on fish, snails, frogs, crocodile eggs and young, snakes, birds, small mammals, insects, and carrion. Their eye-sight appears to be good. Nile Monitor Diet: These are the voracious appetites. I. Forums Reptiles, amphibians and other exotic vivarium pets. When the female Nile Monitors reached the age of 2 or when it is about 14 inches in length, that is the time it reaches sexual maturity. Since 1975, Nile Monitors are considered endangered in Africa because of wide hunting for their skin to be made into leather and for food delicacies. This is why he decided to feed his still hungry nile monitor with that mouse as shown in this video. They feed on crabs, molluscs, fish, frogs, birds, insects, smaller reptiles, eggs and carrion. By using The Spruce Pets, you accept our, Frill Necked Lizards (Frilled Dragons): Species Profile, The 9 Best Bearded Dragon Supplies of 2020, The 15 Best Gifts for Animal Lovers in 2020, Prolapsed Hemipenes in Lizards and Geckos, PetSafe Smart Feed Automatic Pet Feeder Review. This means your six-foot monitor would have an enclosure that is 12 feet long. Adrienne Kruzer, RVT, has worked with a variety of animals for over 15 years, including birds of prey, reptiles, and small mammals. If raised from a very young age and handled regularly, you may be able to trust your monitor a little bit but more often than not they aren't very tame or trustworthy. In captivity, Nile monitors can be prone to burns if the lighting equipment or heat source gets too close. The Nile Monitor uses its forked tongue and the organs on the roof of its mouth to taste its surroundings to help identify different chemical compounds. They eat a lot and sometimes ingest sand or other things they can't digest. They are considered as an invasive species with a thriving population that proves their adaptability to different environments. When considering how much an adult monitor eats in a week (several large rats) you can see how expensive owning a Nile monitor will get. I dust them with calcium and vitamins every 3-4 days. As pets, Nile monitors are usually fed insects (like crickets since they are readily accessible from pet stores) when they are young and pre-killed rodents like mice and rats as they get larger. The Ornate Nile Monitor is restricted to the southernmost sections of its wild distribution. Young monitors are better fed every day and do well on crickets, roaches, and other bugs. This reptile has an appeasable appetite; there are some times when they seem so hungry even though you just feed them. This monitor is a common captive pet because of its strong resistance to different illnesses, and it is also not a high maintaining reptile. Nile monitors are generalist feeders and hunt for prey on the surface, below ground, in trees and in fresh and saltwater (Losos and Greene 1988). Their housing should also be versatile, where you could set up some lighting and ventilation equipment in assisting their growth. Young Nile Monitor shows their uneasiness and feelings of being threatened by whipping their tails while the adults will not hesitate to bite or outrun their possible predator or even humans if they are threatened or stressed. Young Nile Monitor’s weight may range between 0.8 to 1.7 kg (1.8 to 3.7 lb), and the adults have a ranging weight of 5.9 to 15 kg (13 to 33 lb). Your Nile Monitors should be exposed in either hot and cold weather’s so investing in a thermometer might be helpful to monitor the ideal temperature is always met. Until now, there are no initiatives to take some Nile Monitors into Africa’s habitat to rebound its population but there are private organizations that breed in captivity, but as soon as there are offspring, it would be taken into the wild. As pets, Nile monitors are usually fed insects (like crickets since they are readily accessible from pet stores) when they are young and pre-killed rodents like … The tails of a Nile Monitor may grow up to the meter. However, their ability to see in the dark is limited. Breeding Nile monitors are quite challenging, but it is not an impossible one. Vicki Jauron / Babylon and Beyond Photography / Getty Images. FEEDING Nile Monitors are quick hunters and opportune scavengers, eating insects, mollusks, fish, amphibians, rodents, small mammals, bird eggs, and other reptiles--just about any animal they think they can swallow. Nile monitors can grow upwards of 4 ft so please be prepared for a large lizard that will require lots of space. Ideal foods are; mice, rats, fish, crawdads, crickets, superworms, beef heart, and hard boiled eggs. Nile Monitors are polygynandry meaning a mating system in which both males and females have multiple mating partners during a breeding season. Once these parasites feed on your pet, their immune system is lowered, making them more susceptible to different kinds of illnesses. A Nile monitor also requires UVB lighting. Juveniles should be fed daily and adults should be offered food a few times a week. Your goal within the next few weeks is to create a bond between them; it does not come overnight so be patient. Baby Nile monitors. Gut-loading crickets and dusting them with calcium powder before feeding your Nile monitor is vital for a growing reptile but if you are feeding whole mice or rats it is not necessary to add anything to them. The Nile Monitor lay eggs about 20-60, and it may take 6-8 months for it to hatch. Using bowls that can be firmly attached to the side of the cage is the best way to prevent spillage. Sometimes the females would return to their shells to break it and free the hatchlings, but on a normal basis, females would leave their eggs; that is why the eggs are eaten by other reptiles and mammals. In captivity, it is advisable to mimic temperate temperature with at least 85-95 degrees Fahrenheit. After a few weeks, you may feed them through the use of thongs, make sure not to do sudden movements that may frighten them. Don’t just let your child hold them because, in a snap, they can bite or aggressively go near. The Nile Monitor suffering from calcium and vitamin D3 Deficiency shows swollen limbs, jaws, and other parts of their body, constipation, softening of the bones, and weight loss. It is important to treat any cuts or scrapes immediately because it may be a possible cause of infection. Feed juveniles three times a week, but adult savannahs may only need feeding once a week. Smaller monitors will need smaller food than larger ones. Learn how to create a happy, healthy home for your pet. On land, the Nile monitor walks with a sinuous swagger and will sometimes climb trees to bask, feed or sleep. They are only offered food a few times a week, especially, that their energy is not often used in captivity. Larger monitors will require an entire room for an enclosure. Adult Nile monitors can be fed a staple diet of frozen-thawed mice or rats. They would stand in an upright position with their puffing lungs and flattened back making a hissing sound and they as a final way of a protective measure, they’ll open their mouth as far as they can. It is advisable to use lighting equipment that can penetrate through all sides of their tank. The Nile Monitor (Varanus niloticus) is a species of monitor lizard from the savannas of Africa. They should be fed every 2-3 days. If attacked, they fight either to the death or until the attacker backs down. He only eats large crickets. However, monitors … At the bare minimum, your enclosure for a Nile monitor should be twice as long as your full-grown lizard. The primary food of a monitor varies based upon its habitat. These large, intelligent creatures can provide an extremely rewarding pet experience if they are properly cared for and their needs met. Yoshi our Nile monitor eating a asf. Provided that they have a large size and heavyweight, they have a powerful leg that makes them a fast runner. These are usually fed insects when they are young and pre-killed rodents like rats and mice as they get larger. Forcing to handling a Nile Monitor can be dangerous to both you and the reptile. It is a devout carnivore that only feeds on insects, small rodents, eggs, and flying mammals that are nesting. If you would forcibly hold or touch it, you are just making the taming process difficult lengthy. The martial eagle is considered as the biggest enemy of Nile Monitors because it has the ability to rupture their skin; they can carry monitors even though they have a weight of 4kg and above. Nile monitors are a beautiful creature that is strong, large, and aggressive reptiles. Some accessories that you can put in their tank can be found on some reptile pet shops just makes sure to choose accessories that do not have sharp edges so that it won’t cause any harm. There are some breeders that usually hunt these kinds of animals to have it in captivity but some of them uses harsh techniques that may be dangerous for the health of the animal that is why when they have it successfully it can’t be avoided that they already possess health issues due to the stress and some wounds that they incur during hunting. Unlike other reptiles, they have the ability to breathe and stay 20-30 minutes. In some cultures, they are often hunted to get their fat from the reproductive organs in the belief that it can cure different human illnesses. You cannot see them in the desert area of Africa because they thrive in areas where there are bodies of water. If attacked by an eagle, the monitor will attempt to clamp its powerful jaws onto the bird. Nile Monitors use their sense of sight and sense of taste so that they could sense what’s the environment where they are in has to offer them. They also make noises such as hissing especially when they are threatened. Their care presents particular problems on account of the lizards' enormous size and lively dispositions. Maintain an ideal and proper temperature should be one of the factors that will determine the health of your pet. Nile monitors will not hesitate to bite if they are stressed, and given their size, this is not pleasant. An entire bedroom in a house is often used or secure, custom made, outdoor enclosures are great seasonally to provide natural sunlight. When the Nile Monitor attacks you, your skin might have some bruises, and cuts, and it may cause a fracture to your muscles, joints, or bones. Nile Monitors in Central America are considered as their delicacy. The YouTube-user for Venom Wonderful has been feeding his animals, and this time one of his snakes refused to eat a mouse. As your pet grows older, it is prone to different factors that may be a cause of the detrimental of its health, that is why some veterinarians would give them supplements. How to Keep Your Narrow-Bridged Musk Turtles Like an Expert? I have him in a 30 gallon long. They can easily sense if there is harm or danger in a place, so they escape easily. The best way to tame a Nile Monitor is just to give it space. The Nile Monitor (Varanus niloticus) is a large African lizard featured in the Standard Edition of Planet Zoo. A basking spot temperature should reach 120 F with a temperature gradient down to the 80s during the day and not dropping below 80 at night. They perceive their environments through visual, auditory, tactile, and chemical stimuli. They would hibernate in burrows or big rock cracks. He is a baby. Feeding Nile Monitors . By proving your monitor with proper care, habitat, food, and proper handling you can be sure that you will be able to keep your pet for a long time. Their primary method of communication is via their movements and posture. They have a broad choice for food that allows them to hunt on the surface and below the ground, in the trees, and in salt and freshwater. It also causes fear to humans if they go near them that may cause trauma. They are beautiful but temperamental. It is also advisable to observe their physical appearance and behavior daily so that you can easily attend to their health problems in the quickest way. When they are young, Nile monitors will whip their tails if they feel threatened. The amount of food given to them is about the size of their heads. Population In Wild: Unknown The Nile monitor (or Varanus niloticus) is a large species of reptile that lives in the non-desert area of Sub-Saharan Africa. Scientists are also studying the possibilities that like dinosaurs, monitor lizards also have the ability to distinguish colors. He did pretty good for his first live feeding. They may not be an ideal pet, but they are the hardy ones. Nile monitors are native to Africa (although an invasive population is thriving in Florida) where the weather is hot. Nile monitors make great pets for the EXPERIENCED OWNER and are not recommended as beginner pets. Chinese Water Dragon/Green Water Dragon Care Sheet, How to Keep Your Radiated Turtles in Good Health. As its name implies, it is the color black all throughout its lifecycle. It is also advisable to use protective gear such as gloves so if in case they are infested with some skin problems, it won’t pass to you. This monitor grows in a considerably longer in length compared to other monitor species. Your pet can be more aggressive by way of writhing, biting, and defecating. Do not use commercial sprays available in the market because it may contain harmful chemicals that may cause harm to your pet. Most Nile monitors resist attempts to tame them, keeping their aggressive personalities through adulthood. In the wild, they feed on a variety of prey items including fish, eggs, insects, rodents, birds, and even other reptiles such as snakes. - Duration: 4:28. They also have an appetite for anything to any moving animal that can be easily grabbed, such as other reptiles, small mammals, insects, shellfish and other sea creatures. The Nile monitor (Varanus niloticus) is a large member of the monitor family found throughout most of Sub-Saharan Africa and along the Nile.The population of West Africa forests and savannahs is sometimes recognized as a separate species, the West African Nile monitor (V. stellatus). A 6 foot monitor would require a 12x6x6, with three feet of dirt. If you are considering getting one, make sure to be prepared in welcoming it into your home because no matter how much care you show them, they will still see you as a threat. They are not the friendliest pets that can be tame because even if you would pet it at an early age, there is no assurance that you’ll get their trust because of their ill-temperateness. Nile monitors will require a very large cage that is twice as long as the lizard. If it is not their time of the month or if they are inactive, they are often seen in different places such as waterside, logs, trees, rocks and vegetation to bask and to rest. Nile Monitors feed on fish, snails, frogs, crocodile eggs and young, snakes, birds, small mammals, large insects, and carrion. Nile Monitors are hardy reptiles; they can thrive in almost all different kinds of weather and temperature. They have a powerful leg with a long tail that has the capability of grasping. It is always important to always monitor the diet given to your pet because obesity to these reptiles is an issue. Nile monitors are native to Africa and the species … Monitors that have especially large enclosures with numerous hiding spots may be at less of a risk for injuries from their food but the potential for bites is still there. Nile monitors are attractive, but they are large, strong, and aggressive. In captive specimens, an albino form has been developed, although these are rare and costly. For older juveniles, king mealworms can substitute for crickets, and larger mice can be offered. You will know that you’re pet has been tamed if you can now handle them easily without tension and when they can already climb up into your arms. Make sure that your pet’s habitat is equipped with the right temperature and make sure the fresh waterer is readily available to keep them hydrated. Yes, they have teeth. They are considered as solitary, they would only have intra-species interaction during the mating season. On a rare occasion pairs have been seen working together to rob a crocodile nest with one distracting the mother crocodile while the other raids the nest. They love to bask; that is why in captivity, there should be an area where the basking spot temperature ranges from 80-128 degrees Fahrenheit. These hatchlings are expected to mature sexually when they are about 3 years old. Some reptiles only have a common nesting site, so there are some chances that its prey is an egg of a Nile Monitor as well. Their bite is painful due to their strong jaws some also have sharp teeth. In the wild, they feed on a variety of prey items including fish, eggs, insects, rodents, birds, and even other reptiles such as snakes. In the wild the Nile monitor is opportunistic and feeds on a varied diet of insects, mollusk, fish, small birds and mammals, and even raids the nest of the Nile crocodile and consumes the eggs. There are some places wherein taking good care of this type of reptile is not common that is why having knowledge if it is legal to own a Nile monitor where you live and if there is an expert or a professional that you could be able to ask for help if you pet is sick or if you just want to ask something about Nile monitors. It is not advisable to feed them with prey that they eat in the wild like mites or rats because when they are placed in the tank where your pet is, they might be hiding somewhere and when getting a chance, bite or attack your Nile Monitor but to avoid this, you can give them pre-killed rodents instead. Nile Monitors in Central America are considered as their delicacy. The skin of the Nile monitor has been used for different purposes, such as medicine, dietary protein, cultural ceremonies, and leather making. While, males may fight each other in violent wrestling matches, in competition for mating opportunities. It spends its day searching for food of all kinds - including dead animals - and leaves nothing on the table. The monitor had been fed crickets prior to said video. Even though you cannot see any signs of diseases on its physical appearance and that it is still active, experts would suggest having it checked by a veterinarian at least once a year so that they could also check its health on the inside. The female Nile monitor would prefer to lay their eggs in the brood of termites where the heat coming from these termites act to incubate the eggs. Nile monitors can thrive in captivity but aren't always the friendliest as pets. The accessories that should be used should also mimic what you can see in their natural habitat such as logs, plants, etc. If you want to get one in captivity, depending on the place where you live, you may need to have a permit. I am getting a bigeer tank soon. When converting a room for a monitor cage, remember that Nile monitors can dig through dry … No sales to NY, FL, or any other region where Nile monitors are prohibited. Carnivore. For hygiene and sanitation, make sure to regularly clean their housing because an unsanitized environment is a starting cause for different health problems. They can still be considered dangerous that is why if you are considering getting a pet Nile monitor in captivity, make sure that you have a separate, large and safe enclosure that is comparable just like their habitat. Nile monitor feeding and info session. Obesity can be an issue in adults who don't get enough exercise though so be careful you are not overfeeding your monitor. It has long, sharp claws and a semi-prehensile tail that aids it in the treetops by curling around branches, This monitor species is a native to warm forests and grasslands. Fish, crocodile eggs, insects, aquatic creatures, and some mammals, Up to nine feet in length but more commonly about six feet. These reptiles have a tough physique, and striking skin patterns with beady skin brown, olive green, and grayish-brown in color with greenish-yellow or rosette-like spots distributed along with the head and parts of its body. Nile monitors are carnivores (scavengers). Nile Monitors are always hungry but be sure to feed them in portions so as not to overfeed them. It should be thoroughly cooked as it may still carry dangerous viruses and bacteria. If your pet is staying in a place that is comfortable and stress-free, it will surely keep them healthy. Nile monitors are beautiful, large, strong, and aggressive reptiles. The Nile monitor is a nasty predator with a big appetite. They can adjust easily to an environment as long as there are water and land source. It will serve as your pet’s home for the next couple of years, so make sure that your pet will have a stress-free stay to avoid possible health problems. The Nile Monitor can adapt to a wide variety of habitats from dry savannas, woodlands, grasslands, scrub, mangroves, swamps, and tropical rainforests. Usually, an adult Nile Monitor is given a pinch of calcium and vitamin D3 a couple of times a week. At almost 60 eggs per clutch, this Nile Monitor has the largest clutch size among the lizard family. It has a long neck, powerful tail and claws, and well-developed limbs. Nile Monitor Feeding? They have an aggressive personality from childhood that they can carry out until adulthood, especially if they are grown in their natural environment. Nile monitors are occasionally seen in the pet trade but are not typically recommended as pets due to their large size and agility. As an indication of their aquatic abilities, their nostrils are situated on their snouts. Juvenile Nile monitors can be raised on a … When you just purchased it from a pet shop, place it in the cage immediately without handling it. It is the largest lizard in Africa, as well as the heaviest. Weigh your monitor monthly so that you can adjust feedings as needed. Can you eat a Nile Monitor. Feed your monitor a few times a week and adjust the meal schedule if your pet becomes too thin or overweight. Their large size and agility can easily break your dog’s neck in a snap and swallow it whole. The housing also needs to be secure enough to prevent a monitor from escaping by burrowing under a fence or climbing out. The negative impact of Nile Monitors especially, when they get near human towns, homesteads, and farms, is that they can attack livestock such as chickens and they can harm domesticated animals such as dogs and cats. These are captive hatched imports from one of our preferred farms in Benin. Not getting enough UVB lighting or exposure to sunlight may also lead to metabolic bone disease. Avoid the overfeeding your monitor. They should be fed every 2-3 days. Their sharp teeth and sharp claw is helpful in tearing food, climbing, digging, and defending themselves. An excessive supplementation to these nutrients may lead to hypercalcemia which is fatal. With confronted in threatening situations, they would try to puff themselves so that they would appear larger and more threatening. However, there are places where their population is about to extinct because of man-made destructions to their habitats and due to hunting for the leather industry such as in Malaysia and Africa. Handling them and taking them out of their tank causes stress that is why make sure to only hold them if it is necessary so as not to trigger the aggressiveness in them. It is also advisable to always clean your hands before handling them to avoid airborne diseases. Whatever the housing used, make sure that it will promote comfortability. In the wild, monitors eat reptiles, small mammals, insects, eggs, birds, crustaceans, fish, turtles, and even dead animals. It is a lightweight monitor that has fully adapted to the life of forest canopy. Its hatchlings are colorful and attractive, they immediately run into the water. Communication. If your Nile monitor lives outside year-round and gets natural sunlight this light is not necessary. Aside from different accessories to be placed inside your monitor’s housing, it is also advisable to at least place a bowl or small basin of water in your setup to hydrate to avoid different skin problems such as scale rot. Begin the taming process by means of rewarding them with food such as vegetables, crickets, cockroaches, and meat dropping it into the cage, make sure that you don’t pose aggressiveness in feeding them so as not to create tension as well. Nile monitors are like other reptiles that do not like to be handled often. Nile monitors have voracious appetites. Improper handling may also lead to broken bones and severe injuries if this happens proper support to the broken bones is needed so better seek your veterinarian. They are often seen basking on the rocks, branches of a tree or near the water. From the Little Book of Monitor Lizards in 1995: "There are few of these lizards less suited to life in captivity than the Nile monitor. Captive and wild specimens have an approximate life span of 15 years. However, it can’t be avoided that even though you have given them the best of care, different diseases, injury or illnstillay still arise. Nile monitors in the same group age don’t possess the same size and weight but they have an average size that ranges between  1.3 to 1.8 meters in length, and their tail’s length measures half of the total length of their upper body. 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