It will sometimes climb and may use tree hollows to some degree, but adult Argus monitors are clumsy climbers compared to other monitor species more adapted to arboreal lifestyles. Many will hold their ground and show their "spirit" when you attempt to hold them. An Argus will often jump out at you if it sees or smells food in the offering. Size. Justin "Krusty" Burokas has successfully kept and bred various lizards for more than 20 years, including the Argus monitor since 2003. Males are generally 4 – 5 feet while females are smaller. Owners often feed them live mice and small rodents like hamsters or rats. These animals are not a species for beginners and must be kept by experienced monitor keepers and enthusiasts only. Just ensure any branches or logs used are sturdy enough for the monitors to climb and are secured. Argus monitors are meat eaters. There are commercially available melamine and plastic cages that fit this design. The same upright combat is well-known and described in several other monitor lizard species, including the Komodo (V. salvator). Very active monitor. I have tried several different bedding types with neonates, and nothing seems to make them thrive better than a sandy, loamy dirt. An Argus monitor's front limbs are very powerful and large for efficient digging. May 21, 2019 - This Pin was discovered by Bumblebeesir. They can move very fast both on land and in water. Use long forceps or welding gloves when feeding them, and be aware that your movements and the smell of prey may result in them jumping to grab whatever is jostling around in front of them, including your hand. It's important that a young and growing monitor's diet be high in calcium because otherwise it can develop hypocalcaemia (low blood calcium that can progress to metabolic bone disease). Generally, adult Argus monitors, unless they're being bred, can be fed every two to three days. A young Argus can be kept in an enclosure with a floor space of 6 feet x 3 feet but will soon outgrow this in its first year. Captive Argus monitors will often display this interesting behavior, and it's fascinating to witness. Whole-prey items are the best way to go, whether whole rodents of appropriate size, insects (such as crickets and cockroaches), various worms (including superworms, earthworms and others), fish, and small birds (such as day-old quails and chicks). Monitor lizards have long necks, powerful tails and claws, and well-developed limbs. ... Lizards For Sale Insects For Sale Monitor Lizard Prehistoric Creatures Reptiles And Amphibians Pet Store The Incredibles Mom. https://www.reptilesmagazine.com/an-owners-guide-to-the-argus-monitor May 21, 2019 - This Pin was discovered by iv. Dec 10, 2020 - Explore Reptile Rapture's board "Monitors & Tegus", followed by 1414 people on Pinterest. Due to these being very active lizards the enclosure should be as large as possible with a minimum floor space of 10 feet X 4 feet and the bigger the better! Argus monitors should ideally be housed separately as adults but can be kept together as pairs providing the are watched for signs of aggression, particularly while feeding as they are extremely food orientated and will not even think twice about ripping a chunk out of their cagemate or your fingers! Diets that are high in ground-up skeletal meat (e.g., turkey burger) and eggs are not ideal for a baby monitor lizard. Argus monitors are very entertaining and rewarding to keep providing you can give them the correct husbandry they require. In Greek mythology, Argus Panoptes was a giant watchman to the gods, with 100 eyes covering his body, allowing him to see in all directions. Females attain a length of around three feet, while … Argus monitors, like many monitor lizards, don't usually enjoy being held. Males will congregate in areas of receptive females and engage in standing pushing matches of strength. A good broad spectrum UV lamp should also be used to keep them healthy. Discover (and save!) The New Guinea variety V. p. horni is more commonly available in the hobby. I find a nighttime temperature drop to 70 degrees is ideal for this species. Several keepers, too, have reported that their animals are more active when kept under this bright lighting. Hatchling Argus monitors generally measure 10 to 12 inches in total length and are more brilliantly colored and patterned than the adults. Another impressive trait is its ability to stand erect – to "tripod" up on its hind legs and tail – allowing it to survey the landscape from a higher vantage point. The use of long forceps and snake grabs is a must when feeding and should never be fed by hand due to the chance of serious injury. The basking surface temperature is also critical and must be sufficiently high to allow monitors to metabolize their food properly. The upper body base colouration is grey with bands of yellow eye spots down the body. This can be any types of pets, from cats, rabbits, rodents and other pets. Highly carnivorous with insatiable appetites, it's always an adventure feeding these lizards. An average fully grown adult male Argus is a sturdily built animal nearly 5 feet in total length. In a colder climate, you don't want to risk your animal escaping and becoming cold and sick while missing for several days. Young should be fed daily  until full and nearing 3 feet. The word panoptes translates to "all eyes." Eastern cone-headed lizard. Captive farmed babys. And if nothing else, the brilliant white, color-accurate lighting provided by UV-producing lamps, such as mercury vapor bulbs, does make for a nice-looking display. Males have greatly enlarged "Popeye" front legs compared to the females. Mar 9, 2019 - This Pin was discovered by Leonard Ovens. There is ample evidence that keepers have successfully raised and bred monitor lizards both with and without UV-producing lamps. If you are thinking about buying a pet lizard one thing to consider is how long they might live. There is room for several inches of substrate, glass doors on the front that open out, and space for lighting on top. I’ve seen that most people say that the Ackie is the best, but I want something with a little size and heft to it. £45.00. Gut-load feeder insects with nutritious vegetables and dust them with a good-quality calcium and mineral supplement a couple times per week. They are primarily terrestrial which means they spend a great deal of time on the ground. It is a mostly terrestrial lizard that digs burrows. Remember, though, that while Argus monitors really utilize heat, they must also be able to retreat from these hot basking temperatures at all times. With time, growth, and the repetition of a daily routine, they may be allowed some supervised free-roaming from time to time, in a confined area. Below is our list of available monitor lizards for sale. I was looking into the Argus monitor but I’ve heard that they don’t make great pets. your own Pins on Pinterest In 2008, he contributed an article about his work with Varanus acanthurus to Biawak, the journal of the International Varanid Interest Group. Some of the Australian V. p. panoptes and V. p. rubidus localities will have a pure yellow tail tip on the distal third while others do not, but all specimens of V. p. horni that I have observed always have banding to the tip of the tail. Hatchling Argus monitors generally measure 10 to 12 inches in total length and are more brilliantly colored and patterned than the adults. The ideal cage for one or a pair of adult Argus monitors would measure 8 feet long by 4 feet wide and 4 feet tall, with 2 feet of substrate to tunnel into. Even youngsters will quickly learn that your opening the cage door means a potential feeding. May 20, 2015 - Care sheet for the Argus monitor (Varanus panoptes horni). Although the Argus is a fairly bold and confident monitor, even as a neonate, when designing your habitat, include hiding areas both on the cooler end of the enclosure and under the heat source at the warm end. In theory, it's a good idea to provide this type of lighting for vitamin D3 synthesis and calcium absorption. While an Argus monitor is certainly not for every keeper, especially beginners, it can be a very entertaining and rewarding pet reptile when kept properly. Please be aware upon purchasing this animal we will need to speak to you regarding its care, before releasing the order for dispatch. A proper temperature gradient is the key to successfully keeping many reptiles, including Argus monitors. Males reach lengths of 120-150cm and females smaller at 90cm. This substrate will help you maintain a functional, naturalistic, and pleasant-looking enclosure. You can buy Savannah monitors, Nile monitors, Water monitors, as well as many other incredible species. The Argus monitor is a large lizard with females growing to around 3.5 feet snout to tail length (STL) and males attaining around 5.5 feet STL. Unfortunately, many people who want to keep the giants of the lizard and snake worlds fail to understand the care requirements and sheer size of the adult animals. These are lizards that have the unique ability to stand ‘tripod’ i.e., using their hind feet and their tail, when in danger or when searching for prey. The Argus monitor is relatively easy to keep as a pet provided some basic care requirements are met. You'll find that most seasoned monitor keepers use custom-built or modified, sealed-up enclosures that have glass sliding doors and lights mounted internally in the cage. Argus monitors love to dig and so deep substrate is ideally required. Cages for adults can be constructed out of plywood and support beams, metal cattle troughs with a topper constructed over them, or even a custom-produced manufactured cage for larger lizards. Being an equatorial island animal, an Argus monitor is not properly adapted for temperature drops below 65 degrees. Feeding. Capable of running at high speeds, an Argus will often lift its front legs off the ground while fleeing danger, using the tail as a balance much like a gigantic basilisk or frilled lizard. Although they'll happily accept these offerings, ground meat, eggs and organs are high in phosphorus versus calcium, and too many might lead to a mineral imbalance. Monitors appreciate heat while under cover, so position some hiding places (cork tubes, sheets of wood, rocks arranged to provide hiding places, etc.) They are smart and will find the weaknesses, if any, in their enclosures. Adults can then be fed three to four times a week. We have a few perfect captive bred Argus monitors for sale at the lowest online prices. For this reason, the Argus monitor has become quite a popular pet monitor lizard in recent years. Ackie monitors are probably the best pet monitor because they are a reasonable size and have a great personality. Feeding these lizards is always an event as they are absolutely ravenous eating machines. The Argus monitor is endemic to the Papuan island, both Indonesia and New Guinea, along the southern coastal and lowland interior ranges. Monitor lizards are large lizards in the genus Varanus.They are native to Africa, Asia, and Oceania, but are now found also in the Americas as an invasive species.About 80 species are recognized. They'll want to be fed every time you approach the cage, but don't over-feed them to the point of obesity. Here we have my baby argus monitor cb13 born in August 2013. Monitors. Luckily, the Argus monitor (Varanus panoptes horni) is a relatively manageable species that does not get as huge as other monitors, normally remaining less than 5 feet in length.