Argus Monitor (Varanus panoptes horni)
The Argus monitor is endemic to the southern coastal, grass, riparian and woodland habitats of the island of New Guinea, both Indonesian and New Guinea countries, and some islands of the Torres Straights. It is adaptive to a wide range of habitat types.
The subspecies horni is replaced by V. p. panoptes in Australia, ranging from the Cape York peninsula of Queensland and going west across the top end of the continent into Western Australia province. There is a third subspecies, V. p. rubidus, that is found in Western Australia province only. It is an attractive lizard with a more reddish coloration and high-contrast spotting on the dorsum and tail. Neither of these Australian subspecies are found in the international pet trade due to strict wildlife protection laws of Australia.
Argus monitor availability
All three subspecies are Appendix II animals listed in CITES, and the Argus monitor is the only one found in the US pet trade. It is sometimes imported from Indonesia, although very large numbers are kept in captivity and often supply the pet trade in the United States. Argus dogs, according to breeding standards, are quite widely bred in captivity.
Argus screen size
Newborn babies are usually 10 to 12 inches long and grow very quickly. Adults are sexually dimorphic, with males typically reaching a total length of 4½ to 5 feet. Females typically have a maximum total length of about 3.5 feet.
Like most monitor species, male Argus monitors have a more stocky build than female Argus monitors, with bulkier and more powerful forelimbs. People often refer to male Argus followers as having “Popeye” arms compared to their slimmer female counterparts.
Argus screen life
With proper care, an Argus dog can live 15 to 20 years in captivity.
Argus screen cage
Because an adult male Argus monitor can reach a total length of up to 5 feet, caging an adult typically involves constructing a custom vivarium no less than 8 feet in length and no width. less than 4 feet. Height may vary, but I highly recommend using a cover that is at least 5 feet tall, with a 2-foot thick backing on the bottom. This would be the minimum enclosure size for an adult male Argus monitor.
I typically build my Argus screen cages out of plywood and wooden support beams. An alternative pen could be a metal watering trough with a wooden box covering the trough. On top of the wooden top, you can insert a pre-framed window or custom glass sliders to access the inside of the enclosure. This will result in a very functional and beautiful looking vivarium for your Argus display.
Argus supervisors are skilled at digging tunnels and shelters in cage floors. I provide several large logs, hollow cork tubes, and rocks securely attached to the bottom or walls of the cage to avoid collapsing and possibly harming the digging lizard (and the Argus monitor is a natural digger). .
Argus Monitor Light and Temperature
The Argus monitoring cage must provide a temperature range with an air temperature of 75 degrees F at the cool end, rising to 100 degrees warm. Also provide a basking temperature of approximately 115 degrees directly below the basking lamp, as indicated by the thermometer. If you are using a non-contact infrared temperature gun to measure temperature, try to achieve a temperature between 125 and 135 degrees. With multiple barrels to check, I prefer to use a makeshift gun. I can get accurate readings at several locations in the cage in just a few seconds and I save myself the expense of having to buy multiple thermometers.
Due to the large size of the Argus adult display, I recommend creating a basking area with multiple lights, not just a single light. If a lizard is 4 feet long or longer (with a length from snout to vent of 2 feet), it can burn its skin if it stays for long periods under a heat source consisting of a single spotlight with a cone of concentrated light. narrow middle. and heat. Two or three lower wattage bulbs placed close together above the basking area will provide coverage for the lizard’s entire body and can help prevent accidental burns that can occur when Uses a smaller, more concentrated heat source.
The use of lamps that generate ultraviolet light has been debated in relation to lizard monitoring. Certainly, monitors have been raised and regenerated many times using simple incandescent lighting and by feeding an appropriate diet of whole prey, such as rodents and insects with added supplements. However, it is known that certain lizards (such as green iguanas) convert vitamin D3 into its active form using UVB light, and that the reptile’s pineal organ is stimulated by UVA light. , I recommend providing both types of UV light to captive monitors that do not have UV light. access to pure, unfiltered sunlight.
Argus display substrates and accessories
For the Argus monitoring substrate, I used everything from cypress mulch, virgin sand and topsoil to potting soil and coconut shell/coir byproducts. I even give my screen a liner of deep leaves found outdoors.
My current personal preference for my Argus screen is to use a substrate mixture containing “diggable” sandy soil found outside, mixed with 25 to 50% coir. Coir retains moisture better than simple sandy soil and creates a very nice, non-collapsing burrow system for these somewhat fossorial lizards. Coir and sand also won’t stain lizard skin, so the animals look great in their enclosures under high-quality lighting. If you choose to dig your own soil, make sure it comes from an area that has not been sprayed with fertilizers or pesticides.
Commercial potting soil can contain caustic additives, such as nitrogen and time-release fertilizer balls designed to help plants grow, and they can be dirty and stain lizard skin. streak. They can also irritate a lizard’s eyes, mouth, throat and lungs in confined spaces.
Argus Monitor Diet and Feeding
Those who follow the Argus learn very quickly that goalkeeping is the equivalent of a meal. They are intelligent animals with a relatively high metabolism for a reptile, and in my experience, they “do it” with much more enthusiasm than most other reptiles. . So be careful during feeding time.
Typical dishes are insects such as crickets or superworms, pre-killed and defrosted mice of suitable size, day-old chicks, fish, crayfish and most other whole game dishes. I firmly believe that whole prey is a better diet than feeding strips of meat, eggs, and organs sold in grocery stores. These “meat” items are only part of the dietary needs of carnivorous lizards and are very high in phosphorus compared to calcium. Obviously, a few hard-boiled eggs or strips of lean meat won’t harm an Argus nutritionally, but the bulk of an Argus’s diet should consist of whole prey and insects, and a few insecticides should be done. every week with a good detergent. – Use quality mineral supplements as directed.
Argus Monitors water and humidity
A large bathtub or pool for swimming and soaking will be greatly appreciated by Argus followers. You will need to change the water regularly as Argus monitors often go to the toilet while underwater, although this actually makes cage cleaning and maintenance easier.
Argus monitors can tolerate various levels of humidity, although wetter environments seem to make them happier and promote easier shedding. It is not appropriate to place an Argus monitor in an aquarium with a screen cover and a hot light source on the screen. This creates a dehumidifying effect across the entire coop and you will end up wetting and misting the coop almost daily. Applying a solid mica cover with just a few air vents on the cool side, or tin foil and duct taping part of the mesh on top, can trap valuable heat and humidity in the vivarium without having to add too much water or use more water. – Lighting capacity and heating bulbs.
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