Monitor Lizards

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There are many different types of monitor lizards that are popular as pets. Savannah monitors are medium-sized monitors. Ackie dwarf monitors are on the small side. Komodo dragons are giant monitor lizards and should not be kept as pets. Monitors are considered more difficult to care for because of their powerful tails, teeth, and claws. Larger monitors need a lot of space in their enclosures.

Dangerous?

They can be aggressive and their bites can hurt. Their claws and tail can also be used as dangerous weapons by frightened or threatened monitor lizards.

Like People?

They can be trained to tolerate human handling. If they are handled frequently and gently they will be fine. If they are left alone too much, they will be aggressive when you do pay attention to them.

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Sleep

They are active during the day.

Size

The dwarf monitors can be about a foot long, while the Savannah monitor can grow to 3-4 feet and weigh 13 pounds. Some pet monitors can grow to up to 6 feet.

If you were to adopt a monitor lizard, make sure you know it’s age. A young monitor might still be growing and become too big for you to handle. An older monitor would be full grown so you know what you are getting into.

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Temperature and Humidity

Savannah monitors like it hot. They will enjoy a warm temperature of 100-110 degrees F, with a cooler area of 80 degrees F and a nighttime temp of 75 degrees F. They will be good with 60% humidity in the enclosure but would benefit from high humidity hiding places - up to 79-90% humidity. Their basking area could have a lower humidity level.

Habitat

Monitors should have an enclosure that is at least three times their length with plenty of width and enough height for them to do some climbing. They have sharp claws that will shred any decorations you put in their cage, so keep decorations at a minimum.

They will need some moist hiding places, branches to climb on, and a water dish they can play in. Paper is good to line the bottom of the cage. Layers of paper will allow the lizard to do digging behaviors. You can also have a soil box in part of the cage for them to dig in. You can use reptile soil, cypress mulch, or orchid bark for the digging box.

They will need UV lights for about 12 hours a day to help them produce enough vitamin D to keep themselves healthy.

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Diet

Monitors are carnivores. They will eat insects, small mammals, eggs, amphibians, other reptiles, snails, birds, and other prey. You can dust their food with multivitamins and put the food is puzzle boxes that are sold for dogs or cats. This will provide some mental stimulation for the monitor.

Adults should be fed one - three times per week. Obesity is a problem, so be sure to feed them lower-fat food if possible. Sometimes people have a separate feeding cage with nothing in it. This ensures that the lizard does not eat any of the bedding material when they dine.

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Lifespan and Health

Savannah monitors can live 10-15 years. Black-throated monitors are larger and can live up to 20 years. Like many other reptiles, they can have parasites, respiratory infections, metabolic bone disease, and can carry salmonella.

Here you can learn about how to care for a boa constrictor if you ever get a chance to adopt one. Learn about their habits, needs and how you can care for them.

To find out about other reptile pets and pets of other species, return to the Best Pet For Me List.

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