» Ackies - Red and Yellow Caresheet (Varanus acanthurus) |
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Author: Mike Donkersgoed
Red Ackie Taxonomy
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptilia
Order: Squamata
Family: Varanidae
Genus: Varanus
Species: acanthurus acanthurus
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Yellow Ackie Taxonomy
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptilia
Order: Squamata
Family: Varanidae
Genus: Varanus
Species: acanthurus brachyurus
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Foreword
Dwarf monitors are some of the most interesting captive reptiles.
Ackies are often compared to a Komodo Dragon in a small package.
They are very inquisitive, active, and have great colors and patterns. They are certainly a great joy to keep for beginner monitor keepers and experienced ones alike.
They are not a reptile that enjoys being held as perhaps Leopard Geckos and Bearded Dragons do. If it is a pet that you desire to have a lot of daily interaction with, then a monitor is not for you. This is not to say that they cannot be handled. Most of the captive Ackies can easily be tamed and will tolerate handling. Most of the joy to be had is in fact watching Ackies interact with each other in their environment.
Monitor husbandry is a little unique, unlike many other reptiles, where following certain guidelines is the answer to correct husbandry techniques. This caresheet will certainly give guidelines and direction to your Ackies setup and care, but each enclosure is definitely unique. You need to observe your monitor and make corrections as needed. Nearly all Ackies that you encounter will be captive bred. Australia's strict export laws prevent many Ackies from leaving the country.
 © Mike Donkersgoed
Usually the cost will reflect the quality of the monitor. A cheap buy may often end up costing more down the road because of unexpected vet bills.
The enclosure should be fully set up and functioning before any purchase is made. Digital thermometers or Temp Guns should be used to accurately check temperatures.
Housing
Facts to consider
You should have the habitat created and functioning before buying any reptile. The temperatures should be set and checked as well to ensure everything is ready. Owning a infrared temp gun or a digital thermometer with a probe is great for monitoring temps to insure they are proper.
The enclosure is a very important part of monitor husbandry. It must be able to maintain levels of heat and humidity. It is best to plan out your enclosure on paper to make sure all necessary components will fit, such as adequate furnishings and basking areas. The enclosure must be large enough as well to provide adequate temperature gradients. It also must be able to facilitate a substrate that will enable the monitor to burrow.
For Ackies the enclosure could be one you build yourself. However many breeders use metal stock tanks that can be purchased at farm supply stores. The average Ackie keeper won't find these "very pretty" to use in a home where they want to be able to view their monitor.
Aquariums are not the best enclosure to use for Ackies. They do not hold heat and humidity very well. As well the glass is not strong enough to hold 8-12 inches of substrate. They may be used for hatchlings but do not use the available screen lids. Replace them with plexi-glass. The screen will let all the humidity out thus endangering the life of your monitor. It also inhibits the Ackies to shed properly. Many Ackies have lost toes and even died due to dried out enclosures.
Do not use the collapsible screen enclosures. They will quickly rip apart the screening and it is very difficult to keep heat and humidity in these as well.
The enclosure should be kept as clean as possible. Any feces should be removed when found. The top layer of the substrate can be removed every week or so.
Enclosure Size
Bigger is always better when it comes to monitor enclosures. There are minimums that should be followed however. The enclosure should be twice as long as the monitors length and as wide as the monitor is long. So for adult Ackies the minimum size enclosure should be 4 feet long x 2 feet wide x 2 feet high. If you have room for a larger enclosure it will not go to waste. If you have the room you may go higher as Ackies are partly arboreal and will climb if given the opportunity. Ackies are very active and will put any available space to good use. Also the larger the enclosure the more available temperature and humidity gradients there will be for your Ackies to choose from. Remember that Ackies have a quick growth rate so plan for that large enclosure ahead of time.
Enclosure Design
The majority of enclosures fall into two categories 1. front opening or 2. top opening.
Front opening enclosures have sliding glass doors or doors that swing open. The benefit of front opening is that these enclosures can be stacked. However it's not that easy to stack monitor enclosures that have 100 + lbs of substrate in them. If you choose a front opening enclosure you must remember that the doors must be raised off the floor high enough to allow for the deep substrate. Also if you choose to use sliding doors, design it carefully to keep substrate from falling into the track. The use of sliding doors also makes it easier to keep crickets in the enclosure. With swinging doors crickets can hang on them and drop onto the floor when opened.
Top opening enclosures are easier to make and seal. There are cons to this method as well. The light fixtures are usually in the way. It's also more difficult to clean out. Also younger Ackies will get skittish when picked up from a hand coming down on them. This is because birds are a big threat to them in the wild.
Ackies are excellent climbers, escape artists and very strong for their size. They will eventually escape any enclosure that has a loose fitting lid or other weak points.
An ideal enclosure would be made of plywood coated with 2 or 3 coats of polyurethane. It should contain an adjustable vent on the side and the top to control the amount of humidity in the enclosure. The doors can be sliding glass on the front but should be kept off the floor 8-12 inches to allow for the deep substrate. Acrylic of any kind is not recommended where it is reachable. It will be scratched considerably by their sharp claws.
Enclosure Furnishings
Keep in mind the basic necessities of Ackies. Basking areas, hide spots and water. Water dishes should be kept as clean as possible at all times, with fresh water daily. Don't use a bowl that's too deep that a hatchling might drown. Adults on the other hand can be given a large bowl up to the depth of the shoulders. Some Ackies will enjoy a soak in the water while others might not be interested.
Hide spots should be provided throughout the different temperature gradients. This will allow your Ackie to access both the temperature they require as well as having the security of a hide spot. Not doing this will force your Ackie to utilize a hide spot that might be too cool or too hot.
Basking sites should also be provided. The simplest and best method of supplying this is the Retes stack. First designed and used by Frank Retes of Goanna Ranch. Frank is considered to the most knowledgeable breeder in the U.S. of over 16 species of monitors.
The Retes stack is basically plywood squares separated by 1 - 1 ½" spaces. A quick search on the internet will show many examples and different variations as well. This stack enables the Ackies to climb to different heights which provide temperature gradients and hiding areas to prevent stress as well. They will also use their burrows to hide in. But other furnishings could be rocks and large branches to climb. Plants and flowers can be introduced as well. However many will be uprooted, trampled and destroyed by the Ackies. Perhaps silk plants are a better alternative. There is a fair amount of grassland where they are found as well.
Substrate
Keep in mind that for monitors substrate is an important part of husbandry. No linoleum here. The best substrate to use is plain old dirt. Some Ackie owners mix in a bit of sand as well trying to create a sandy loam. The best soil to use is the type you dig up yourself. It should be extracted from an area that is free of pesticide and fertilizer use. Agriculture fields are not a good source. Other than that it may be purchased in bag form from a garden center. However the black soil tends to dry out rather quickly. Make sure here as well that it contains no growing additives, usually the cheaper the better. Maintaining a level of moisture in the substrate is important for holding burrows as well as for insuring complete sheds. Not doing this could cause loss of toes or tails from retained dead skin.
Hydration
There are two ways to ensure your Ackies are hydrated properly. One is to soak them weekly in warm water. The depth should be no higher than the shoulder, so their heads can be held above the water. This should not be done with babies. Rather put them in a container with soaking wet paper towels.
Another way which is probably more natural is a heavy misting a few times a week.
Regularly hydrating your Ackie will greatly aid in ridding the toes of those stuck sheds.
Temperatures
Perhaps the best thing you can do for any reptile is to provide as many different temperature gradients as possible. This will enable your monitor to be able to pick the exact temperature they require. A good range of gradients is 75-80 F on the cool side with a basking site of 130-150 F. Keep it a little lower for hatchlings around 120F. The basking site is only about the size of the Ackies body. Too small of an area can lead to burns from the monitor not being able to use the heat properly. Too large of an area will keep the enclosure too hot, resulting in death. As stated before in basking sites the Retes stack is an excellent way to provide temperature gradients. Position a halogen or flood light above it directing the beam straight down. The halogens are probably the best source for heating. They operate more efficiently and are cheaper than special reptile heat lamps or ceramic heat emitters purchased from retail reptile stores. They also usually last much longer as well. Ideally the bulb should be between 45 and 75 watts depending on the height it is to be suspended from the basking site. Move them closer or farther away to achieve the recommended basking temperature. Another way would be to wire the bulbs into a dimmer and simply adjust the dimmer to the recommended temps.
Do not simply throw in a 250 watt bulb thinking this will solve all your heat requirements. It will quickly dry out the air in the enclosure. You should be able to regulate the temperature in your monitors enclosure with just the one basking light and some vents.
Lighting
The length of time you keep the lights on for your Ackies doesn't not have the same importance it might with other reptiles. The most common light period being used is 12hrs on and 12hrs off. Others are keeping them on 24/7. This brings us back to the importance of proper hide areas and substrate that they can burrow. If these are provided light is not as big of an issue. They will return to their burrows or hides around the same time regardless of the lights being on or not. If you notice your Ackies are sleeping outside of a hide or burrow and you have the lights on 24/7. It would be better to switch to a 12/12 photo period to reduce stress. I have found for hatchlings that the 12/12 photoperiod works better.
The temps should remain the same with the lights off. This will allow the monitors to regulate temps even at night.
UV Lighting
There is no conclusive evidence whether it is detrimental to use UV light for monitors.
They have been raised by breeders who do use it and those who don't with no documented differences. If you want to use UV light you may but it's not necessary.
Feeding Your Ackie
In short, crickets, pinkie mice, superworms, mealworms, silkworms and ground turkey.
There are some that feed canned dog food but this usually leads to loose stools.
Whole prey is a much better choice. Crickets should make up the bulk of the diet especially for hatchlings. Mice and ground turkey should only be offered once a week. I suggest feeding pre-killed mice. There is a certain thrill I guess to be had by watching your Ackie kill, but live appropriately sized mice for Ackies is usually hard to find. Once they like live they might not want anything else. So don't make things hard on yourself. Other exotic foods are often offered as well. Like crustaceans, goldfish and other hard to get insects. These have the same problem as feeding live mice. What are you going to do when your Ackie gets hooked on a specialty food source and you can't get it out of season? Keep it simple with the previously mentioned diet and your Ackie will have all the nutrition they need.
Meals should be supplemented with a vitamin D3 enriched mineral supplement nearly every feeding.
Frequency Of Feeding
A hatchling Ackie has a huge appetite and should be fed as much as they want until they lose interest. They grow quickly and need a lot of food so as not to stunt their growth. Ackies should not be fed meat until they are sub-adults. As Ackies increase with age their the amount of food they require subsides. This doesn't mean they won't keep eating. Some never lose their massive appetite. But as an adult they have stopped growing and their appetites should be curbed. It is often not necessary to feed every day. You want your Ackie to be healthy.
Sexing
Buying a trio of hatchlings is perhaps the best way to ensure yourself of a pair if you're intent is on future breeding. Ackies are not sexable until around 9 months. Even then some may have characteristics that may not enable gender to be determined.
Males generally have broader heads and are thicker through the neck. They also tend to be a bit larger. The spurs on either sides of the vent are a little stiffer compared to the females. Males will often mount each other in a dominance game this also can happen with females. Anyone who tries to sell you a male/female pair of hatchlings is ripping you off. No one can determine hatchlings gender. It has even been tried with DNA testing with no conclusive results.
Breeding
A common mistake that first time breeders of Ackies make is purchasing an adult and trying to find a mate later for breeding. Often adult females that are for sale are breeding stock that doesn't produce well anymore, making it frustrating for first time breeders. Not to say that introduced adults won't work but the easiest most direct approach with the highest level of success is to raise a group together. They have a chance to socialize and determine their own hierarchy. It also gives you the opportunity to see the attitudes and characteristics of each individual. Believe me they will be different. Some Ackies will breed before 1 year of age. Others might take a little longer. Ackies will lay around 5-6 clutches per year with an average egg count of 8-10 eggs.
More info will be added to this section at a later date, concerning breeding tips and incubation techniques.
Final Note
When properly cared for Ackies can live for over 15 yrs. Set up the enclosure properly and provide all the basic needs as described and your monitor will have a long and healthy life.
 © Mike Donkersgoed
Copyright
This caresheet is © Mike Donkersgoed and Herp Center.
Any use without written permission is strictly prohibited. All rights reserved.
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