my monitor has a small sore on his back, and im very worried about him! theres nothing sharp in his tank so im confused about how he might have gotten it and what i could do to help ☹️

EDIT: thanks for the info I won’t reply to everyone will go to the store today and fix it up.

We just got a black tailed monitor lizard yesterday afternoon or tristis it is in a 120x60x60 vivarium with sand substrate. There is little to no information on this species or how to properly take care of them so it has been difficult (please dont flame me for not looking hard enough or in the right places). I am worried the tank is not warm enough as my thermostat is only saying 29 degrees. I can’t find information on what temperature this species needs or how to warm up my tank. I’m lost on how to feed it and how often (its an adult non reproductive female). I really want to take good care of it and eventually handle it but I don’t know how and I’m scared it’s uncomfortable or stressed. When we first put it in the tank it ate two cockroaches but we tried feeding it crickets and now they’re just bouncing around the cage. For lighting we have a UV light and a 150W ceramic light. Please help and share information about how to care for them. Also not sure how deep the substrate should be and when to clean out the tank.

currently in the tank:

• two branches

-two hides -water bowl -two rocks

which monitor will be better for PS5?

I have 3 tegus a water monitor and a baby Argus monitor.

That being said the adult tegus get a mix of everything imaginable berries bananas mice rats ground beef ground turkey eggs(chicken & quail) horn worms sometimes salmon or shrimp or whatever seafood is on sale.

My monitors get obviously a more carnivorous diet. Mostly mice/rats depending on the size my water monitor can take rat pups but my Argus can only handle a small fuzzy or large insects right.

But I’m curious what everyone is finding best in their rotation. Because I have snakes I find I always have mice/rats and I tend to rotate insects between dubias crickets and mealworms.

Few days ago I made this post (https://www.reddit.com/r/MonitorLizards/s/H7fPjfuHhp) about my ackie that had impaction. Fortunately it wasn't a complete blockage and he was able to pass it through with enema and a warm bath at the vet. He was also given some antibiotics. However he still refuses to eat. He behaves normally and has been drinking. I've heard that antibiotic can mess up reptile's appetize. Any advice on how to get him start eating? Thanks.

Can I feed my Black Dragon oyster shells?? My boss ate the oysters and gave me a bag of shells to bring home to the lizards but I’m not sure if they can eat it.

From your experience, what is the most robust/hardy monitor species?

Hey everyone, we're about to start building a bigger enclosure for our awm and i wanna know a good way to heat her pool. Shes a rescue and has scars on her back from where she fell asleep on a heater in her pool with her previous owners so needless to say im a bit paranoid that she'd fall asleep on a heater again. Does anyone have any tips or ideas on how to heat her water without the possibility of her getting burned?

If another kt meteor came for the earth do you think monitors would survive ? They don’t have slow metabolisms like turtles and snakes do and some spend a lot of their time up in trees which would leave them exposed to the ejecta and other bad things. Obviously their ancestors survived which is why they’re alive now but I’m sure they started out as more “traditional” slow metabolism lizards before. Thoughts ?

My ackie hasn't been eating for 4-5 days. At first I thought he was just being picky since he prefers crickets over roaches and I only have roaches right now. After 2-3 days I decided to buy some crickets from pet store but he didn't want those as well. Yesterday he looked like he's trying to throw up but nothing came out. He also opened his mouth occasionally. I started contacting vet, but the only one that accepts reptile emergency care 24/7 actually doesn't have a doctor experienced in exotic pet and the only thing they could do is to give him some antibiotics. He also threw up some liquid during vet visiting.

It's 1am now. I'm going to contact and go to specialized vets in the morning as soon as work hour starts. I just hope my ackie will be alright.

Hey everyone!! I was carving pumpkins today and my monitors seemed interested in it. I was wondering, can I give them pumpkin to eat as a snack??