How to Care for a Monitor Lizard

Monitor lizards, also known as savanna monitors, originally from Africa, are truly exotic pets. At birth, they are small yet powerful, with a square head, greyish-brown body, and a long, forked tongue which they constantly flick out to smell their environment. If bought young, they can be tamed as a close companion. But caring for them is serious business. Since these kind of lizards can grow anywhere from 3 to 4 feet when they reach full maturity, you will need adequate space to house your lizard, in addition to a specialized diet. Here are some tips on how to care for yours.

Things You'll Need

  • Cage
  • Soil
  • Pan for water
  • Heat lamp
Show More

Instructions

    • 1

      Choose a cage specifically made for lizards that is around 8 feet by 4 feet. You should choose glass instead of wire to keep the atmosphere comfortably humid for your monitor. In one corner should be a lamp so that your lizard can bask for warmth. Fill a large, shallow pan with water for your lizard to bathe and drink.

    • 2

      Place a heat lamp in one corner of the cage so your lizard can bask, and receive the proper amount of UV rays.

    • 3

      Visit your local nursery for a good soil or dirt that holds in humidity. Cover the bottom of the cage in 2 feet of the soil, enough for your monitor to build tunnels. Find a couple of hollow logs and branches.

    • 4

      Clean the cage daily, and replace water whenever it looks murky or dirty. A light mix of vinegar and a mild bleach should be an adequate cleaning solution.

    • 5

      Feed hatchlings a daily diet of up to 5 crickets. Monitors ranging from 1 to 3 years should be fed mice 3 to 6 times a week, while older lizards should be fed approximately two mice weekly. Note that obesity is a problem in older lizards. They should not be overfed.

    • 6

      Bring your monitor to a vet for yearly examinations. Monitors frequently suffer from both internal and external parasites.