Make sure any plants you use are 1) durable, 2) drought-tolerant, 3) heat-tolerant, and 4) non-toxic. That being said, if you’re dead set on live plants, don’t let this stop you from trying. So don’t be surprised if your attempts to propagate live plants inside your ackie’s enclosure fail. Live plants have many benefits (increased ambient humidity, increase oxygen concentration, bioactive function, etc.), but there’s one big drawback: when restricted to the confines of an enclosure, an ackie monitor will happily uproot/trample any and all live plants in its environment. That said, if you’re dead set on artificial plants, Custom Reptile Habitats has a great selection of artificial plants that are more likely to be safe for use in reptile enclosures, and looks very realistic. The effects that this has on reptiles is still fairly unknown, but we do know that reptiles have more sensitive respiratory systems than humans have, and “indoor pollution” from artificial materials in human homes is rapidly becoming a concern for human health. However, this convenience comes with a risk: the plastics and dyes that they are made from can release toxins into the air. Plus, plants always make an enclosure prettier!Īrtificial plants are convenient because they always keep their size and color, are super durable, and never die. You can recreate this effect with live or artificial plants. In the wild, ackie monitors are known to shelter under clumps of spinifex grass. NEVER bake rocks as a method of sanitizing - if the rocks contain air pockets, they may explode and severely damage your oven! Make sure to give any rocks that you bring in from outside a good scrub with hot water and a plastic-bristle scrub brush, and then spray them with a veterinary disinfectant for porous surfaces like F10SC or Clean Break. Universal Rocks also has some excellent artificial rocks if you’re concerned about weight, and they tend to double as great hiding places, too.Īs with branches, you can save some money by collecting your own rocks. You can buy rocks from an aquarium supply store or landscaping outlet (landscaping rocks are typically MUCH less expensive than pet store rocks). An additional benefit of using a 12-18”+ deep substrate is that you can place rocks on top of the substrate without having to worry too much about the ackie accidentally getting crushed under one - if the rock shifts while they are underneath, they can easily dig their way to freedom. Rocks function as both climbing objects and something to burrow under. Here are some ideas for items you can use as environmental enrichment for ackie monitors: But if you are not willing to invest in creating an enriched captive environment, then an ackie monitor is not the pet for you. THIS IS NOT SOMETHING YOU CAN SKIP! Yes, sourcing the right environmental items can be inconvenient and even expensive, and I understand that at this point your budget is looking strained at best. It’s also part of the 5 Provisions of Animal Welfare.Īs a particularly intelligent and active pet reptile, enrichment is especially important for keeping ackie monitors as pets. Environmental enrichment is so important that it’s a critical feature of ethical, well-run zoos. Environmental enrichment items support an ackie monitor’s mental and physical wellbeing by mimicking their natural environment and providing things for them to smell, explore, climb, hide under, and otherwise interact with. Although they tend to make an enclosure more attractive, if you leverage them strategically, they can play a greater role as sources of environmental enrichment. Minimalistic setups are horribly boring for your pet and do little to keep them engaged and entertained. If you leave it at that, you’ll have a fairly minimalistic setup that only meets the bare minimum of an ackie monitor’s needs in captivity. Once you have the right enclosure, with the right lighting, heating, basking platform, substrate, and humidity levels, you have a fairly functional ackie monitor enclosure.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |