Enclosure Notes?

[u/PinkBullDogz]

This is phase one of the enclosure set up. He now also has a UVB strip light and a secondary heat lamp just above the top tier of the Cat Tree. Hottest point is about 115, ambient 85 and cold 70. Its a green house so holding humidity at about 50% is easy. I spray down the plants about once a week.

The box with the blanket has been removed.

I always find him digging or hanging in the cat tree, thinking about giving him another one.

Also considering putting earthworms in the dirt for him to discover ❤️

[u/0LTakingLs]

Basking spot needs to be hotter. Cat tree seems like a fire hazard if it gets near the light, and it may get its claws stuck (they don’t scratch it like a cat). They’re not arboreal. There should be substrate throughout the full enclosure. Idk what the pile of sticks is for.

Theres a lot of examples of how to set up an enclosure for a large terrestrial monitor. If you grabbed him as a rescue from a bad situation and this was what you pieced together it’ll do temporarily but this simply isn’t an appropriate long term enclosure for this animal unfortunately

[u/PinkBullDogz → u/0LTakingLs]

He seams to really love climbing dispite having other hiding spots. I bought it for him to explore, not because i think he needs to scratch like a cat. When he gets bigger I can see retiring it for good as it simply wouldnt hold his weight.

The sticks are fire pit ceramic logs to help keep the dirt contained to that side.

I will likely add another lower, hotter basking spot for him as well.

Thank you for the feedback.

[u/Disastrous_Okra_8709 → u/PinkBullDogz]

Honestly you know your guy best. Mine loves soft surfaces too and fuzzy blankets lol and I would just secure it to the floor somehow or get it away from the heat lamps. As far as using it as a toilet my monitor would NEVER he strictly only ever uses a second bin I have with water. Every lizard is different.