Tree monitors are a type of small monitor. There often brightly colored with long slender bodys and very long tails and long claws for climbing. There known to be very smart and active lizards. Tree monitors are a very sensitive and difficult species to keep.

The family of Tree monitors are Prasinus (Green tree) Kordensis (Biak tree monitor) Beccarii (black tree) Macraei (blue tree) Reisingeri (yellow tree) Boehmei (Golden-spotted tree monitor) Keithornei( canopy goanna) Bogerti (Bogert’s monitor) (Telenestes (only one specimen is known of and theres a chance its a not a different species)) Some tree monitor species are endangered or become very rare and hard to find in there native habitat. The population numbers are studied as often so a non endangered species could very well be endangered.

INFO AND CARE

Tree monitors are a amazing species of animal and not just because of there stunning color and looks but because of there brain. There very smart animals and active animals. Do to being so smart and active they need a very large enclosure for there size (no smaller then 5ft tall and 4ft long for one animal) and lots of enrichment. Tree Monitors are the border collies of the lizard world. Tree monitors are also very sensitive species, very unforgiving and easily stressed animals. These animals are best as display animals as they do not like to be handled at all and it can cause stress and the fastest way to cause mistrust. Force handling or picking up should be avoid. Any interactions should be on the animals terms. Taming and building a relationship can be done but it is a very slow and hard process and if you do something they don’t like, you will have to start all over. But with lots a work they will award you with crawling onto you. Tree monitors also have teeth and can bite down to the bone and there a possibility there slightly venomous in there saliva like other monitors do. So if bitten make sure you clean that wound good. Most if not all Tree monitors are from rainforests and mangroves and environments like it and need high humidity (75 to 100). They are insect eaters and need to be fed a manly insect diet but eggs and whole prey are ok every once and a while, some animals have shown to take fruit every once and a while (tree monitors are not fruit eaters and can not live off of fruit!!!) The largest killers of tree monitors in captivity is dehydration and stress.

BASIC CARE LIST

Enclosure size for one animal- no smaller then 5ft tall and 4ft long for one. To small of a enclosure will lead to stress.

Diet – mealworms, superworms,grasshoppers,locust, silk worms, stick bugs,eggs and sometimes whole prey.

Temps- A basking area of 110-120 degrees but The rest of the enclosure can be in the 75-82 range but night, temps can drop to as low as 73 degrees.

Basing spot- A basking area of 100 to 120 degrees

Uvb- 5.0 bulbs are often used but some people use 10.0 bulbs.

Humidity- 75-100.

bedding/sub- Best to use a peat moss mix or something that can hold humidity well.

Water needs- many tree monitors will not drink from bowls and need to be sprayed daily.

Handling- They do not like handling and it should be avoided as it causes stress.

Enclosure set up- lots of things to climb

Other- the largest killers of tree monitors is dehydration and stress. New Wild caught animals have a very high death rate and are not for most keepers, even experienced wc and tree monitor keepers have a hard time with wc