Nile Monitor Care Sheet
Lizard
6 - 7 feet long
15 -20 years
Carnivore
Diet & Nutrition
Nile Monitors are carnivores. Babies and juveniles will eat a variety of insects. Offer crickets, cockroaches, mealworms, waxworms, and superworms. Juveniles can eat pinkie and fuzzy mice. Adults will eat live or frozen rodents. For variety one can offer hardboiled eggs and cooked lean meat such as chicken, turkey, and fish.
Feeding Schedule
Feed babies and juveniles daily. Adults can eat leaner foods daily. Avoid feeding rodents daily as they are high in fat. Feed fattier foods 2-3 times a week. Dust food with calcium powder daily & a multivitamin once a week. Rodents don't require dusting.
Housing & Habitat
Nile Monitors are from Africa. They are found anywhere there is water.
The environment should be hot and humid. Provide plenty of sturdy branches for climbing along with plenty of shaded hiding spots. Nile Monitors may be kept alone or in pairs. If housed together Nile Monitors should be of similar size to avoid injury. Never house two males together in the same tank. Two females generally get along well. A male and female will likely breed if housed together.
Enclosure Size
A baby must have a minimum cage size of 36" Long x 18" Deep x 16" High.
An adult will require a full room roughly 12ft Long x 12ft Deep x 8ft High.
Substrate
Due to humidity requirements an absorbent substrate is desired. Peat moss or coconut fiber are preferred. A thick substrate is preferred as Niles love to dig and burrow. A baby should have 6 - 8 inches of substrate. An adult will require 1 - 2 feet.
Temperature & Lighting
Temperature
Nile Monitors like heat. The basking spot should be around 120°F.
The cool end of the tank can be as cool as 70°F.
Lighting
Since this is a diurnal species, it requires two light bulbs. One is the heat lamp which also emits UVA. The second is a UVB lamp. The UVB lamp will specifically say UVB on the box. If the box doesn't say UVB, it's not UVB.
Plant and Fish bulbs are not UVB bulbs.
Humidity & Watering
Humidity
Niles also require high humidity. The enclosure should be misted 1 - 2 times daily. Humidity levels should be between 50% - 75%.
Watering
Provide a bowl of fresh drinking water at all times. Nile Monitors love to swim. They should have a large enough pool of water to completely submerge their body.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What do Nile Monitors eat?
Nile Monitors are carnivores. Babies and juveniles will eat a variety of insects. Offer crickets, cockroaches, mealworms, waxworms, and superworms. Juveniles can eat pinkie and fuzzy mice. Adults will eat live or frozen rodents. For variety one can offer hardboiled eggs and cooked lean meat such as chicken, turkey, and fish.
What size enclosure does a Nile Monitor need?
Nile Monitors are from Africa. They are found anywhere there is water. The environment should be hot and humid. Provide plenty of sturdy branches for climbing along with plenty of shaded hiding spots. Nile Monitors may be kept alone or in pairs. If housed together Nile Monitors should be of similar size to avoid injury. Never house two males together in the same tank. Two females generally get along well. A male and female will likely breed if housed together. A baby must have a minimum cage ...
What temperature and lighting does a Nile Monitor need?
Nile Monitors like heat. The basking spot should be around 120°F. The cool end of the tank can be as cool as 70°F. Since this is a diurnal species, it requires two light bulbs. One is the heat lamp which also emits UVA. The second is a UVB lamp. The UVB lamp will specifically say UVB on the box. If the box doesn't say UVB, it's not UVB. Plant and Fish bulbs are not UVB bulbs. Humidity: Niles also require high humidity. The enclosure should be misted 1 - 2 times daily. Humidity levels should b...