Reproduction and breeding

Tree monitor lizards reach sexual maturity at around 3 years of age. At this point at the latest, the males should be separated, as otherwise violent intraspecific disputes may arise. The females get along well and can therefore be kept together. For mating, they are then placed together under supervision for a short time once a year. Individual pairs should also be separated, as mating occurs constantly and the female is exposed to constant stress from the male. I observed several matings that lasted quite a long time, up to 30 minutes. It is difficult to say when the eggs can be expected, as matings were observed over a period of several weeks. According to the literature, it should be around 6-7 weeks (Moldovan 2008).

The nesting boxes, which were placed halfway up the terrarium, were not used by the female. She laid the eggs, usually 4, on the floor.

The eggs should be kept at a constant temperature of around 29°C. I had incubated the eggs with a nighttime temperature reduction, but unfortunately the young did not hatch.

I had more luck when I switched to a constant gross temperature. At least the embryos did not die during the long incubation period (169-177 days). At a constant temperature, I was able to keep the eggs until the end of the incubation period, but no animals hatched from them. After opening the eggs, I found fully developed but unfortunately dead young animals inside.

Rearing the young animals is quite straightforward. They can all be kept in one terrarium. The temperatures in the terrarium should be set as in the parents' tank. I fed the young with crickets and small grasshoppers, which I had previously dusted with Vi-Spu-Min. Here and there, I also fed them zebra finch eggs.

I had received my monitor lizards as young animals.

 

19.08.2025