Acclimation
One of the questions we are asked frequently is how to acclimate a monitor that has just been brought home (1). Keepers, especially new ones, sometimes run into trouble getting the monitor stable in its new environment. Compounding the problem is that many newly-received monitors have previously not been in the best of care.
Husbandry
One of the most important aspects of receiving a monitor is to make sure its enclosure is set up prior to bringing it home. Humidity should be high and basking temps should be dialed in and measured with an infrared temp gun. The availability of plenty of hides is going to be of utmost importance in the first weeks of your monitor’s new life in your care, as is the deep substrate we discuss in the Housing section. Burrows will provide the utmost in security for an incoming juvenile.
Aside from tremendous parasite loads, incorrect husbandry is the primary cause of issues in newly acquired monitors. Many times we will see someone on a forum experience a wide variety of specific issues with their new monitor, stemming from an impulse purchase and no enclosure set up in advance.
The majority of problems we see can be solved by simply by correcting husbandry errors. Following the housing, feeding, and handling recommendations on this site should tremendously improve most situations, and finding out where one is deviating from these basic suggestions is always where advice begins.
Parasites
We generally experience that simple corrections in husbandry will solve almost all issues. A trip the vet, due to the handling and stress involved, can cause more harm than good. However in some cases, especially in dealing with monitors in particularly bad shape, a trip to your herpetological veterinarian can solve parasite problems that changes in husbandry cannot. Most monitors in the wild have various “inhabitants” ranging from naturally occuring stomach flora to the occasional parasite or bacteria. When a monitor undergoes stressful or generally poor conditions (for example, importation via shipping crate), the natural ability of its system to regulate any and all bacteria becomes compromised and the parasite load can bloom out of control.
It should be noted that during any recovery process, handling and any other stress-causing behaviors on the part of the keeper should absolutely cease. Please see the taming section for discussion of stress and handling.
Eating Issues
One of the most common issues seen with newly acquired monitors is that the monitor will stop feeding. Initially, if the monitor looks to be in good condition, no worry should be given for a few days. As you will see in the taming/handling section, survival comes before food. Being thrust into a new environment, the monitor may simply not eat until it feels safe and is successfully acclimated.
It should be stressed that during the acclimation process, the monitor should not be handled. The undue stress caused by handling will only prolong the feelings of lack of safety the monitor has upon entering its new environment. If the monitor is continually handled and its hides are continually violated, it can continue to forego eating.
Having said that, food should still be made available. To aid in beginning to eat, the monitor should be allowed to hunt in private, with the keeper either out of the room or out of view of the monitor.
Stuck Sheds
As monitors only take in water through their eyes and mouth, soaking for hydration does not necessarily work. However, if a monitor has been kept in extremely dry conditions and you notice stuck sheds and/or constriction of skin around the toes, a soak can be beneficial to aid in removing the poorly-shed skin.