User:Jdittman8063/Side Projects/Dwarf Monitor Enclosure/The Basics

Enclosure Size
An enclosure can provide for the monitor's needs while still being very basic in design and construction. If keeping a single dwarf monitor, an enclosure as small as 4'x2'x2' is considered sufficient, as monitors rarely reach over 2' total length. For larger monitors, the enclosure dimensions should be based on the expected adult size of the monitor. There is no problem with placing a juvenile or subadult monitor into an adult sized cage.

Substrate
There are more possible combinations of workable substrates than I could possibly list here. A simple substrate can consist of any mixture of top soil, clay, peat or sphagnum moss, sand, and leaf litter. As long as the substrate holds humidity/moisture reasonably well and can be tamped down enough to support a burrow it is acceptable. Make sure that the components are thoroughly mixed, with the exception of if you wish to add leaf litter on top of the substrate. For a dwarf monitor the minimum substrate depth should be 9-12" and if the animal is female a separate lay box should be provided as well.

Basking Lights
Basking spots should be created using one or multiple low wattage halogen flood bulbs lined up so that they can completely cover the animal from snout to vent. All basking spots should be located towards one end of the enclosure, which will be referred to as the hot end. Conversely the side of the cage without basking lights is called the cool end. To determine the proper distance between lights and the basking surface, use an infrared thermometer to measure the surface temperature of the basking spot. The temperature should be measured after the lights have been running for at least an hour with the enclosure completely closed.

A basking spot can be made of any large surface which the monitor can comfortably lay out on. Common examples include large branches, slate tiles, large rocks, and plywood or large boards. The proper range for basking temperatures is between 130-150F. A range of basking temperatures should be provided for the monitor to more fully thermoregulate. If only one basking spot is being provided it is recommended to use a Retes Stack or similar construction.

Basking lights may provide adequate light and heat for a small enclosure, but for larger enclosures additional lighting and heating may be necessary.

Additional Lighting Options
Today there are many options for providing additional light in a dim enclosure, including tube fluorescents, CFLs, and LEDs. It is wise to avoid using incandescent bulbs for ambient lighting as they will add too much heat into the enclosure. Each type of lighting has its own benefits and drawbacks, which will be addressed below.

Tube Fluorescents
There are several types of fluorescent bulbs which could be used, but the ones considered for this application are T8, T5, and T5HO. The other common sizes of bulb and ballast are not considered for this as they are less efficient, take up more space, and provide less light overall. Fluorescent lights provide the benefit of being available in multiple lengths and fixtures that vary from holding one to eight bulbs. This allows the same amount of area to be lit by only one fixture, reducing the amount of electrical work that needs to be done when building the enclosure.

One thing to keep in mind when looking at fluorescent lights is that the lengths listed for the bulbs are not the actual size of the fixture. For instance, this fixture is listed as being a 4' unit, but is actually 51" long. In many cases this means that a 4' long cage will either need to have the light mounted at an angle across the top or use the next length down of bulb.

CFLs
For accent lighting on a budget CFLs are hard to beat. They come in a variety of sizes, color temperatures, and shapes, yielding many possible applications. A low wattage open bulb can be used to provide dim ambient lighting in an intentionally dark corner, while a bright flood bulb can highlight a specific feature or location within the enclosure. CFLs add little heat to the system compared to incandescent lights and can be mounted nearly anywhere using keyless ceramic sockets.

The main drawback to CFLs is that some people find the light they give off to be too harsh. Properly blending the colors of light from CFLs and halogens in an enclosure can be difficult, but with the many styles of bulb currently available this has gotten much easier. It is also important to use "outdoor" CFLs, as "indoor" ones may not handle the temperature and humidity inside the enclosure well.