{"product_id":"ackie-monitor","title":"Ackie Monitor | Varanus acanthurus","description":"\u003ch2\u003eDescription\u003c\/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe Ackie Monitor is a small, intelligent dwarf goanna with an outsized personality - alert, endlessly busy and quick to associate its keeper with food. Widely regarded as the most rewarding monitor to keep, it offers all the character of a big goanna in a manageable package.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eNatural Habitat\u003c\/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eAckies range across the arid and semi-arid north and west of Australia, sheltering in rock crevices and self-dug burrows and basking hard on exposed stone. Natural origin for this listing is inland northern and Western Australia. The enclosure should recreate that hot, dry country with a deep digging substrate that holds a burrow, a stacked rock or slate basking site directly under the lamp, and a range of retreats from open and warm to cool and slightly humid.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eAppearance\u003c\/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eA healthy specimen is firm and well-muscled with bright eyes, a clean vent and a full tail base. The body is dark brown to reddish with dense cream to yellow ocelli, and the tail carries the spiny scales that give the spiny-tailed monitor its name. Adult size is generally 40–70 cm total length, so the animal should never be purchased only for its current size.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eTemperament and Compatibility\u003c\/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eTemperament is best described as alert, active and food-motivated, and with routine handling most become confident and tractable. They can be kept singly or as a compatible pair or small group in a large enough enclosure, but males will fight, food competition can be fierce, and any animal that loses weight or hides constantly should be separated.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eFeeding\u003c\/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eFeed as an insectivore-carnivore; a staple of gut-loaded insects such as crickets, woodroaches and roaches, with occasional lean meats, whole prey and the odd pinkie for larger adults. Feed juveniles daily and adults several times a week, dusting insects with calcium and a vitamin supplement, and avoid overfeeding fatty foods as these monitors gain weight readily. Fresh water should be available at all times.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eCare Requirements\u003c\/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eA single adult needs a minimum floor of about 120 x 60 cm, with 180 x 60 x 60 cm or larger recommended, and a deep substrate of 30 cm or more so a burrow can be dug. Provide a basking surface of 50–60°C over the rock stack, a cooler end around 25–30°C, and a night drop to roughly 22–25°C, all on thermostats. Good UVB is important for this diurnal species. Keep ambient humidity low, around 30–50%, but offer a humid burrow or retreat. Use a firm, diggable sand-soil substrate, plenty of rock and hides, and spot-clean regularly with periodic full cleans.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eBreeding\u003c\/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eAckies are egg-layers, cycled with a cooler, drier winter period and a slight reduction in day length. Females lay clutches of around 4–18 eggs, sometimes multiple clutches a year, incubated at about 28–30°C for roughly 90–120 days. They are one of the more attainable monitors to breed, though it is still best suited to keepers set up to incubate eggs and rear numerous hatchlings.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eSpecies Information\u003c\/h2\u003e\u003ctable\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eScientific Name\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eVaranus acanthurus\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eCommon Name\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eAckie Monitor (Spiny-tailed Monitor)\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eOrigin\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eRocky arid and semi-arid country across northern and Western Australia\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eMaximum Size\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e40–70 cm\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eLifespan\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e15–20 years\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eTemperament\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eAlert, active and food-motivated; becomes confident with handling\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eDifficulty\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eIntermediate\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eMinimum Enclosure Size\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eAbout 120 x 60 cm floor for one adult\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eRecommended Enclosure Size\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e180 x 60 x 60 cm or larger with deep substrate\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eDiet\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eInsectivore-carnivore - insects, lean meats and occasional whole prey\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eBasking Temperature\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e50–60°C\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eAmbient Temperature\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e25–30°C cool end, dropping to around 22–25°C at night\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eUVB Required\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eYes — UV Index 4.0–6.0 at basking + 10–12% UVB (T5 HO fluorescent) — high - these small heliothermic rock\/desert monitors bask hard\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eHumidity\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eLow, around 30–50%, with a humid retreat\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eSuitable For\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eDedicated keepers wanting an active, characterful dwarf monitor\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eLicence Required\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eYes - reptile keeper's licence in most Australian states\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003c\/table\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eSuitable Tank Mates\u003c\/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eBest kept as a single animal or a compatible male-female pair in ample space. Others of the same species can sometimes be grouped, but only with careful monitoring for aggression and weight loss.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eAvoid Keeping With\u003c\/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eDo not house with other monitor or lizard species, small vertebrates, or any animal small enough to be treated as prey. Two males should never share an enclosure.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eSize options reflect the sizes we stock; any shown as sold out will return as we restock. Australian livestock for in-store collection or local delivery, with our live arrival guarantee. A reptile keeper's licence is required to buy and keep native reptiles and amphibians in most Australian states - please ensure you hold the appropriate licence for your state before purchasing.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Nick's Aquarium Oceanarium Terrarium","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":55234112028963,"sku":"AA3278","price":695.0,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0972\/7236\/5347\/files\/ackie-monitor.jpg?v=1781504057","url":"https:\/\/nicksaquariumoceanariumterrarium.com.au\/products\/ackie-monitor","provider":"Nicks Aquarium Oceanarium Terrarium","version":"1.0","type":"link"}