This is the eastern subspecies of a wide-ranging monitor, found through the woodlands, rocky ridges and timbered country of northern and eastern Australia, where it shelters in tree hollows and rock crevices and forages actively by day. Natural origin for this listing is northern and eastern Australia. The enclosure should recreate that warm, structured habitat with sturdy climbing branches, stacked rock and hollow retreats at several heights, a firm floor for foraging and multiple basking sites so both animals can thermoregulate.

A healthy specimen is lean and alert with clear eyes, a clean vent and a full tail base. The body is dark grey-brown with fine pale spotting and ocelli, and the long, whip-like tail is noticeably darker, giving the species its name. Adult size is generally 50–80 cm total length, so the animals should never be purchased only for their current size.

Temperament is best described as alert, active and often flighty, and while regular calm handling helps, these are fast, nervy monitors rather than placid ones. A compatible male-female pair can share a large, well-structured enclosure, but two males will fight and food competition can be intense, so provide duplicate basking and retreat sites and separate any animal that is bullied or losing condition.

Feed as an insectivore-carnivore; a staple of gut-loaded insects such as crickets, roaches and woodroaches, with small lizards, whole prey and the occasional pinkie or lean meat for adults. Feed several times a week, offering food in separate spots so both animals can eat without conflict, dust insects with calcium and a vitamin supplement, and avoid excess fatty foods. Fresh water should be available at all times.

A pair needs a minimum enclosure of about 120 x 60 x 90 cm, with larger recommended to allow climbing height and space for two. Provide basking surfaces of 45–60°C over rock or branch, a cooler end around 25°C, and a night drop to roughly 20–24°C, all thermostatically controlled. Good UVB is important for this diurnal species. Keep humidity low to moderate, around 40–60%. Use a firm, part-diggable substrate, offer plenty of vertical branches, cork bark and hollows plus a water bowl, and spot-clean regularly with periodic full cleans.

Black-tailed Monitors are egg-layers, cycled with a cooler, drier winter and a reduction in day length. Females lay clutches of around 5–17 eggs, incubated at about 28–30°C for roughly 90–110 days. An established pair is a strong foundation, but breeding is still best left to keepers equipped to cycle the animals, incubate eggs and rear active hatchlings.

These two are sold to be housed together as a compatible male-female pair in a large, well-structured enclosure with duplicate basking and retreat sites. No other animals should be added.

Do 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, and any pairing that turns aggressive must be separated.

Size 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.

Most reptiles and frogs are solitary and shouldn't be housed together without species-specific advice — even similar-looking animals can stress or injure each other. Check this species' care sheet above, or contact us before combining species in one enclosure.

Is your enclosure ready?

A few quick checks before you buy save most of the common problems with new reptiles and frogs.

Size for the adult, not the juvenile

Check the species page for adult size and minimum enclosure size, and set up for what this animal will grow into — not what it looks like today.

Heating & temperature zones

Set up proper heating on a thermostat before your animal arrives, with the correct hot and cool zone temperatures for the species — check the species page for the exact range.

UVB lighting

Most reptiles need the correct UVB tube for their species. Replace tubes on the manufacturer's schedule even if they still look fine — UVB output drops off well before the globe visibly fails.

Humidity & misting

Dial in humidity and, if the species needs it, a misting routine before your animal arrives rather than adjusting it after.

Licence & permits

Keeping a native Australian species requires a valid wildlife licence. We can't dispatch until your licence and any required permits are verified, so sort this out before you order.

Full details: see our Reptile & Amphibian Purchasing Policy and our Reptile Care Sheets for species-specific setup guides.

Where we ship

We are based in Brisbane and ship live fish and corals to most of Australia. Some states have import rules that may affect what we can send and the cost.

• Western Australia: Import requirements and fees may apply. Read first.
• Tasmania: Import requirements and fees may apply. Read first.
• Northern Territory: May require a permit and be subject to quarantine.
• Regional and remote areas: Carrier options can be limited, which may affect service and transit time.

If you are unsure we can reach your location, please contact us before ordering.

A note on timing: All transit times are estimates and can vary with your location, the weather, and carrier schedules. Regional and remote areas may take longer. To give your livestock the safest trip, please order early in the week.

Secure, Ventilated Boxes

Each animal travels in a secure, well-ventilated box or breathable bag appropriate to its species and size, so it stays safely contained with adequate airflow for the whole journey — a different process to how we pack fish, corals and plants.

No Room to Move

Any empty space inside the box is filled with packing materials such as paper or bubble wrap, so containers stay secure and can't shift in transit.

Clearly Labelled

Every box is sealed with our custom packing tape and clearly labelled as livestock, so freight handlers know exactly what they're carrying.

When Your Animal Arrives

Please collect your animal promptly on arrival and allow it to settle quietly in its prepared enclosure before handling.

Questions about packing or shipping to your area? Email us at sales@nicksaquariumoceanariumterrarium.com.au — we're always happy to talk through it before you order.

Arrive Alive Guarantee (DOA & DAA)

Reptiles and frogs are covered by the same Arrive Alive Guarantee as the rest of our livestock. This applies to air freight shipments only.

Dead on Arrival (DOA)

If your animal arrives deceased, take clear photos or video in the sealed, unopened travel box or bag, and send your claim by email or text message within 4 hours of receiving your order. Claims by Facebook Messenger or phone cannot be accepted, and claims made after 4 hours may be declined. Please include your name, order number, approximate time received, and details of the animal affected.

Death After Arrival (DAA)

DAA cover extends up to 12 hours after airport pickup. Clear photos or video are required, submitted within 24 hours of delivery, and the animal must have been housed in a fully set up, correctly heated enclosure.

If your claim is approved

We will offer store credit or a replacement of the same item, subject to availability. Shipping charges and fees are non-refundable.

To keep your cover valid

Be present at the airport or at home to receive your order, and collect it promptly. Animals left unattended, returned to a depot, or delayed in collection may void cover. We can only ship to a valid residential or business address, not PO boxes or third-party addresses.

7-Day Reptile Health Guarantee

On top of Arrive Alive cover, reptiles get an additional 7-day health guarantee that fish don't have. All reptiles are assessed before sale and confirmed eating, drinking and behaving normally. If a major health issue is confirmed by a vet to have been present before sale, we'll offer a refund or a replacement of equal value.

• Get a full veterinary exam within 7 days of purchase, with a detailed written report — a reptile specialist vet is strongly recommended.
• Vet costs are the buyer's responsibility.
• Not covered: issues caused by incorrect temperature or humidity, enclosure setup, inadequate quarantine, transport stress, or reptile viral diseases (these aren't tested for prior to sale).

Full terms: see our Guarantees & Policies page (sections 1 and 3).

Why quarantine

Quarantining a new reptile or frog in an isolated area away from your existing collection protects the animals you already keep, and gives your new arrival time to settle in without added stress.

Recommended approach

Keep the new animal in a separate room or enclosure from your existing collection, and wash your hands (or change gloves) between handling different animals to avoid cross-contamination.

Vet check

A full veterinary exam within the first week is a good idea for any new reptile or frog, and it's required if you ever need to make a claim under our 7-Day Reptile Health Guarantee.

Full details: see our Reptile Health Guarantee Policy and Reptile Care Sheets.

Before your animal arrives

The enclosure must be fully set up and running at the correct temperature, UVB output and humidity before your animal comes home — not almost set up, fully running and verified with thermometers. An animal arriving into an enclosure that's still warming up, or with an untested UVB lamp, starts its time with you under unnecessary stress.

Settling in

Place your animal directly into its enclosure as calmly and quickly as possible, with minimal handling. Leave it completely undisturbed for five to seven days — no handling, no rearranging, no repeatedly opening the enclosure to check on it (brief visual checks from a distance are fine). Hold off feeding for the first 48 to 72 hours, and keep the room quiet during this period — noise, vibration and foot traffic near the enclosure all delay settling.

Frogs

Frogs absorb water and chemicals directly through their skin, so never handle a frog with dry hands or hands with soap, sunscreen, insect repellent or lotion on them — use clean, wet, powder-free hands or powder-free gloves. Always dechlorinate any water that goes into a frog enclosure, including misting water. The five-to-seven-day settling-in rule applies especially firmly to frogs, and most will spend the first several days hidden and motionless — this is normal.

Axolotls

Axolotls need cool water between 14 and 18°C and start experiencing serious stress above 20°C — anything above 22°C is dangerous. Confirm your tank temperature is in range with a thermometer before your axolotl arrives, and dechlorinate all water, since their permeable skin absorbs substances directly from it.

Full details: see our Acclimation Guide for species-specific setup, and our Reptile Care Sheets and Frog Care Sheets.