Yellow melinus

[prowler33]

I need as much feed back as possible regarding owning one of these guys. I have one coming and can't seem to get any real info on the net about them . Substrate is the hardest As I live in a climate that won't allow me to dig my own,diet , humidity, just everything and anything even web sites
Thanks in advance
I know you won't let me or him down
Steve

 

[james.w]

First off what type and size enclosure are you planning on putting him in?

 

[james.w]

The reason there isn't much info on them is they were only discovered in 1997, therefore not much experience with keeping them in captivity. I have been doing quite a bit of research because I want to get a monitor, leaning towards an Argus (V. Panoptes) at this point. Melinus are fairly shy and flighty. They average between 3-4 ft, but some can reach 5 ft. They need an arboreal enclosure 6'x3'x6' would be decent for an adult, bigger if possible. Temps, basking 120-130, ambient 80-95 (cool to hot side). UVB is recommended, but some have had success without using it. Humidity 70-90%. For substrate a soil / dirt mix would be best to hold burrows and humidity. Lots of branches to climb and places to hide. Water dish big enough for them to completely submerge or swim in. As far as diet, when young, crickets, roaches, mealworms, pinky mice or fuzzies chopped in half. As they get bigger, rodents, fish, ground turkey, eggs (hard boiled, scrambled).

As far as your email to me about your enclosure plans, the Exo Terra would be good for a little while but won't last long. I would look into building one yourself. You want something that is twice as long as the monitor, as deep as the monitor is long and twice as tall as the monitor is long since it is arboreal.

Here is some reading too
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Good luck.

 

[james.w]

Did you get your melius yet?

 

[Draco D Tegu]

There is a gentleman that I bought my Gu from that is selling a Quince Monitor (AKA Melinus), or at least he was. If you like I can ask him if he's still sellling it or if he sold it already. I don't know if he would ship but it wouldn't hurt to ask.

 

[gboleslavsky]

I am raising two for about 8 months now, male and female, they doubled in size so far. You need at least 4x4x2 cage, 140F on one side at a decent size basking site, 90 or so on the other, lots and lots of UVB, a couple of feet of moist dirt since they burrow, hides, , some cypress mulch on top, a pool they can hang out in thats about 80F or so. All inner surfaces should be climbable and branches at various heights from heat and UVB sources. The box should be closed on all side so humidity doesn't escape. Babies need similar but smaller but I'm rasing mine in adult size cagem they started at 12". not they are > 24" and should be > 48"

 

[james.w]

Draco, could you find out if he still has it? If it is captive bred and how old it is?
Thanks

Gboleslavsky, do you have any pictures of yours and their enclosure? What else do you keep?

 

[gboleslavsky]

I also keep yellow ackies, 3 male tegus, bw, giant bw and a red, selling the BW (kingsnake and here since he's trying to kill my rescue giant bw), Rhacs(cresteds, chahouas, gargoyles, one leachie I'm selling), giant leos (selling those too, need more time for work), a beardie, a BTS, russian tortoise, chaco golden knee tarantula, 3 kinds of roaches, too much. Want to get into more australian skinks -- gidgees and more rare ones, and maybe other dwarf monitors

 

[james.w]

Nice collection. Any pics if your Melinus and their enclosure?

 

[Draco D Tegu]

Draco, could you find out if he still has it? If it is captive bred and how old it is?
Thanks

Gboleslavsky, do you have any pictures of yours and their enclosure? What else do you keep?

Sure I can....was this before or after your message? Just saw it.