15 years ago I got an adult roughneck monitor. Dog tame and the best pet I've ever had. Died in his sleep year later and I was devastated. Didn't have the courage to have another one,
until now, I rescued one (named him Argo). About 2 feet long snout to vent. Working on taming him down. Will put up with getting his nails trimmed. Hisses when I pick him up, but doesn't lunge or try to bite, just scrabbles about.
Handling him daily for 30 minutes in the bathroom, letting him wander, picking him up, letting him wander again. He loves the shower and getting rained on.
I'm a little concerned because he wheezes a bit, 1st thought it was a cold, but I noticed one of his nostrils is somewhat closed (overgrown it looks like, possibly some damage from his past life?)
I've got two heat lamps (one "red" that came with him, the other is a full spectrum heat lamp) over his 50gal, but still concerned he's not warm enough. Should I put a heating pad under the tank? Currently on a bed of...shredded coconut I think? My old roughneck had his own room and the run of the house, but with the new house I just bought, I don't have that luxury (gf would object) so I want to ensure Argo has a good tank. It's got a half-shell tree bark hiding place, and a climbing branch, I intend to get more.
Been feeding him on steak cubes currently, every 3rd day, until I can see how his stools are (watery, as my last monitor's were) but they all look ok. Also ensure he eats outside of his tank, so he doesn't get that coconut ingested.
In any case, suggestions are appreciated, food, housing, heat, handling, as I'm a little rusty and I want to provide the best I can for him.
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