Description:
Scientific name: Varanus gouldii
Life span: 20-30 years
The sand monitor is commonly known as Gould’s goanna. They are large monitors. The lizard has tiny, round yellow spots evenly spaced over its body and is greenish-gray in color. The markings are more noticeable on the tail and lower body but are less noticeable near the neck. The snake’s head has a flat shape with golden patterning on the sides. The tail’s bottom quarter is long and full yellow. They have long forked tails.
Native Region/Habitat
The Sand Monitor is the most widely distributed monitor in Australia. They can be found throughout almost all of Australia, with the exception of Tasmania, the extreme south-east, heavily wooded east coast regions, and much of central Queensland, where a number of other monitor species have taken over their former habitat.
Behavior:
The males occupy bigger territories and are more energetic than the females. Instead of digging their own burrows, Gould’s goanna frequently finds shelter in the warrens of imported rabbits. The burrows are crucial for protecting animals from weather and predators. Goannas expose themselves to predators when foraging since they are concentrated on digging for their meals. Goannas walk with their body elevated off the ground, just the tip of their tails touching the ground in the process. The tail is entirely raised off the ground when running
Care As a pet/In captivity:
If you are in the monitor’s natural climate, the optimum type of housing is an outdoor pit. Indoor enclosure furniture consists primarily of rocks and logs. It is advisable to have a big basking rock near the hot end, which will keep warm for most of the nighttime and end up being the monitors’ preferred sleeping area. The best logs are those that let the monitor nearly crawl inside. Ambient temperatures between 25 and 28 degrees are suitable.
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