Varanus albigularis

Custom-built, very large terrarium, terrestrial and burrowing (robust branches and platforms for juveniles, which are more arboreal)

Minimum dimensions for an adult; bigger is always better for an animal of this size and activity level. A very sturdy structure (the animal is powerful and destructive), deep substrate for digging, and a hot spot accessible from a load-bearing platform.

Overall dry to moderate conditions reproducing the savannah. It is imperative to provide a humid hide or a burrow kept moist at depth for shedding and hydration; avoid a persistently high ambient humidity (respiratory risk).

A deep layer (40-60 cm minimum) allowing real burrows to be dug, a behaviour essential to this species. Keep the deep layers slightly moist for tunnel stability and hydration, the surface drier.

Essential. High-output UVB lighting (T5 HO 10-12% tube, Ferguson zone 3-4), positioned under the hot spot and renewed every 6-12 months depending on the model.

A large basin of clean water available at all times, sufficiently spacious and sturdy to allow the animal to drink and partially immerse itself. Change the water often (the animal bathes and defecates in it).

Eastern and southern Africa: savannahs, bushland and semi-arid rocky areas, from Ethiopia and South Sudan down to South Africa, Namibia and Angola.

Carnivore — Whole prey (rodents, chicks, birds) and invertebrates (snails/gastropods, beetles, large insects, crayfish)

In the wild, a diet dominated by invertebrates (snails, beetles, millipedes, scorpions) supplemented with eggs, snakes and small vertebrates. In captivity, VERY prone to obesity: favour invertebrates and lean prey, limit fatty rodents, space out meals in adults (1 to 2 times a week) and supplement with calcium/vitamin D3. Provide water and monitor the weight.

Clutch 10–50 eggs/young. A large clutch (often 10 to 30 eggs, up to ~50). Incubation of about 120-180 days at around 29-30 °C. The female needs a deep, humid egg-laying site.

• Obesity (very common, linked to an excess of fatty prey and lack of activity)
• Internal parasitoses (endoparasites very common in wild-caught specimens)
• Metabolic bone disease (MBD) from UVB/calcium deficiency
• Gout (excess protein and chronic dehydration)
• Respiratory infections and stomatitis (unsuitable thermal parameters or hygiene)