Common name: sand Goanna/ sand monitor / racehorse Goanna.
Scientific name: Varanus gouldii flavirufus
Described : Mertens 1958
Size: males ~100cm females ~70-80cm.
The sand goannas are a very active lizard, that inhabit most of Australia ( Varanus gouldii and Varanus gouldii flavirufus).
It’s a terrestrial species that in nature digs large burrows.
In captivity the sand goannas are also very active lizards, so it’s important to give them space. Of course it’s limited what most people can do, but a 300x90x110cm cage with cork tubes and other decorations will work fine.
Leaf litter can be added on top of the substrate, so that it’s possible to add roaches that can then hide in the leaf litter. The goannas can spend hours looking for roaches in the leaf litter, so it’s a good way to give the goannas something to do.
Since they are from Australia, you can’t add too much visual light.
I personally use 6400k leds, that are added from end to end in the cages, they are combined with some plant lights to give a better spectrum.
Basking area is created by using halogen spots. I use lower watt halogens, but then more bulbs are used to create a larger basking area.
24w t5-ho 12% are used as UV source. The UV tubes are placed at an angle so that it’s combined within the basking area itself.
They have a smaller water dish as they don’t swim. So it’s also easy to clean and add fresh water.
As food they more or less eat anything that fits inside their mouth.
I personally use the following for adults: dubia, Pantanal roaches, grasshoppers, mice, chicks, chopped adult quail’s, quail eggs, soft boiled chicken eggs. Once in a while they get reptile eggs if I get any infertile.
Baby and young sand goannas more or less eats the same as the adults.
Incubation: the incubation of the eggs is pretty straight forward.
I’m old school so I still use vermiculite as incubation medium. The mix of vermiculite and water is a ratio of 1:1 by weight.
Incubation temperature is 28-30c without seasonal changes.
My eggs have hatch anywhere between 190-240 days.
A little info on eggs. More info will come as more clutches will be laid ( I have not done any info on eggs or babies in previous clutches).
Egg size ( the plan is to list info from 10 eggs ).
40.1 X 30.4 mm.
Weight:
Freshly hatched babies.
Length:
Weight:
