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Pilbara Rock Monitor
Varanus pilbarensis
A small, spectacularly colored Australian monitor lizard adapted to life among rocks. Extremely fast and active, it requires enclosures with complex rock structures and high temperatures.
Class:Squamata
Order:Squamata
Family:Varanidae
Genus:Varanus
Species:Varanus pilbarensis
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Environment
Terrestrial
Humidity
30 - 50 %
Day temperature
30 - 38 °C
Night temperature
22 - 26 °C
Adult size
18.5 cm
UVB
High
Species description
Geographical Origin and Habitat: Endemic to the Pilbara region of Western Australia. It inhabits dry, rocky gorges and granitic outcrops, sheltering deep within tight rock crevices.
Taxonomy and Genetics: Belongs to the family Varanidae, genus Varanus, and subgenus Odatria. A highly specialized saxicolous species with genetic traits optimized for heat tolerance and climbing vertical rock faces.
Behavior and Habits: Diurnal, highly active, and incredibly fast. It is extremely agile, hopping between boulders with ease. It displays keen visual awareness and investigates its environment actively.
Morphology: A small monitor lizard reaching a total length of 35-40 cm. It features a striking reddish-brown or orange dorsal color patterned with pale ocelli and dark bands. The tail is long, slender, and round.
Care, breeding and tankmates
Terrarium Setup: Requires a medium-large horizontal enclosure (minimum 120x60x60 cm). Build secure stacks of slate or flat stones (must be silicone-bonded to prevent collapse) to form narrow crevices. Use a dry sandy substrate.
Lighting and Heating: Requires high temperatures. Provide a basking spot of 50-55°C (122-131°F) using halogen lamps. Ambient temperatures should be 28-32°C (82-90°F) with a night drop to 20°C (68°F). High-output 10-12% UVB lighting is required.
Humidity and Hydration: Maintain low ambient humidity (30-40%). A humid hide box containing damp moss is essential for shedding and nesting. Provide a shallow water dish.
Feeding and Supplementation: Carnivorous. Feed gut-loaded crickets, roaches, locusts, and occasional pinky mice. Dust insects with calcium three times a week and multivitamins with D3 once a week.
Compatibility: Can be housed in pairs or trios (one male, multiple females) in spacious enclosures with multiple basking sites. Never house males together due to aggressive fighting.
Health and Common Diseases: Prone to Metabolic Bone Disease (MBD) if calcium or UVB is inadequate. Females are susceptible to egg-binding (dystocia) if a deep, damp nesting area is not provided.
Geographic Origin and Distribution
Endemic to the Pilbara region of Western Australia. It inhabits dry, rocky gorges and granitic outcrops, sheltering deep within tight rock crevices.
Origin
Australia, New Guinea, and Oceania
Reptile profile
- Diet
- No verified data available
- Life expectancy
- No verified data available
- Adult size
- 18.5 cm
- Lifestyle/Microhabitat
- No verified data available
- Activity cycle
- No verified data available
- Sociality
- No verified data available
- Reproduction
- No verified data available
- Handling tolerance
- No verified data available
- Brumation
- No verified data available
- Molting
- No verified data available
The catalog's scalar value is 18.5 cm. The ReptTraits v1.2 source reports a maximum adult measurement of 18.5 cm for this species, recorded as snout–vent length (SVL). These figures are not interchangeable: the first is the profile's editorial reference, whereas the second is a published maximum under a specific measurement convention; differences among sources can reflect sex, population, life stage and measuring method.
Image gallery
Licensed images linked to the species or, when marked, to the closest representative taxon.
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