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Varanus yuwonoi is commonly referred to as the Tri-colored monitor or the Rainbow monitor. They are moderatly large monitors that are beautifully colored with blue, yellow and black. They are a brand new species taxonomically, only being named in 1997. Not much is written about them so all the information offerered here was gathered through research that involved contacting other Varanus yuwonoi owners and a few articles as well as observing my own charges.
They are seen rather infrequently in the pet trade and can fetch high prices. The Tri-colored monitor is native to the island the island of Halmehera which is in Indonesia. They can be found in habitats such as forest, beach and farmland. They are very capable of climbing and will do so frequently in captivity given the chance. The also show aquatic tendencies in captivity and will soak for hours in a water container. Sometimes they submerge themselves and don't come up for up to 30 minutes (per obs).
The name of this monitor gives you a good discription of its color pattern. It has the typical Indonesian monitor body shape; a long head and neck, slender body and a tail that is 1.5 times longer than the SVL. The limbs are long but not as sturdily built as other monitors and may suggest a somewhat arboreal nature. The nails on these monitors are talon like and can inflict deep scratches. The tail is long and sharply keeled which would aid this monitor in swimming. The pattern on this creature is spectacular. The tail is skyblue and lightly banded with verticle black bars all the way to the tip. This turns into a bright yellow color speckled with black from about the vent to halfway up the back. From here it becomes black on up to the head. The face however, has cream colored markings on it. The underside of the belly is drab and uniformly tan in color. The hind limbs are a combination of blue and yellow and the front limbs are black. Some animals have black bands going horizontally across the back around the shoulder region. It has been suggested that this may be a way to differentiate between the sexes (females have these band) but the bands could also just be a pattern that is more prominantly shown in animals from certain areas or possibly a pattern variation that can be seen witinin many monitor species. There is not yet enough information to make a conclusive statement about these markings. The only information I have about juveniles is that they have a lighter colored head than the adults and are just as high-strung.
Being from Indonesia, these monitors need a warm ambient temperature along with a high relative humidity. Humidity can be easily maintained by misting the enclosure every two or three days. Be careful not to over do it so that the cage doesn't remain constantly wet. Having moist spots is much healthier than a uniformly damp enclosure.
By trying different combinations of halogen and/or ceramic bulbs you can determine what combination is best to maintain proper basking and ambient temperatures for these monitors. Varanus yuwonoi is very high strung so keeping the fixtures out of reach is a good idea. Warning: Make sure your Tri-colored monitor can not come into direct contact with the heating element because it can severely injure itself. Their sense of touch is not the same as ours and the monitor may burn itself without knowing it. Use some sort of screening or make sure the heating device is far enough away that the monitor can't reach it.
These monitors will bask regularly so providing a hot spot is neccessary just as it would be with any other varanid. These are very active monitors and seem to do well at an ambient range of 80-85°F or a bit higher.
The basking spot can be much higher. I find that a temperature range of 110-130°F is used regularly and lengthily by the 2 specimens I've observed.
I've also observed that these monitors are very active at dusk and well into the night. Much more so than any other monitor I've kept. When their enclosure is pitch black you can hear them climbing, scratching and splashing around. A regular photoperiod of 12 hours light : 12 hours dark can easily be achived with the use of a simple timer that can be purchased at any hardware store. Don't be affaid to experiment with this cycle to see if there is a better light to dark ratio for your monitor or if it makes no difference at all. I won't get into the whole issue of whether or not monitors need UV lighting, except to say that there is no definitive proof to show that they need it in captivity or to show that they suffer from receiving it. Many people have successfully kept monitors both ways. You can do some research and make your own informed decision on this one.
At night temperatures should not be allowed to drop past 75°F. This can be done with ceramic bulbs or space heaters depending on which is better for your setup.
Varanus yuwonoi is a very hyperactive monitor that likes to climb, dig and soak in its water bowl. As such, it will need adequate space to feel secure and function properly. When purchasing or building an enclosure keep these behaviours in mind. It is best to obtain the largest possible enclosure that you can to start with and avoid having to transfer the animal to progressivly larger cages. An enclosure with dimensions 6.5 feet long X 4 feet high X 3 feet deep will suffice as a minimum. This is only a suggestion. Obviously the bigger the cage the better off the monitor will be. You can build a large tank for a relativly cheap price out of melamine and glass from a hardware store.
Climbing seems to be big part of this monitors behavior and they will climb on any branches you provide. What you can do is suspend logs or thick branches inside the cage so that they can reach them. Provide a basking light above one of these elevated branches and they will use it frequently.
As a substrate I find that a mix of sphagnum moss and cypress mulch work well. It holds moisture wherever you soak it and allows the monitors to bury themselves in it. If you obtain these monitors as subadults-adults they tend to be shy and will try to remain hidden if you are in the room but do come out if they think you're not around. It is important to keep the a layer of substrate that is thick enough for the monitors to dig in as well as hide under. I use about a one foot layer of the above mentioned substrate and find it works well.
Hiding spots are essential for this monitor because of its nervous nature. Provide hiding spots that are large enough for the monitor to fit in and feel secure. They will be used reguarly.
Varanus yuwonoi likes to soak in a water receptacle so one that is large enough for the monitor to curl itself in and submerge will be a benefit to this species. I've observed that they will soak for hours and can remain submerged for about thirty minutes. They will also defecate in the water bowl so regular changes and disinfections will be required. Keeping the water warm will increase the chances of them defecating in their water bowls if this is what you want.
Most monitors will eat greedily whether or not their keepers are watching them. This doesn't seem to be the case with Varanus yuwonoi. It is a very shy monitor that prefers to eat when no one is around. I've seen the same behavior in other Mangrove type monitors. (ie Varanus indicus, Varanus doreanus). This could be something that they grow out of as they become more comfortable with their surroundings however.
I currently feed mice, small rats and chicks. They are all taken eagerly as long as you can remain motionless or out of sight. They are quick to vomit a meal that has been eaten only moments before if they are disturbed soon after. I don't think obesity is an issue with these monitors but it will take much more observation to make a conclusive statement about that. They are very active and seem to burn off any weight before it can accumalate. Note: Fresh water should be available at all times
From speaking with other owners it seems that Varanus yuwonoi grows to about 4.5-5 feet TL. It is fairy large monitor but since they don't possess the bulk of some other species it may not look as big as it really is.
Temper wise they are not the friendliest of varanids. Defensive behaviors include defecating when handled, tail lashing, scratching and biting. Most specimens will exibit these behaviours with varying degrees of intensity. The two specimens I've worked with have different "personalaties" and exibit different behaviors. My male is extremely flightly and will run full speed into the walls of his enclosure and has suffered much nose damage as a result. The female is not as quick to run away from my approach but is still nervous. The male is not a biter and can be handled with less worry whereas the female is very defensive and must be handled with more caution.
Varanus yuwonoi have large teeth and a powerful jaw with which they can inflict a nasty bite. Gloves should be worn to reduce damage that may be caused from a bite.
Be sure to avoid using any rough surfaces in your setup because they may run into these things and cause severe damage to their noses that takes a long time to properly heal.
Their flightly nature could be due to the fact that most of the specimens in captivity we brought in as wild caught adults. Nervous behaviour could be expected from any monitor under the same situation. I don't know of any hatchling or juvenile Varanus yuwonoi in captivity but I was told that juveniles are aggressive as well. Perhaps if a specimen was obtained as a juvenile and handled reguarly it would become a managable monitor that would not show fear of its keeper as an adult, but without actually going through this process its not possible to say for sure. Most of the monitors in the Mangrove complex can become tractable with regular handling from an early age, maybe Tri-colored monitors can too.