The Red Ackie is a lizard species which originates from Australia is a great pet lizard to start with as they beyond the extraordinary. Just like other lizards, Red Ackies Habs characteristics which make them unique and beautiful on their own skin.
As a pet owner, there might be some things that you have to know about them. These are as follows:
The history of the Red Ackie Monitor
As mentioned above, Red Ackies come from Australia. To be more specific, they are dwelling in the arid dry regions or scrubland environments of the Northern Territory, Western Australia, and some areas of Queensland.
Since the places where they stay are very close to the rocky outcroppings, they usually stay in the narrow opening of these rocks. When frightened or when they feel threatened, they usually go out of this narrow holes or openings.
Just like any other lizard, they need to control their temperature and hydration level that is why they dug deep in order to create humid burrows where they can stay. Aside from controlling their hydration and temperature levels, these burrows also help them escape the midday heat.
Size and Longevity
Red Ackies can grow as long as 28 inches. In an average, they go around 24 to 28 inches. Generally speaking, male ackies are much larger than female ackies. These Red Ackies can live up to 15 to 20 years given that they are given proper care and are handled properly.
Housing
Since Red Ackies can grow up to 28 inches and are very active, they need a spacious place where they can stay. They also like to burrow in the substrate which means that their area or house should have a substrate which is deep enough for it to keep its moisture under the surface.
Their house should be large enough that for a good temperature gradient to be maintained. Large Ackies need a controlled temperature which is around 50 degrees hot end 20-25 degrees “cold” end.
Ideally, their house should measure around 4’x2’x2. Others want it bigger in order to make sure that they are providing the exact depth of the substrate that the ackie needs.
But if there is not enough space in your house, you can simply use stones to make a wall where you can achieve the needed depth for the Ackie to burrow. In making their house, make sure that everything is sealed properly, especially the edges to keep the soil moisturize as long as possible. It is advised to use glass when making one.
Naturally, ackies are the ones who make their one burrow but if they do so, finding them would be harder for you. The better option is to provide them with the place where they can hide so that finding them would be so much easier. Don't just provide them with one hiding place but try to provide them with plenty of hiding places.
Heating
Red Ackies prefer places which are hot yet relaxed. Considering where they came from, they should be provided with the temperature is around 65 degrees to 120 degrees.
It is very important for reptiles, like these Red Ackies to regulate their temperature with the temperature around them. In order to achieve this, they should be provided with different places with different temperatures within their house.
They also need a UVB which is provided by a special heating device in order for them to make Vitamin D3. When in lack of Vitamin D3, calcium absorption would be harder and Metabolic Bone Disease might develop.
Lighting
A high-intensity UV is needed by Red Ackies. But lights should be turned off at night as keeping it on will stress the lizard. It should be lighted for 12 hours, and it should be dark for 12 hours as well. Doing this is very simple.
Just keep the light off during the day and turn it on at night. If their space is large enough, and you have provided the space a combined heat and UV basking lamp, then the light is already enough. But if you have not provided them with a combined heat and UV basking lamp, then you have to provide them a 10% or 12% watt UVB tube. A reflector is also a great help in increasing the UV delivered to the lizard.
Substrate and Furnishing
Since ackies are big fans of borrowing, they need a substrate which is humid. The substrate should be thick and moist enough to keep the lizard hydrated and moisturized.
There are many ways to provide places where Red Ackies can hide.
Their hiding places can either be layers of bedding and moss, caves, cork bark stacks, pieces of woods and so much more. It is a must that enough hiding choices should be provided to the lizard in order for it to find out which among their choices is their preferred temperature.
Water and Humidity
The best way to keep Red Ackies hydrated is to provide them a big water bowl which is large enough for these red ackies to soak whenever they want their body temperature warmer. Red ackies prefer dry air and surface while they like their burrow moist.
In order to keep the burrow moist, water it when the lizard is not inside it. In order to keep the level of humidity up, water their cage once or twice a day.
Nutrition
Red ackies are omnivores. Their diet is consist of mice, crickets, hissing cockroaches, mealworms, snails, eggs and shrimps. Being an omnivore does not mean that they can eat everything as long as it is meat. Dog food and cat dog is not ideal for their diet.
The ideal diet of Red Ackies is consists of whole prey foods, raw turkey, and egg. Every food that would be given to them should be dusted with a high-quality calcium and/or vitamin powder.
For baby Red Ackies, their diet should be strictly worms, crickets, and roaches.
Handling
Red Ackies are very easy to handle and take good care. Red Ackies are very calm, confident, tolerant, and they enjoy interacting with humans.
Before handling it, the lizard should be given enough time to familiarize itself with the environment where it stays. It is also very important that bond should be established between the lizard and the owner.
Finding out whether the Red Ackie is ready to be handled is very easy. If it already has a good appetite this means that it can already be handled for a few minutes a day.
If the Red Ackie will not show any difference with its appetite and will not spend alone time for a long time or it does not show any sign that it is avoiding its owner, this means that the Red Ackie does not mind if ever it is handled for a longer duration.
Breeding
Female Red Ackies are known as cyclical breeders. They store fats in their tails. Then they have stored the right amount of fats, this is the time that they will lay their eggs.
Female red ackies produce a pheromone which attracts men to mate with them. They lay their eggs into burrows. If ever the eggs are placed in an incubator, it should be placed as exactly as they were when they were still in the burrow or else the embryo will die.
Red ackies are great pets. Taming and taking good care of them is very easy. Another reason why they are good pets is that they have a very long life. But of course, there are still a lot of things to consider before buying one.
I hope you like this article about the Red Ackie monitor facts, please leave your comments.
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