The Virtues Of Cleanliness

In the wild monitor lizards are hosts to a multitude of internal "parasites" (e.g. Jones 1988 & 1991; Bosch 1991). Many of them are hannless only because they are present in small numbers. The stress induced by capture and transport often allows these organisms to propagate to such an extent that they destroy their host. Therefore a newly imported monitor should be subjected to the scrutiny of a vet and treated with drugs to kill any potential pathogens that live inside it. When the lizard is free from harmful parasites and bacteria the object is to keep it that way with scrupulous attention to hygiene. Newly acquired specimens should be subjected to a strict period of quarantine until veterinary examination confirms that they are free from parasites. Only when the lizards have been proved to be healthy should they be moved into the vicinity of established animals.

Attribution / Courtesy: Daniel Bennett. 1995. A Little Book of Monitor Lizards. Viper Press U.K.