Varanus acanthurus
Ackie monitor
A hot basking surface, a cooler retreat, and a humid burrow. Surface temperatures of 50–60°C are commonly used for this species and will burn an animal that cannot move away.
Legal status
- CITES II
Varanus acanthurus is recorded as CITES Appendix II under Varanus spp. in Appendix II, except species placed in Appendix I. Varanus acanthurus is not one of those Appendix I exceptions in the standard family listing. Confirm the current appendices.. No EU annex letter was verified for this exact species in this record, so the annex field is empty. Confirm Commission Regulation (EU) 2023/966 before you import, sell, or rely on an annex. Not marked as an EU invasive alien species. Not marked venomous. Not named in 50 CFR 16.15. Check local rules before you keep, move, or rehome an animal. This record is not a permit and not legal advice.
Official sourceNot legal advice. Rules differ by country, and sometimes by region. Check the law that applies to you.
- Temperature
- 26–32°C
- Basking
- 50–60°C
- UVB
- Ferguson zone 3. About 1.0–2.6 at the animal. The basking surface is much hotter than the air.
- Humidity
- 50–70%
- Minimum enclosure
- About 120 × 60 × 60 cm for one adult, with deep substrate
- Adult size
- About 60–70 cm.
- Lifespan
- Often 15–20 years.
- Difficulty
- advanced
Diet and feeding
Insects, dusted, with variety. Rodents are not the staple. Juveniles daily. Adults every other day or several times a week.
Substrate
A deep sand-soil mix the animal can burrow in, kept slightly moist at depth.
Health
Burns, dehydration of the burrow, and obesity if the diet is mostly fatty prey.
Handling
They tolerate calm handling better than many monitors. Still support the body and expect claws.
Husbandry ranges are general guidance for captive care, not a veterinary prescription or a permit. Confirm the gradient with your own thermometers. UV zones follow Baines et al., Journal of Zoo and Aquarium Research 4(1), 2016, https://www.jzar.org/jzar/article/view/150. Legal fields use the source link on this species and stay empty when an annex was not verified.