Storr’s Monitor (Varanus storri) Care Sheet
Storr’s Monitor (Varanus storri) is a small, robust monitor lizard native to northern Australia. Sometimes called Storr’s Pygmy Monitor, it belongs to the group of smaller Australian monitors commonly referred to as dwarf monitors.
Although much smaller than Nile, Argus or Quince Monitors, Storr’s Monitor should not be treated as a miniature version requiring correspondingly basic husbandry. It is an active, intelligent, strongly terrestrial lizard that benefits from substantial floor space, deep substrate, numerous retreats, intense basking heat, effective UVB and opportunities to dig, climb and forage.
Its relatively manageable adult size makes Varanus storri an attractive option for experienced keepers who want the behaviour and activity of a monitor without the enormous space requirements of the larger species.
They remain fast, alert reptiles and are generally better regarded as:
active observational animals rather than routine handling pets.
Captive-bred animals should be chosen wherever possible.
QUICK FACTS
Scientific name: Varanus storri
Common names: Storr’s Monitor, Storr’s Pygmy Monitor
Family: Varanidae
Native range: Northern Australia
Lifestyle: Primarily terrestrial
Activity: Diurnal
Adult total length: Approximately 12–16 in, occasionally somewhat larger
Lifespan: Approximately 10–15+ years with good care
Diet: Primarily insectivorous/carnivorous
Minimum adult enclosure: Approximately 4 × 2 × 2 ft for one adult
Preferred enclosure: Approximately 5–6 × 2–3 × 2–3 ft or larger
Basking surface: Approximately 50–60°C (122–140°F)
Warm ambient: Approximately 27–30°C (81–86°F)
Cool area: Approximately 23–26°C (73–79°F)
Night temperature: Approximately 20–24°C (68–75°F)
Humidity: Relatively dry ambient conditions with substantially more humid substrate and retreats
UVB: Essential for modern captive husbandry
Suggested basking UVI: Approximately 3–5
Substrate: Deep soil/sand mixture suitable for digging
Housing: Individual housing is simplest and safest
Handling: Limited
Reproduction: Egg-laying
Experience level: Intermediate to advanced
CITES: Appendix II
SPECIES OVERVIEW
Storr’s Monitor is one of Australia’s smaller monitor lizards.
Despite its modest size, it displays many characteristic monitor behaviours, including:
- Active foraging
- Digging
- Basking
- Scent investigation
- Rapid pursuit of prey
- Exploration
- Use of secure retreats
Captive husbandry should encourage these behaviours rather than simply providing enough space for the animal to exist.
TAXONOMY
The accepted scientific name is:
Varanus storri
It belongs to:
Family: Varanidae
Genus: Varanus
Two forms have traditionally been recognised:
Varanus storri storri
Varanus storri ocreatus
Keep accurate provenance information where known and avoid deliberately mixing locality or subspecific lines without documenting this.
NATURAL DISTRIBUTION
Storr’s Monitors occur in:
northern Australia.
Their range includes areas of:
- Queensland
- Northern Territory
- Western Australia
depending on the form concerned.
NATURAL HABITAT
Habitats are generally warm and seasonally dry and can include:
- Open woodland
- Savannah
- Grassland
- Rocky areas
- Dry tropical environments
Animals use:
- Burrows
- Crevices
- Vegetation
- Fallen timber
for security and shelter from environmental extremes.
ADULT SIZE
Storr’s Monitor is considerably smaller than most familiar monitor species.
Adults are commonly approximately:
12–16 in
in total length.
Some individuals may become somewhat larger.
BODY STRUCTURE
Although small, Storr’s Monitors are relatively:
stocky and robust.
They possess:
- Strong limbs
- Digging claws
- Powerful jaws for their size
- A muscular tail
APPEARANCE
Typical colouration includes shades of:
- Brown
- Grey-brown
- Reddish brown
- Dark brown
with lighter spotting or patterning.
Their cryptic colouration provides camouflage against:
- Soil
- Rock
- Dry vegetation
BEHAVIOUR
Storr’s Monitors are:
diurnal and active.
A healthy animal may spend considerable time:
- Basking
- Digging
- Searching for insects
- Investigating scents
- Moving between hides
- Exploring enclosure furnishings
TEMPERAMENT
Individuals vary.
Captive-bred animals can become accustomed to routine keeper activity, but many remain:
- Fast
- Alert
- Wary
They should not be purchased primarily as animals to handle.
ENCLOSURE PHILOSOPHY
Although small for a monitor, Varanus storri is extremely active for its body size.
Enclosure design should therefore prioritise:
usable floor area and environmental complexity.
MINIMUM ADULT ENCLOSURE
For one adult, approximately:
4 × 2 × 2 ft
should be regarded as a sensible minimum.
This is significantly larger than the animal’s body length because monitors actively use available space.
PREFERRED ADULT ENCLOSURE
Where space permits, approximately:
5–6 ft long × 2–3 ft deep × 2–3 ft high
or larger is preferable.
Additional space allows:
- Better thermal gradients
- More digging areas
- Multiple hides
- More enrichment
- Greater exercise
FLOOR SPACE
Storr’s Monitor is primarily terrestrial.
Prioritise:
length and depth
over excessive enclosure height.
Useful height should still be provided for:
- Raised basking platforms
- Rocks
- Logs
- Low climbing structures
SECURITY
Despite their small size, Storr’s Monitors are:
excellent escape artists.
Check:
- Door gaps
- Ventilation openings
- Cable holes
- Sliding-door tracks
carefully.
The enclosure should be securely locked where necessary.
SUBSTRATE
Provide a deep naturalistic substrate.
Suitable mixtures can contain:
- Organic topsoil
- Washed play sand
- Clay-rich soil
A soil/sand mixture that holds an excavated tunnel is particularly useful.
SUBSTRATE DEPTH
Provide at least approximately:
8–12 in
of diggable substrate over a substantial portion of the enclosure.
Deeper areas are beneficial.
WHY DEEP SUBSTRATE MATTERS
Deep substrate allows:
- Digging
- Burrowing
- Thermoregulation
- Humidity regulation
- Exercise
- Natural nesting behaviour
A thin layer of loose substrate does not reproduce these functions.
SUBSTRATE MOISTURE
Do not keep the entire enclosure bone dry.
The exposed surface can remain relatively dry while lower substrate layers remain:
slightly moist.
This creates a natural humidity gradient.
HUMID RETREATS
At least one retreat should provide:
higher humidity.
This is particularly valuable during shedding.
HIDES
Provide several hides at different points in the thermal gradient.
Suitable options include:
- Cork bark
- Rock-style hides
- Buried hides
- Hollow logs
- Artificial burrows
An animal should never have to choose between:
feeling secure and maintaining the correct body temperature.
FURNISHINGS
Provide:
- Rocks
- Logs
- Cork
- Low branches
- Platforms
- Leaf litter
- Visual barriers
The enclosure should contain numerous routes through and around its furnishings.
ROCK SAFETY
Monitors may excavate underneath rocks.
Heavy rocks should therefore rest on:
the enclosure floor or another secure structural base
rather than being balanced on loose substrate.
TEMPERATURE
Storr’s Monitors require a substantial thermal gradient.
This is particularly important because small enclosures can easily become uniformly hot.
BASKING SURFACE
Provide a basking surface around:
50–60°C (122–140°F).
This is the temperature of:
the basking surface itself, not the surrounding air.
The monitor must always be able to leave the basking area easily.
BASKING AREA
The basking zone should be large enough to warm the animal’s:
entire body.
One tiny intensely heated spot is less useful than a broad appropriately heated surface.
WARM AMBIENT TEMPERATURE
Maintain the warm side around:
27–30°C (81–86°F).
COOL AREA
The cooler portion should remain approximately:
23–26°C (73–79°F).
NIGHT TEMPERATURE
Night temperatures can fall toward:
20–24°C (68–75°F).
NIGHT HEATING
If room temperature remains safely within range, nighttime heating is usually unnecessary.
Where supplementary heat is needed, use a:
thermostatically controlled non-light-emitting source.
TEMPERATURE MONITORING
Use:
- Digital probe thermometers
- Infrared thermometer
Measure:
- Basking surface
- Warm ambient
- Cool ambient
- Burrow temperature
- Night minimum
Do not estimate temperatures from lamp wattage.
UVB
Storr’s Monitors are:
diurnal basking reptiles.
Effective UVB should be provided.
SUGGESTED BASKING UVI
Aim for approximately:
UVI 3–5
at the principal exposed basking position.
UV GRADIENT
Also provide:
- Lower-UV areas
- Partial shade
- Complete shade
- Burrows with effectively no UV exposure
The animal should control its own exposure.
WHAT THIS MEANS IN PRACTICE
For most enclosures, use a quality:
linear T5 UVB lamp
covering approximately one-half to two-thirds of the enclosure length.
The exact output and mounting distance depend on the individual lamp and enclosure design.
HEAT AND UVB
The main UVB zone should overlap the:
basking area.
When basking, the animal should simultaneously receive:
- Heat
- UVA
- UVB
- Bright visible-spectrum light
UVB PERCENTAGE
Do not select UVB solely according to labels such as:
- 6%
- 7%
- 12%
- 14%
The actual UVI reaching the animal depends on:
- Lamp model
- Reflector
- Distance
- Mesh
- Lamp age
MESH
Mesh can significantly reduce UVB.
If the UVB lamp is mounted above mesh, account for this reduction when establishing:
basking distance.
UV METER
A UV meter is the most reliable way to confirm the actual:
UVI at animal level.
VISIBLE-SPECTRUM LIGHTING
Provide a:
bright daytime environment.
Daylight-spectrum LED lighting can supplement the basking and UVB lamps.
PHOTOPERIOD
Approximately:
12 hours light / 12 hours dark
is a practical baseline.
Some seasonal variation can be provided.
NIGHT LIGHTING
Provide darkness at night.
Do not use permanent:
- Red lamps
- Blue lamps
- Purple lamps
HUMIDITY
Storr’s Monitors come from relatively dry environments, but “dry species” does not mean they should be maintained without access to moisture.
Aim for moderate ambient humidity, generally around:
40–60%
with natural fluctuations.
SUBSTRATE HUMIDITY
Deeper substrate and secure burrows should remain:
more humid than the open enclosure.
This allows the monitor to regulate hydration behaviourally.
WATER
Provide a clean water bowl at all times.
The container should be large enough for the animal to:
soak if it chooses.
WATER HYGIENE
Replace water regularly and immediately when contaminated.
Monitors may drag:
- Soil
- Food
- Faeces
into their water.
DIET
Storr’s Monitors are active carnivorous predators with a strong emphasis on:
invertebrate prey.
In captivity, insects and other appropriate invertebrates should form a substantial part of the diet.
SUITABLE FOODS
Suitable foods include:
- Crickets
- Locusts
- Roaches
- Black soldier fly larvae
- Silkworms
- Snails
- Beetle larvae in moderation
- Other safe cultured invertebrates
- Occasional appropriately sized whole vertebrate prey
DIETARY VARIETY
Avoid feeding only:
one insect species.
Rotating feeder species improves both:
- Nutritional variety
- Behavioural enrichment
WHOLE VERTEBRATE PREY
Small whole vertebrate prey can be included periodically.
Depending on animal size, examples may include:
- Appropriately sized rodents
- Small chicks or quail portions where suitable
These should not automatically dominate the diet.
RODENT-HEAVY DIETS
Storr’s Monitors are small active monitors and can become overweight when repeatedly fed calorie-dense vertebrate prey.
Invertebrates should remain a major dietary component.
PREY SIZE
Feed prey appropriate to the monitor’s size.
Avoid unnecessarily large prey.
FEEDING JUVENILES
Growing juveniles can generally be offered appropriately sized food:
daily or almost daily.
Most meals should consist of:
- Insects
- Other suitable invertebrates
FEEDING ADULTS
Healthy adults can generally be fed approximately:
3–5 times per week
depending on:
- Meal size
- Food type
- Activity
- Body condition
- Reproductive status
BODY CONDITION
Monitor body condition rather than feeding simply because the animal appears hungry.
Monitor lizards can develop a strong food response.
A healthy Storr’s Monitor should remain:
lean, muscular and active.
GUT LOADING
Feeder insects should be properly:
gut loaded.
CALCIUM
Dust suitable feeder insects with:
plain calcium
regularly.
MULTIVITAMIN
Use an appropriate reptile multivitamin:
periodically and conservatively.
VITAMIN D3
Where effective UVB is provided, dietary vitamin D3 generally needs to be used:
sparingly.
Always follow the concentration and directions of the supplement being used.
ENRICHMENT
Storr’s Monitors are intelligent and exploratory.
Provide opportunities for:
- Digging
- Hunting
- Searching
- Climbing
- Scent investigation
- Exploring new safe objects
FEEDING ENRICHMENT
Rather than feeding from the same bowl every time:
- Scatter insects
- Release suitable insects into safe hunting areas
- Hide food beneath leaf litter
- Use scent trails
- Change feeding locations
This encourages natural foraging.
HANDLING
Storr’s Monitors are generally better suited to:
observation and voluntary interaction
than frequent forced handling.
BUILDING TRUST
Allow the monitor to become accustomed to:
- Keeper presence
- Routine enclosure maintenance
- Feeding tongs
- Hands being present without always attempting capture
Over time, some individuals become confident enough to approach voluntarily.
FORCED RESTRAINT
Repeated chasing and grabbing can:
- Increase stress
- Encourage defensive behaviour
- Damage keeper-animal trust
Reserve restraint for situations where it is genuinely necessary.
FOOD RESPONSE
Avoid feeding directly from fingers.
Use:
- Feeding tongs
- Target training
- Consistent feeding cues
where appropriate.
COHABITATION
Individual housing is the:
simplest and safest option.
MULTIPLE MALES
Adult males can be territorial.
Do not assume two males will coexist safely simply because the species is small.
PAIRS
Some experienced keepers maintain compatible pairs or breeding groups in large enclosures.
However, compatibility must be:
monitored continuously.
SOCIAL STRESS
Warning signs include:
- Persistent chasing
- Bite injuries
- One animal constantly hiding
- Feeding suppression
- Weight loss
- One animal monopolising the basking area
Separate animals immediately where necessary.
BREEDING
Storr’s Monitors are:
oviparous — egg-laying.
Captive breeding is achievable when adults are correctly conditioned.
BREEDING CONDITION
Only breed animals that are:
- Mature
- Healthy
- Well established
- In good body condition
FEMALE NUTRITION
Egg production increases demand for:
- Calcium
- Energy
- Hydration
Monitor females carefully during the breeding season.
NESTING
A gravid female requires:
deep, moist, structurally stable substrate.
The nesting area must allow her to excavate a secure tunnel.
NESTING DEPTH
Approximately:
10–12 in or deeper
is desirable for nesting females.
Providing deeper areas is preferable where possible.
NESTING MOISTURE
The substrate should be moist enough to:
hold an excavated tunnel
without collapsing.
It should not be waterlogged.
GRAVID FEMALE
Possible signs include:
- Increasing abdominal size
- Increased digging
- Restlessness
- Changes in feeding
- Repeated exploration of nesting areas
FAILURE TO LAY
Seek veterinary advice promptly if a gravid female:
- Repeatedly attempts to nest without laying
- Becomes weak
- Becomes severely lethargic
- Stops feeding for an abnormal period
- Shows persistent straining
EGGS
If eggs are removed for artificial incubation:
avoid unnecessary rotation.
INCUBATION
Monitor eggs require:
- Stable temperature
- High but controlled substrate moisture
- Appropriate ventilation
Incubation lasts:
several months
and duration varies with temperature and individual clutch.
HATCHLINGS
Hatchlings require:
- Secure accommodation
- Digging substrate
- Small hides
- Suitable basking heat
- UVB
- Humid retreats
- Appropriate hydration
- Tiny live prey
HATCHLING FEEDING
Suitable foods include:
- Pinhead crickets
- Small roach nymphs
- Small black soldier fly larvae
- Other appropriately sized cultured insects
Feed growing hatchlings frequently.
QUARANTINE
New Storr’s Monitors should undergo quarantine.
Approximately:
60–90 days
is a sensible minimum.
Longer quarantine may be appropriate where origin or health history is uncertain.
QUARANTINE MONITORING
Record:
- Weight
- Appetite
- Faeces
- Shedding
- Hydration
- Behaviour
- Respiration
FAECAL TESTING
Faecal parasite screening is advisable for animals of:
uncertain origin.
Treatment should be based on appropriate veterinary assessment rather than automatic medication.
COMMON HEALTH CONCERNS
Potential problems include:
- Obesity
- Metabolic bone disease
- Dehydration
- Retained shed
- Parasites
- Respiratory disease
- Burns
- Trauma
- Reproductive problems
METABOLIC BONE DISEASE
Possible signs include:
- Weakness
- Tremors
- Abnormal gait
- Limb deformity
- Soft jaw
- Fractures
MBD PREVENTION
Provide:
- Appropriate UVB
- Correct basking temperatures
- Proper calcium provision
- Varied nutrition
- Appropriate supplementation
DEHYDRATION
Maintaining the entire enclosure extremely dry can contribute to:
- Poor shedding
- Dehydration
- Chronic health problems
Provide moisture through:
- Deep substrate
- Humid retreats
- Fresh drinking water
RETAINED SHED
Pay particular attention to:
- Toes
- Feet
- Tail tip
Persistent constricting shed can compromise circulation.
BURNS
Powerful basking lamps can cause serious injury.
Ensure the monitor cannot directly contact:
- Bulbs
- Heating elements
- Hot fixtures
RESPIRATORY DISEASE
Potential contributing factors include:
- Incorrect temperatures
- Chronic stress
- Poor ventilation
- Inappropriate humidity
Abnormal breathing or respiratory discharge requires veterinary attention.
CLEANING AND ROUTINE CARE
Remove:
- Faeces
- Urates
- Uneaten prey
- Contaminated substrate
promptly.
Deep substrate can be:
spot cleaned
rather than routinely discarded in its entirety.
ENCLOSURE CHECKS
Regularly inspect:
- Doors
- Locks
- Ventilation
- Heating guards
- Electrical fittings
- Branches
- Heavy rocks
- UVB lamps
CITES AND LEGAL CONSIDERATIONS
Varanus storri, like other members of the genus Varanus, is regulated under:
CITES Appendix II.
Appendix II does not automatically prohibit private ownership.
It controls:
international trade.
Maintain records including:
- Scientific name
- Breeder or supplier
- Acquisition date
- Hatch date where known
- Sex where known
- Parentage/locality information where available
- Relevant import/export documentation
IRELAND, NORTHERN IRELAND AND GREAT BRITAIN
Requirements concerning:
- Import
- Export
- Commercial movement
- International transport
can differ between:
- Republic of Ireland
- Northern Ireland
- Great Britain
- European Union
Check current requirements before moving animals internationally.
NEVER RELEASE CAPTIVE ANIMALS
Never release a captive Storr’s Monitor into:
the wild.
COMMON HUSBANDRY MISTAKES
Common mistakes include:
- Assuming a small monitor needs a small enclosure
- Providing insufficient floor space
- Providing only a thin layer of substrate
- Keeping the entire enclosure bone dry
- Providing no humid retreat
- Providing inadequate basking temperatures
- Measuring only air temperature
- Creating a tiny excessively hot basking point
- Heating the entire enclosure uniformly
- Providing inadequate UVB
- Selecting UVB solely by lamp percentage
- Failing to account for mesh
- Maintaining a dim enclosure
- Feeding only one insect species
- Feeding excessive rodents
- Feeding plain meat
- Overfeeding
- Allowing obesity
- Providing little enrichment
- Excessive forced handling
- Feeding directly from fingers
- Housing incompatible adults together
- Providing inadequate nesting substrate
- Failing to quarantine new animals
RESPONSIBLE OWNERSHIP
Before obtaining a Storr’s Monitor, ensure you can provide:
- At least approximately 4 × 2 × 2 ft for one adult
- Preferably 5–6 × 2–3 × 2–3 ft or larger
- At least approximately 8–12 in of diggable substrate
- Deeper nesting areas where required
- Several secure hides
- Humid retreats
- Stable rocks and logs
- A broad basking surface around 50–60°C (122–140°F)
- Warm ambient temperatures around 27–30°C (81–86°F)
- Cooler areas around 23–26°C (73–79°F)
- Appropriate nighttime cooling
- Quality linear UVB
- Approximately UVI 3–5 at the exposed basking position
- Complete shaded retreats
- Bright visible-spectrum lighting
- Fresh drinking water
- A varied invertebrate-rich diet
- Appropriate calcium and vitamin supplementation
- Behavioural enrichment
- Secure accommodation
- Quarantine facilities
- Access to a suitably experienced reptile veterinarian
- The ability to provide for the animal for potentially 10–15+ years
HUSBANDRY SUMMARY
Adult size: Approximately 12–16 in, occasionally larger
Lifespan: Approximately 10–15+ years
Adult enclosure: Minimum approximately 4 × 2 × 2 ft; 5–6 × 2–3 × 2–3 ft or larger preferred
Substrate: Approximately 8–12 in or more of diggable soil/sand substrate
Basking surface: Approximately 50–60°C (122–140°F)
Warm ambient: Approximately 27–30°C (81–86°F)
Cool area: Approximately 23–26°C (73–79°F)
Night: Approximately 20–24°C (68–75°F)
UVB: Quality linear T5 UVB
Suggested basking UVI: Approximately 3–5, with lower-UV areas and complete shade
Humidity: Moderate ambient humidity with substantially more humid substrate and burrows
Water: Fresh water at all times; bowl large enough for soaking
Diet: Primarily varied live invertebrates with occasional appropriate whole vertebrate prey
Housing: Individual housing safest
Handling: Limited; voluntary interaction preferable
Experience level: Intermediate to advanced
CITES: Appendix II
IMPORTANT INFORMATION
This care sheet provides general husbandry guidance and does not replace species-specific research or veterinary advice. Individual requirements may vary.
If you have concerns about an animal’s health or care, consult a suitably experienced exotic or reptile veterinarian.
Information correct at the date of publication.
reptilecommunity.com | Revised: September 2026