Lace monitors or Tree goannas belong to the fascinating family of lizards. This huge Lace monitor is only second in size after Perentie of the tree goannas. It can grow up to 2.5 m in length (SVL- Snout vent length) and weigh up to 14 kg. Most of them are much smaller. The females are smaller than males.There are two types of Lace monitors. The main type is bluish-black color with cream bands across the body. The second type is yellow-brown color with blackish-brown bands through the body. The top of its head is black. They are well-built, have strong limbs, curved claws, and a wedge-shaped head. The younger ones are slender, but they become fat and round as they grow old. Though they have a large mass, they are adept at climbing trees when needed to protect themselves. Primarily sedentary, they live in the same place for years. They are active during summers and inactive in winters.Are you keen to know more about this fascinating lizard? Check out exciting facts below, and don’t miss reading our other articles on the sand lizard and frilled lizard.
Fun Lace Monitor Facts For Kids
What do they prey on? Insects, birds, reptiles, small mammals, small mammals, birds eggs
What do they eat? Carnivore
Average litter size? 12 eggs
How much do they weigh? 31 -44 lb
How long are they? Up to 7 ft (2-2.5 m )
How tall are they? N/A
What do they look like? Blue-black, yellow-brown
Skin Type Scaled, pebbly, blotched
What were their main threats? Humans And Deforestation
What is their conservation status? Least Concern
Where you’ll find them? Tundra, River Basins, Slopes, Under Trees, In Humid Places
Locations South Australia, New South Wales, Eastern Queensland, East Coast Of Australia
Kingdom Animalia
Genus Varanus
Class Reptilia
Family Varanidae
Lace Monitor Interesting FactsWhat type of animal is a lace monitor?The Lace monitor is a large lizard. Its scientific name Varanus varius, means many colored lizards, referring to its scales and colors.What class of animal does a lace monitor belong to?The Lace monitor (Varanus varius) belongs to the class Reptilia with its ancestral lineage from the crocodile monitor.How many lace monitors are there in the world?Though the number of Lace monitors in the world is unknown, there are over 4675 lizard species, including iguanas, monitors, chameleons, and others.Where does a lace monitor live?They mostly live on trees, ground, rock slopes, and tree hollows. They can live in the same place for years together. When they find a threat, they swiftly climb trees to protect themselves from their predators. The younger monitors are more arboreal than, the older ones.What is a lace monitor’s habitat?They live in semi-humid and humid forests, often near river basins, coastal tablelands slopes, and ranges. Australia is a favorite home for a variety of large lizards. Lace monitors are found widely on the East coast of Australia, with ranges and slopes of eastern Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria, and some parts of South Australia.Who do lace monitors live with?Lace monitors are generally solitary beings and are happy living alone. They are with other monitors for breeding/mating. They venture out foraging and hunting. In human habitats, they hunt for chicken eggs, and poultry.How long does a lace monitor live?The average life span is about 10-15 years in wildlife. They can live much longer in captivity, and the best record is 40 years.How do they reproduce?The breeding season for Lace monitors is from September to December. Six to seven male monitors gather near a receptive female Lace monitor and fight standing on their hind legs. The weaker ones fall on the ground, and the winner approaches the female with dominance and head-shaking movements. It explores the female’s body with his tongue and then mates, which can last several hours.After about four to six weeks of mating, the female Lace monitor lays about 12 eggs. This can go up to 20. It creates a nest and lays eggs inside the holes of the termite mound on trees or the burrows in-ground, and it covers them with leaf debris. The nest holes are covered by the termites and kept warm. The mother gets to know when the eggs are ready to hatch about 8-10 weeks later. It then clears the holes or termite nest to help the young ones come out. These young ones are about 12 in long and weigh 1-1.5 oz. In colder weather/places, the eggs take longer to hatch.What is their conservation status?Lace monitor conservation status is Least Concern. They are abundant and not considered endangered. But due to habitat loss, they are being protected.Lace Monitor Fun FactsWhat do lace monitors look like?Lace monitors are a bluish-black color with cream bands across their bodies. The bands don’t overlap, and the Lace monitors are powerfully built with strong limbs and sharp claws. The head is black in color and wedge-shaped. There is another form of Lace monitor which is brown-yellow color. The tail has narrow yellow bands which get broader towards the end. It is used in climbing trees and moving on the ground. The monitors’ colors are camouflaged well and help them mix in the environment. A monitor that has yellow-red tones lives in deserts and is called a red Lace monitor.How cute are they?The Lace monitor Goanna is cute to some but creepy to many!How do they communicate?They also make a loud, intimidating hissing sound and lash their tails to protect themselves from any human danger. They have ears with flaps, which are not full-fledged hearing organs but are better than snakes.How big is a lace monitor?The Lace monitor size is up to 7 ft (2 m) long. Some of these found in Thailand can weigh up to 88 lb. It can be compared to the size of a crocodile, though this could vary from smaller to bigger sizes. The female Lace monitors are smaller in size than the male.How fast can a lace monitor run?Lace monitors are quite sedentary but they can run for protection and forage. They are swift to climb trees when under threat of any enemy or humans. They can reach up to 1.8 mph.How much does a lace monitor weigh?The weight of Lace monitors is about 31-44 lb. Under captivity, the maximum weight can go up to 88 lb. However, many of them are much smaller.What are their male and female names of the species?No specific name is given to male and female Lace monitors. The name of the male and female species is Varanus varius.What would you call a baby lace monitor?Once they come out of their eggs, the baby Lace monitors are called hatchlings.What do they eat?The diet of Lace monitor lizards consists of mammals, reptiles like snakes, birds, eggs, insects, chicken, and poultry. They can swallow meat as a whole too. The Lace monitor jaw is sharp. The back-clawed teeth ensure that their prey cannot escape once caught by the monitor. Their forked tongue also helps them identify the scent of food. They can intrude into human habitats like picnic spots, and rubbish bins for food.Are they dangerous?They generally keep to themselves unless disturbed by humans. The blue Lace monitor claws are very sharp and can be harmful. Their bite is somewhat venomous, leading to infections and swelling. The bacteria in their mouth are more dangerous and infectious, causing shooting pain and localized blood clotting disruption, lasting for a few hours. Hence the Lace monitor bite is somewhat poisonous.It is best to lie down when a Goanna runs behind you so that it can instead look for something with height.Would they make a good pet?A Lace monitor pet is not for beginners. It cannot be tamed/domesticated easily. They behave very differently in a human environment and can be dangerous. After some experience for a couple of years, a Lace monitor can be bought as a pet and hand-fed. They can keep the snakes away.A female bells phase Lace monitor is a native of Australia and has large yellow bands. It is one of the most sought-after pets among these species. A Lace monitor pet cost can range between $7500-$8000. It needs a significantly large water enclosure for it to bask happily! Lace monitor care is not simple, though.Did you know…The forked tongue of the Lace monitor is deeply forked, and it frequently sticks the tongue out and in, and this is one similarity these animals have with snakes. This helps identify minute traces of odors in the air by placing the particles on the roof of the mouth, where Jacobson’s organ is present. This chemoreceptor can differentiate between food, impending predator, or a mate for breeding. The forked tongue receives information from both sides of the brain and can sense the direction of the smell, to act accordingly.How do lace monitors and termites have a symbiotic relationship?The female lays its eggs on trees in the breeding season in holes next to the termite nest. The termite mounds soon fill the holes, and thus the eggs incubate nicely.The lace monitor is the second-largest Australian monitor after which animal?It is Australia’s second-largest monitor after the Perentie. Australia is a home for many such species.Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created many interesting family-friendly animal facts for everyone to discover! Learn more about some other reptiles, including the thorny dragon or Nile monitor.You can even occupy yourself at home by drawing one on our Lace monitor coloring pages.
What type of animal is a lace monitor?
The Lace monitor is a large lizard. Its scientific name Varanus varius, means many colored lizards, referring to its scales and colors.
Fun Lace Monitor Facts For Kids
What do they prey on? Insects, birds, reptiles, small mammals, small mammals, birds eggs
What do they eat? Carnivore
Average litter size? 12 eggs
How much do they weigh? 31 -44 lb
How long are they? Up to 7 ft (2-2.5 m )
How tall are they? N/A
What do they look like? Blue-black, yellow-brown
Skin Type Scaled, pebbly, blotched
What were their main threats? Humans And Deforestation
What is their conservation status? Least Concern
Where you’ll find them? Tundra, River Basins, Slopes, Under Trees, In Humid Places
Locations South Australia, New South Wales, Eastern Queensland, East Coast Of Australia
Kingdom Animalia
Genus Varanus
Class Reptilia
Family Varanidae
Fun Lace Monitor Facts For Kids
What do they prey on? Insects, birds, reptiles, small mammals, small mammals, birds eggs
What do they eat? Carnivore
Average litter size? 12 eggs
How much do they weigh? 31 -44 lb
How long are they? Up to 7 ft (2-2.5 m )
How tall are they? N/A
What do they look like? Blue-black, yellow-brown
Skin Type Scaled, pebbly, blotched
What were their main threats? Humans And Deforestation
What is their conservation status? Least Concern
Where you’ll find them? Tundra, River Basins, Slopes, Under Trees, In Humid Places
Locations South Australia, New South Wales, Eastern Queensland, East Coast Of Australia
Kingdom Animalia
Genus Varanus
Class Reptilia
Family Varanidae
Fun Lace Monitor Facts For Kids
What do they prey on? Insects, birds, reptiles, small mammals, small mammals, birds eggs
What do they eat? Carnivore
Average litter size? 12 eggs
How much do they weigh? 31 -44 lb
How long are they? Up to 7 ft (2-2.5 m )
How tall are they? N/A
What do they look like? Blue-black, yellow-brown
Skin Type Scaled, pebbly, blotched
What were their main threats? Humans And Deforestation
What is their conservation status? Least Concern
Where you’ll find them? Tundra, River Basins, Slopes, Under Trees, In Humid Places
Locations South Australia, New South Wales, Eastern Queensland, East Coast Of Australia
Kingdom Animalia
Genus Varanus
Class Reptilia
Family Varanidae
Fun Lace Monitor Facts For Kids
What do they prey on? Insects, birds, reptiles, small mammals, small mammals, birds eggs
What do they eat? Carnivore
Average litter size? 12 eggs
How much do they weigh? 31 -44 lb
How long are they? Up to 7 ft (2-2.5 m )
How tall are they? N/A
What do they look like? Blue-black, yellow-brown
Skin Type Scaled, pebbly, blotched
What were their main threats? Humans And Deforestation
What is their conservation status? Least Concern
Where you’ll find them? Tundra, River Basins, Slopes, Under Trees, In Humid Places
Locations South Australia, New South Wales, Eastern Queensland, East Coast Of Australia
Kingdom Animalia
Genus Varanus
Class Reptilia
Family Varanidae
What do they prey on? Insects, birds, reptiles, small mammals, small mammals, birds eggs
What do they eat? Carnivore
Average litter size? 12 eggs
How much do they weigh? 31 -44 lb
How long are they? Up to 7 ft (2-2.5 m )
How tall are they? N/A
What do they look like? Blue-black, yellow-brown
Skin Type Scaled, pebbly, blotched
What were their main threats? Humans And Deforestation
What is their conservation status? Least Concern
Where you’ll find them? Tundra, River Basins, Slopes, Under Trees, In Humid Places
Locations South Australia, New South Wales, Eastern Queensland, East Coast Of Australia
Kingdom Animalia
Genus Varanus
Class Reptilia
Family Varanidae
What do they prey on? Insects, birds, reptiles, small mammals, small mammals, birds eggs
What do they eat? Carnivore
Average litter size? 12 eggs
How much do they weigh? 31 -44 lb
How long are they? Up to 7 ft (2-2.5 m )
How tall are they? N/A
What do they look like? Blue-black, yellow-brown
Skin Type Scaled, pebbly, blotched
What were their main threats? Humans And Deforestation
What is their conservation status? Least Concern
What do they prey on?
Insects, birds, reptiles, small mammals, small mammals, birds eggs
What do they eat?
Carnivore
Average litter size?
12 eggs
How much do they weigh?
31 -44 lb
How long are they?
Up to 7 ft (2-2.5 m )
How tall are they?
N/A
What do they look like?
Blue-black, yellow-brown
Skin Type
Scaled, pebbly, blotched
What were their main threats?
Humans And Deforestation
What is their conservation status?
Least Concern
Where you’ll find them? Tundra, River Basins, Slopes, Under Trees, In Humid Places
Locations South Australia, New South Wales, Eastern Queensland, East Coast Of Australia
Kingdom Animalia
Genus Varanus
Class Reptilia
Family Varanidae
Where you’ll find them?
Tundra, River Basins, Slopes, Under Trees, In Humid Places
Locations
South Australia, New South Wales, Eastern Queensland, East Coast Of Australia
Kingdom Animalia
Genus Varanus
Kingdom
Animalia
Genus
Varanus
Class Reptilia
Family Varanidae
