Mitchell's monitors are a medium-sized monitor species with a typical snout-vent length (excluding the tail) ranging from around 25-35cm in adults.

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They have a dark black/brown coloration with numerous spots across the body, ranging in color from cream to yellow and orange. The underside of Mitchell's monitors is light cream in color, transitioning to yellow or orange towards the edges. They possess the typical physical feature of water monitors, which is a laterally flattened tail.

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Mitchell's monitors are arboreal and semi-aquatic species found in watercourses, lagoons, and swamps across northern Northern Territory (NT) and Western Australia (WA), with a small population located north of Mt Isa in Queensland (QLD).

Once settled in, Mitchell's monitors become well habituated to human interaction and presence. Tong feeding can be easily established, although some individuals may remain slightly skittish.

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Husbandry for Mitchell's monitors is not difficult, and their smaller size compared to larger water monitors makes them easier to keep.

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When kept indoors, it is important to provide a large enough water source for them to submerge, taking into account that they can create quite a mess.

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While Mitchell's monitors do swim and use their water sources, I have observed that adults do not utilize ponds as frequently as larger species such as Mertens' monitors.

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Enclosure size: Since they are both arboreal and semi-aquatic, vertical and horizontal space should be provided. Minimum enclosure size for adult pairs should be around 1.2m x 1.2m.

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Substrate and furnishings: Suitable substrates include sand, soil, or large pebbles. Large pebbles are preferred for water species to prevent them from sticking to the wet body and being dragged into the water source, which can lead to faster fouling. Provide plenty of hollows, hides, and climbing branches for their enrichment.

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Temperatures and lighting: Adequate UVB lighting is essential for internal keeping. Provide a basking hot spot with a bright lamp directed onto a rock or tiles, with temperatures ideally ranging from 50-65°C. The ambient heat gradient over the rest of the enclosure should be around 28-33°C during the warmer active months.

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Humidity: Mitchell's monitors are from the tropical north, so it's important to maintain humidity levels for this species. Frequent misting and a constant water source are required.

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Feeding: The bulk of their diet should consist of crickets, wood roaches, and other insects, with regular dusting of calcium powder and vitamins for young animals. Adults will consume whole prey such as fish, yabbies, prawns, rat pups, mice, small quail, and other meats. Maintain a well-balanced variety of food, considering the fat content. It can be challenging to get smaller water monitors lean again once they put on excess fat.

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Note that a diet predominantly composed of frozen fish can result in thiamine deficiency. Additional information can be found in relevant resources.

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Life span: Mitchell's monitors have an average recorded captive lifespan of over 12 years.