# Best kind of monitor lizard as pet?



## skylarlaham (Nov 3, 2009)

Hey guys, I wanted to know what the best kind of monitor would be. Around tegu size or larger. And by best I mean, nicest, and easiest handled.
Thanks, Skylar.


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## AWD247 (Nov 3, 2009)

Ive owned Savannahs/ blackthroats/ Water Monitors etc for years and just deal with my Tegu now but I will say, not knowing your expierence I would say your better off getting a tegu if its your 1st tegu/monitor.

Tegus adjust so much better im my expierence/opinion,. You almost get an affection and learning in return to the time you put into a tegu, as opposed to a monitor tolerating your presence and handling., not to say you cant have a super tame monitor.. cause all mine turned out very well behaved, but took waaay more time and effort.

If a monitor is definately what your interested in and have the knowlegde to house one correctly maybe a savannah would be a nice inexpensive way to start.


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## skylarlaham (Nov 3, 2009)

AWD247 said:


> Ive owned Savannahs/ blackthroats/ Water Monitors etc for years and just deal with my Tegu now but I will say, not knowing your expierence I would say your better off getting a tegu if its your 1st tegu/monitor.
> 
> Tegus adjust so much better im my expierence/opinion,. You almost get an affection and learning in return to the time you put into a tegu, as opposed to a monitor tolerating your presence and handling., not to say you cant have a super tame monitor.. cause all mine turned out very well behaved, but took waaay more time and effort.
> 
> If a monitor is definately what your interested in and have the knowlegde to house one correctly maybe a savannah would be a nice inexpensive way to start.


I already have a tegu... I was thinking about getting a white or black throat monitor or a water monitor... but im not for sure gonna get a monitor.ive just been throwing the idea around in my head. thats why i wanted to know from you guys which monitor is the best pet.


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## Terry (Nov 3, 2009)

Sav and an inexspenive starter. Are you crazy. Start with ackie's. Jumping the gun to some of the most powerful lizards and biggest is a mistake waiting to happen. No monitor should be handled. My ackie took its first cricket from my tongs after working with it for 10 months.


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## skylarlaham (Nov 3, 2009)

Terry said:


> Sav and an inexspenive starter. Are you crazy. Start with ackie's. Jumping the gun to some of the most powerful lizards and biggest is a mistake waiting to happen. No monitor should be handled. My ackie took its first cricket from my tongs after working with it for 10 months.


Well I never hand feed or use tongs, in my opinion its stupid. I use food bins. But besides that, I understand what your saying. 
How big do ackies get, and how much do they run by?


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## AWD247 (Nov 3, 2009)

Terry said:


> Sav and an inexspenive starter. Are you crazy. Start with ackie's. Jumping the gun to some of the most powerful lizards and biggest is a mistake waiting to happen. No monitor should be handled. My ackie took its first cricket from my tongs after working with it for 10 months.




Actually no im not crazy.. im just stating my opinion from what ive owned and raised for over the last 2 decades with no problems what so ever, all taken care of properly with very lil out of pocket to accomplish, thats why I said they we're inexpensive. With any monitor from Sav's to Ackies etc. Size should be considered/ researched by the purchaser, since your looking to house an animal correctly this would already (or should already) be taken into consideration, not limited just cause an animal gets large. " Mistake waiting to happen/ no Monitor should be handled"?? Why- Thats like saying no one should handle an Extreme giant, which im sure is ALOT more powerful and dangerous than a Sav.
I think an Tegu's and Monitors are products of what you put into them,.. 
Having proper education on whatever monitor big or small, learning its behavior, knowing proper techniques, dedication, goes a long way, what worked for you by 10 months was fine and set by your pace, I have an Extreme that ate out of my hands as a hatchling and still does to this day as @ 25" and is constant work for both of us, Monitors can definately be handled some more than others.


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## skippy (Nov 3, 2009)

who says no monitor should be handled? if you have a 7 foot V salvator that has never been handled that(god forbid) should injure itself you want it should be almost wild? that seems like a recipe for disaster to me.

i had a blackthroat that i hand fed from the day i got him at 2 & 1/2 feet til the day my !&@$# housemates rehomed him without telling me and he was a sweet as a puppy. liked to sit in my lap while i watched tv.

my arg B&W is hand fed as well and while not nearly as laid back as the BT i can't imagine trying to get him to do something he didn't want to do if he were never handled.

besides, savs are pretty small and manageable compared to an adult male red or B&W...


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## skylarlaham (Nov 3, 2009)

AWD247 said:


> Terry said:
> 
> 
> > Monitors can definately be handled some more than others.


What I wanna know are which monitors are the some lol/


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## AWD247 (Nov 3, 2009)

Meaning some will take alot more work than others for handling, for example: Niles, Croc Monitors, etc. Can they be handled.. Yes of course, but they seem to take alot more work than lets say the Savs & Ackies mentioned aboved


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## AWD247 (Nov 3, 2009)

skippy said:


> who says no monitor should be handled? if you have a 7 foot V salvator that has never been handled that(god forbid) should injure itself you want it should be almost wild? that seems like a recipe for disaster to me.
> 
> i had a blackthroat that i hand fed from the day i got him at 2 & 1/2 feet til the day my !&@$# housemates rehomed him without telling me and he was a sweet as a puppy. liked to sit in my lap while i watched tv.
> 
> ...





Not sure what you meant in the portion I highligthed in red, but im hoping no one will want to handle a 7 ft wild or any wild monitor.. :grno :crazy 
I hope no one confuses what im saying, im talkin about raising from hatchling/ young. :mrgreen:


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## skippy (Nov 3, 2009)

i meant that if you have a monitor of that size, you want it to be manageable so that if it hurts itself or what ever, it won't injure itself further when you attempt treatment.

i would do my best to handle any animal that came my way for just this reason(excepting inverts and hot snakes of course  )


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## BOOZER (Nov 3, 2009)

first off, savi's vs ackies..... to purchase, ackies are prob 5x the cost! so a savanna would be the least expensive. i have 1 and she is alright. all she has done since being 26" long is head butt my hand ( lil b!tch) other than that she is fine. ackies tame down very well and are no where the size of a full grown sav! even at adult size.

hope that helps. :cheers


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## Crusher08 (Nov 3, 2009)

I heard that Argus monitors are pretty awesome pets. [shrug]


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## Terry (Nov 3, 2009)

I never said whats in that quote. NO monitor should be handled. Your only interations with monitors should be cleaning, changing water and tong feeding. Food bins are stupid for monitors. Tong feeding is a way to build trust with a monitor. No monitor is a pet, there captives. You want a pet get a dog or a cat. If you want you can come to my house and pick out a itten as we have 4 for free.


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## skippy (Nov 3, 2009)

if you're keeping an animal that rivals you in size it only makes sense(to me at least) to build a rapport with said animal so that when you need to take it to the vet or clean a wound or whatever there will not be an altercation. the same applies to smaller varanids as larger, sometimes you need to examine them and for that it is better if they are accustomed to handling.


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## skylarlaham (Nov 3, 2009)

So a savannah would be nicer and calmer than say a white throat or water monitor or so on, assuming that there both rased from babies?


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## Reflektr (Nov 4, 2009)

Savs are either hit or miss. Since the majority of savs are only captive-hatched, your chances of getting a really healthy one right off the bat are fairly slim - Which in the long run could cost more than purchasing a different, higher priced species from a reputable breeder. 

Ackies are cool, and you get all the monitor excitement in a nice, neat, colorful little package. They are also among the easiest to breed. As far as temperament goes, they can be pretty flighty, but I'm sure it also depends on how much you work with them. White throats are very similar to a sav, but not identical. They can have a nastier temperament than a sav, but their husbandry is almost identical. Ionides, or the blackthroat monitor, is a better one in my opinion if you're looking for an intelligent larger monitor that can become fairly docile. Dumeril's are another medium-sized monitor that can also grow to be docile. They're pretty intelligent, great swimmers, and enjoy spending time in the water. 

And as far as "no monitor should be handled"...Get a grip. That's like saying "no reptile should be handled". Some species are better suited to keep, I'll give you that, but as far as never handling them...That's entirely up to the keeper and the animal. They all have minds of their own along with their own personalities. If a monitor grows up in an environment where it is given plenty of positive attention and positive reinforcement, and decides that's what it likes, then so be it. If it decides it doesn't like that, then so be it.

What if you never handled your pet a day in its life, then had to take it to the vet one day? That would make for a very stressful encounter for both you, the vet, and your pet. You get out of them what you put into them. If you don't give them any time or attention and treat it as a captive, that's all it will ever know and that's all it will ever be. Treat it like a pet and a member of the family, and you may end up with a better bond than you ever thought possible.


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## Terry (Nov 4, 2009)

> That's entirely up to the keeper and the animal.



It should be up to the animal, not the person. If the lizard climb's up your arm or somthing that different. But grabbing him out of his surroundings, is dumb. No monitor's should never be handled. There not cat's or dog's. There a lizard. What ever you choose, just make sure you do lots of research. Don't listen to kaffir2 either.

Read these
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<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://repticzone.com/caresheets/642.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">http://repticzone.com/caresheets/642.html</a><!-- m -->


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## kpelzer (Nov 4, 2009)

savs would be a great starter jus make sure they are c.b. if you put in the time a lizard can make a great pet. its tameness and willing to be handled will all depend on the time youre willing to put in. good luck


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## randy (Nov 4, 2009)

looked up red acky... they live over 20 years... surely make good friends by then


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## wyattroa (Nov 4, 2009)

Terry said:


> > That's entirely up to the keeper and the animal.
> 
> 
> 
> ...



The same can be said for any reptile..even a tegu..what makes the tegu so much different from a monitor..why can you handle them and not a monitor. If you handle your tegu then im going to call you a hypocrite.
robert


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## skylarlaham (Nov 4, 2009)

Thanks for all the input guys, if I go for a monitor, im gonna get a black throat I think.


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## Terry (Nov 4, 2009)

Lol, I don't handle my tegu. I talk to people who have been breeding monitor for up to 15 years, and I get my advice from them. And they will all say don't handle your monitor.


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## KyleMD (Nov 4, 2009)

cool. just remember how big they get and at mionimum will need an 8x4x4 :mrgreen:


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## skylarlaham (Nov 4, 2009)

Terry said:


> Lol, I don't handle my tegu. I talk to people who have been breeding monitor for up to 15 years, and I get my advice from them. And they will all say don't handle your monitor.


Y dont you handle your tegu? thats like getting a stray dog n keeping it in a room and only feed it...
just m.o.


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## BOOZER (Nov 4, 2009)

captive??? :chin i do believe its time to feed the prisoners.


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## AWD247 (Nov 4, 2009)

Terry,
Like Ive said before, theres nothing wrong with handling a monitor if your educated about it, know the proper precautions, learn from it, teach it and take time.
As for your opinion about not handling.. I can respect that, if thats what you choose to do, 
I would say pretty much everyone on this forum that ownes tegu, or monitors, probably handles them as much as possible, I highly doubt if it was a bad thing.. or something that "shouldnt be done" all of us members wouldnt have these great "pets" that we have today.
We could probably go back and forth about this forever, but in my opinion I wouldnt get an animal to keep it locked in an enclosure just to look at it. For that why even have an animal?

I encourage anyone interested in Tegus/ monitors etc to just educate yourself and make a decision your comfortable with and keep the animals well being in mind at all times

heres some videos of well kept MONITORS with dedicated owners,.. enjoy the results.


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<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=09RJxCSTA90&feature=player_embedded#" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=09RJxCST ... _embedded#</a><!-- m -->

<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C-TXjpT5bJQ&feature=player_embedded" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C-TXjpT5 ... r_embedded</a><!-- m -->

<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f7wlEF2JTqw&feature=player_embedded" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f7wlEF2J ... r_embedded</a><!-- m -->


** ..and the all loving TEGU video..
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## lyndsey123 (Nov 4, 2009)

To the original poster, all I can say is that when investing in a varanid look at it as an animal first and foremost. Although those species in particular can be well acclimated to human contact, always be prepared for an animal that refuses it. Don't plan on purchasing and raising a "handle-able" monitor, plan on purchasing just, a monitor. Approaching it like "which one can fulfill my needs best?" is not the right way. You should think "which monitor can I best support, tame or not."
Weather it turns out friendly is up to chance and how much work is put into it. You may buy a monitor that doesn't tolerate human touch and you have to be happy with that as well in the end. Not to mention they are a huge responsibility (I'm not aware of your experience) and it's important to take extra measures when caring for one. (In my opinion) please avoid most care-sheet sites and go directly to kingsnake.com under the monitor forums. Some experts and top names browse through there so any questions you have can be answered. They helped me when I needed it. :] Best of luck!


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## Terry (Nov 5, 2009)

Actually Kaffir is a prime example of bad care for monitors. You know that 3 sav;s have died in his care. He also will attack you in email if you question his methiods. He is a complete moron when it comes to monitors and he has tried to change numerus monitors forums im on and it doesnt work. He has no bussiness keeping these lizards.


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## Terry (Nov 5, 2009)

Hers clips of well taken care monitors and smart owners.

<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.youtube.com/user/MDFMONITOR" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">http://www.youtube.com/user/MDFMONITOR</a><!-- m -->

<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.youtube.com/user/shayaj" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">http://www.youtube.com/user/shayaj</a><!-- m -->

<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.youtube.com/user/sidbarvin" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">http://www.youtube.com/user/sidbarvin</a><!-- m -->

<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IYea2DgmVy4" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IYea2DgmVy4</a><!-- m -->

These people take proper care of there monitors and are very knowledgable. If you have any questions, feel free to ask them and you will get straight answers. One of them happens to be a zoologist. Mark, Roger, Dave, and Shay keep some of the best monitors around.

BTW kaffir and that other person are clueless to proper care for monitors.


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## AWD247 (Nov 5, 2009)

:doh I give up, LOL








GOODLUCK!! :grno


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## David607 (Feb 14, 2017)

What about timors or similis?


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## beantickler (Feb 15, 2017)

David607 said:


> What about timors or similis?


My old dog died back in 2009 along with this thread... Any chance you could bring him back too?


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## David607 (Feb 16, 2017)

Yeah sure let me wave my magic wand !!!! Poof !!!


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## David607 (Feb 16, 2017)

The thead may be dead but the questions will still be out there! Hay here's an idea, delete old threads?!


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## David607 (Feb 16, 2017)

Send me some money I'll make it happen


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## beantickler (Feb 16, 2017)

David607 said:


> The thead may be dead but the questions will still be out there! Hay here's an idea, delete old threads?!


If we deleted old threads then what would you revive? Btw hay is for horses...

Sent from my SM-N920V using Tapatalk


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## David607 (Feb 16, 2017)

Due op Due op


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## David607 (Feb 16, 2017)

Hay, that's an idea


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