Monitors????

[Animalia]

I'm thinking about getting a monitor (leaning mostly for a Savannah... maybe a Nile.)

Now feeding is really what im having an issue finding info about. Everyone says something different, so im just going to ask and see if this will work.

I'm looking to get a small (around 1') Savannah monitor will feeding it a mixture
of Madagascar roaches and small mice work?
With the occasional hard boiled egg, fruit (read the fructose is bad and should be used sparingly) or a cheaper beef cut product like beeftips be a good enough diet?

also i heard some have bad habits of defecating in there water, and "toilet training" can help.... Now how you go about this is beyond me.... any help?

I mean a cat already knows how to use the box, a dog you just have to show it a couple times..... Now a big lizard that can have the potential to eat my arm im not going to spank to use the "puppy pad"

any other help or tips and tricks for the trade will be appreciated

 

[Jmugleston]

Save yourself a whole lot of trouble and can the idea of getting a savanna or nile. Spend a bit more and get an ackie. It is smaller, more forgiving of rookie mistakes, and worst case scenario it can do very little damage. Niles get big. Bigger than most can handle. True they are cheap, but they are not a good pet by any means. Very few of the niles I have kept were even remotely approachable. Also the caging requirements of this species is more than most can handle. Unless you have a spare room for your lizard, you won't be able to properly house it.

Savs aren't as bad as niles, but they also need a large space. They are active monitors that should have access to a deep substrate that allows burrowing. Without the proper set-up and heat, savs get obese quickly and very few of these make it to adulthood. They do best on a diet of small rodents, birds, insects, worms, etc. Stay away from hard boiled eggs. Whole food items seems to be better for them.

Again I think an ackie would be much better. They are all the fun of the other species, but they are much easier to care for. They don't get large (my largest ackie breeders are just over 20 inches), and they shouldn't be able to put you in the ER (trust me I've been there for lizard bites and it is not fun). Though they'll never get big enough to take a large rat, they take down crickets with the same tenacity a nile would with its prey. Pet stores love to sell savs and niles since they only cost a few dollars, and the mark up is so high. In the long run you'll pay more than you'd expect to keep one of these. Ackies are more money up front, but cheaper to house, feed, and less risky to own. Start with a smaller species and go from there. You can find two color forms of the ackies (sometimes misrepresented as subspecies) the yellows run around $175.00-$200.00 and the reds go for $250.00-$300.00.

 

[Kloster]

as previously mentioned savs and niles get huge.
unless you have the $(when theyre adults their food can get expensive) and their housing requirements are quite big.

if you think you can handle the feeding, the epic cage requirements and the fact that you are keeping a lizard that wouldnt mind having your arm for lunch then go a head and get one.

I suggest looking in petfinder.com for one you can adopt, not only will it be cheaper but youll be helping one of the many lizards of this species that have been abandoned by either negligent or ignorant owners.

I have seen MANY people stupidly buy these lizards in pet stores not looking into the future. Living in NYC when I see someone come out with a sav or nile im 90% sure that the poor animal will end up either abandoned or up for adoption.

 

[Sarcastro]

As suggested I would stay away from the larger monitor sp.but a Savannah is not as bad as everyone makes them out to be,yes they can have a down right nasty attitude sometimes but every reptile has that potential.they can be trained to use a pan, but this take alot and I mean alot of hard work and patience. As far as Ackie's go, they are awesome monitors to own but should never be purchased solo always in groups because they are highly social animals and benefit from the grouped environment.

 

[Memento]

As mentioned, If you've never kept a monitor, steer clear of Nile monitors. Their general attitudes and space requirements don't make them suitable beginner monitors. I've worked with some easygoing individuals, but they were exceptions. Most Nile monitors are very ill-tempered.

Savs aren't too bad, but can be prone to obesity, as pointed out above. They can also be temperamental, and require a LOT of dedication and hard work to become laid back "lap lizards". If you have the patience (and space), Savs can make for rewarding companions - some of the ones I've worked with have been almost dog-like in demeanor. Be warned that even the most well-behaved ones can have arm-shredding psychotic days, though. Food-wise they do best on whole foods and large insects, as previously stated.

I'd go with the opinions above and start out with ackies, or even Storr's monitors (which are slightly smaller than ackies). Both tend to be fairly outgoing and generally have better dispositions than Nile or sav monitors.

Regardless of what you go with, there's one vital piece of equipment all monitor keepers should have: a well-stocked first aid kit. Monitor jaws are like torture chamber vice grips

 

[Sarcastro]

Regardless of what you go with, there's one vital piece of equipment all monitor keepers should have: a well-stocked first aid kit. Monitor jaws are like torture chamber vice grips

AMEN!!!
this what a small Croc monitor can do in one bite.
4 stitches in the small laceration and 8 in the large one

 

[Jmugleston]

As suggested I would stay away from the larger monitor sp.but a Savannah is not as bad as everyone makes them out to be,yes they can have a down right nasty attitude sometimes but every reptile has that potential.they can be trained to use a pan, but this take alot and I mean alot of hard work and patience. As far as Ackie's go, they are awesome monitors to own but should never be purchased solo always in groups because they are highly social animals and benefit from the grouped environment.

I'm not trying to steal the post or start an arguement, but I have to mention something. The statements above are not entirely correct and the comments reflect an artifact of captivity. Social is a word that has a very specific meaning and no monitors have ever been shown to be social. True ackies can live in groups in captivity, but they haven't been known to congregate in natural settings. Researchers have only seen them in groups when they are courting. Past that they are solitary. The "social" rumor (myth) started from erroneous observations in captivity. The evidence tends to be their "cuddling" under the optimal basking spot. 2 cold lizards, 1 basking spot. Not social, just staying out of necessity. That said, I do keep my ackies and tristis in groups. They don't need to be housed together, but it doesn't seem to affect them negatively under captive settings. Many, including myself, have also raised them successfully without housing them in groups and later the same animals have had reproductive success. If you want to breed them, it seems raising them in groups helps eliminate some problems down the road, but it is not needed.

 

[Sarcastro]

I'm not trying to steal the post or start an arguement, but I have to mention something. The statements above are not entirely correct and the comments reflect an artifact of captivity. Social is a word that has a very specific meaning and no monitors have ever been shown to be social. True ackies can live in groups in captivity, but they haven't been known to congregate in natural settings. Researchers have only seen them in groups when they are courting. Past that they are solitary. The "social" rumor (myth) started from erroneous observations in captivity. The evidence tends to be their "cuddling" under the optimal basking spot. 2 cold lizards, 1 basking spot. Not social, just staying out of necessity. That said, I do keep my ackies and tristis in groups. They don't need to be housed together, but it doesn't seem to affect them negatively under captive settings. Many, including myself, have also raised them successfully without housing them in groups and later the same animals have had reproductive success. If you want to breed them, it seems raising them in groups helps eliminate some problems down the road, but it is not needed.

I will admit there hasn't been enough research into the social behaviors of reptiles mainly monitors.I'm just making my suggestion of what i have seen of the Ackies social behavior in captivity and in the wild,and have found that they are more interactive in groups more than as solo lizards.