Did anyone in CA lose a lizard?

[Julia]

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/41267913/ns/us_news-weird_news

 

[Introvertebrate]

So that's where Sulley went. I left the door open for one minute and he was gone.

 

[Speedy]

Wow, this is newsworthy? LOL

I found a 3' running across a busy road once. Really awesome lizard..

 

[neubii18]

"sharp,lashing tail..."It's rediculous.This is why people are trying to ban all of our snakes and oter reptiles.It's all because of someone who didn't do their research enough before bringing home a potential giant black throat...

 

[Israel2004]

"Noting that Elmer is a carnivore, Welsh said there hadn't been any reports of missing pets in the neighborhood. "

That's the part of this story that pisses me off!

 

[josh_r]

"Noting that Elmer is a carnivore, Welsh said there hadn't been any reports of missing pets in the neighborhood. "

That's the part of this story that pisses me off!

HAHAHAHA!!! Thats the funny part!!

 

[pitbulllady]

"sharp,lashing tail..."It's rediculous.This is why people are trying to ban all of our snakes and oter reptiles.It's all because of someone who didn't do their research enough before bringing home a potential giant black throat...

People also underestimate the intelligence of Varanids, or the skill with which they can use their forepaws as hands. With the exception of padlocks and combination locks, if a human can unlock and open it, a large Monitor can, also. I had a large Water Monitor who could open a large Vari-Kennel dog crate as quickly and easily as I could, from the outside OR the inside. He picked that up by watching me do it. Some people put the larger lizards inside enclosed backyards in warmer climates and don't take into account that ability to open doors, scale just about any fence and dig like a backhoe. They can get out of enclosures that thwart the smartest and most-determined dogs. People tend to associate reptiles with stupidity, though, and fail to give some of the lizards their due respect with regards to intelligence.

pitbulllady

 

[Novatsk]

Lol

I live in Cali and lost my monitor just not that one that black throat is awesome.. so...Just the other day, my savannah monitor got out lol he's only 3 ft, but my brother who was holding him that day, forgot to close the door properl ... So when I got home a saw some cops and the animal control at my neighbors.. I went to go check it out thinking it was like fighting roosters or something lol and there I see in my neighborhs fountain my savannah lol he's nice but my neighbors don't know that xD.. ahh V_V my brother he can be so forgetful at time.. so I smacked some sense into him so he could learn lmao thats what he gets XD
But yeah they are really smart animals.. I would say next to birds in intelligence

 

[Tleilaxu]

People also underestimate the intelligence of Varanids, or the skill with which they can use their forepaws as hands. With the exception of padlocks and combination locks, if a human can unlock and open it, a large Monitor can, also. I had a large Water Monitor who could open a large Vari-Kennel dog crate as quickly and easily as I could, from the outside OR the inside. He picked that up by watching me do it. Some people put the larger lizards inside enclosed backyards in warmer climates and don't take into account that ability to open doors, scale just about any fence and dig like a backhoe. They can get out of enclosures that thwart the smartest and most-determined dogs. People tend to associate reptiles with stupidity, though, and fail to give some of the lizards their due respect with regards to intelligence.

pitbulllady

Not trying to be rude here I am just asking out of curiosity. Can these animals form bonds with people and learn to preform simple tricks? To me something with a fair amount of intelligence will be able to at least bond with their owner. And since you stated that monitors are as smart as some dogs I would assume that they can also do tricks on command as well. Can they be litter box trained? Anyways I am looking forward to your insight on this.

 

[Crysta]

Not trying to be rude here I am just asking out of curiosity. Can these animals form bonds with people and learn to preform simple tricks? To me something with a fair amount of intelligence will be able to at least bond with their owner. And since you stated that monitors are as smart as some dogs I would assume that they can also do tricks on command as well. Can they be litter box trained? Anyways I am looking forward to your insight on this.

I am sure monitors can be liter box trained, as I trained my iguanas to be liter/paper trained.
Never could get my iguanas to do tricks, but they knew their way around the house etc. Let them go downstairs in the living room they would find their way back up a flight of stairs to their basking spot, etc. It helped I didnt feed them anywhere except 1 location.

They didn't like certain people - example my mom, brother and sister and dad..They didn't like men either. (would get agressive, whip etc)
Mostly me..yeah pretty much just me. lol
Oh they loved my cats. They would always sleep together. Terrified of dogs.

 

[apopli]

That looks a LOT more like a Varanus salvadorii (crocodile monitor) than Varanus albigularis ionidesi (black throated). Maybe it's just the picture... though it would account for the size. Hopefully I'm wrong, though they do pop up in rescues more than I would have thought. Croc monitors are nasty nasty creatures...

 

[dtknow]

No...it looks a lot more like a blackthroat.
http://www.newenglandreptile.com/window.phtml?image=/gallery_pics/monitor_pics/croc/PapaCloseUp1.jpg



http://species.wikimedia.org/wiki/Varanus_(Polydaedalus)_albigularis_ionidesi