Nile monitor lizards are being caught in my town

[Mr Ed]

there was an article of Nile monitor lizards being caught in my town. There have been 8 smaller ones and yesterday a 3 ft. female was caught. A local zoo was contacted and the animal was identified by their reptile specialist. I'm assuming that this was someone's pet that grew too large are became too aggressive so it was let loose. Who knows...

 

[Lucas339]

there was an article of Nile monitor lizards being caught in my town. There have been 8 smaller ones and yesterday a 3 ft. female was caught. A local zoo was contacted and the animal was identified by their reptile specialist. I'm assuming that this was someone's pet that grew too large are became too aggressive so it was let loose. Who knows...

so is texas the next florida??? only for monitors?!?!

 

[kupo969]

there was an article of Nile monitor lizards being caught in my town. There have been 8 smaller ones and yesterday a 3 ft. female was caught. A local zoo was contacted and the animal was identified by their reptile specialist. I'm assuming that this was someone's pet that grew too large are became too aggressive so it was let loose. Who knows...

Nothing good can come of this. :\

 

[arachnochicken]

Tell them to send me one of the small ones

 

[Obelisk]

I read an article in National Geographic about there being a breeding population of them in Central Florida.

I'd think that it would get too cold for them up there during the winter. But, apparently, they even have people who go out to collect and euthanize them.

 

[Widowman10]

they even have people who go out to collect and euthanize them.

i prefer the term "neutralize."

but yeah, nothing good comes of this. i also don't get the logic of the person who says "i don't want this anymore, so i'll just let it go." really? why don't they give it to someone, or sell it? there's always somebody who wants it, whether it be a tarantula, monitor, or python...

 

[dtknow]

i there's always somebody who wants it, whether it be a tarantula, monitor, or python...

Not true...why are so many reptiles euthanized at rescue centers? Well, for most reptiles finding a home is no problem...but for an overgrown and possibly not in the best health iggy, sav, nile, redear slider-it is going to be tough to find a home.

 

[Widowman10]

Not true...why are so many reptiles euthanized at rescue centers? Well, for most reptiles finding a home is no problem...but for an overgrown and possibly not in the best health iggy, sav, nile, redear slider-it is going to be tough to find a home.

there's seemingly always someone every day looking to buy a python or monitor or something. why wouldn't they take a free one?? i guess you do raise a good point about health, but shoot, if it was free, i would take a stab at it. chances are it just needs some care/attention (proper needs met, water, food, etc).

 

[blackcadillac70]

became to aggressive hell there born that way.i have a 12 yr.old ornate nile they are the most aggressive of all monitors. great present for a 10yr.old

 

[Dr Livingston]

Not all Niles have bad tempers and the IDIOTs who let their pets go because there too big or expensive and there not all nice and cuddly should just give them to me.

 

[burmish101]

In my experience with raising quite a few niles over the years they are very very shy and skittish, and its hard to get them to be comfortable around you. I've never personally got one tame or anything, theres some videos on youtube of tame niles so I suppose its possible but those people have probably spent 90% of the day with their lizards lol. Way too much time to put into a single animal for me.

 

[AndrewH]

Not true...why are so many reptiles euthanized at rescue centers? Well, for most reptiles finding a home is no problem...but for an overgrown and possibly not in the best health iggy, sav, nile, redear slider-it is going to be tough to find a home.

Mostly due to the fact that most of those are Animal Rights Activist run, such as PETA. The others are usually euthanized due to improper care previous to arriving at the facility, and suffer too badly to make a good recovery, such as Metabolic Bone disease, soft jaw, spinal kinking, broken bones, extreme malnourishment and dehydration. I can go on with that. The other side is most people want to acquire an animal in good health to start out with. Not something that will run them up in vet care, and never recover fully. Why pick up a rescue, when you can pick up a healthy animal as a pet, or possible breeder? That or bring something into your collection...

became to aggressive hell there born that way.i have a 12 yr.old ornate nile they are the most aggressive of all monitors. great present for a 10yr.old

Ornates are actually on the average side of the Monitor spectrum. The common Nile is the more skittish and defensive of the monitor species. Ornates aren't nearly as large as the commons either... just a stockier build on the length to weight ratio.

 

[nickn]

In my experience with raising quite a few niles over the years they are very very shy and skittish, and its hard to get them to be comfortable around you. I've never personally got one tame or anything, theres some videos on youtube of tame niles so I suppose its possible but those people have probably spent 90% of the day with their lizards lol. Way too much time to put into a single animal for me.

Yeah I love these lizards, I wanted to get one but the more I read into it the harder it was to swallow what it takes to tame and keep them. They get huge and very agressive in there space. I dont think I can pitch to the wife that the extra bedroom needs to be the monitors room

Pretty crazy there in the wild down there though. Id much rather run up on one of these then a gator. Im not sure how I feel about killing them. A lot of animals live in places they never were from originally, you dont see people going out and killing every species that migrates to a new place to live. I guess I could understand bugs killing important things, but monitors? What bad are they doing eating all the mice or attacking people or what? Im just not sure I understand what part of the ecosystem there messing up.

 

[Mr Ed]

Well, I read the local paper today (Big Spring herald
http://www.bigspringherald.com/content/view/188028/60/ )and apparently the Nile monitor crisis was a hoax. There was a report of a large lizard that was caught but nothing as large as a Nile monitor. I guess everyone who had their bags packed to go lizard hunting can unpack-no monitors here anymore-sorry...

 

[Sarcastro]

personally I think anyone who buys an animal because it's "cool" and releases it because they no longer want it or can't afford it...I think they should be rounded up and "neutralized" but that's just my opinion.

i have a big Nile named Ike and he's a big teddy bear