Taming & Training Varanids

[mimic58]

Hi all, I am looking for advice and tips from other keepers who have already sucessfully tamed their monitor. Id really like to know the perticular method you chose to use and how well it has worked out, is your lizard trust worthy?

Any usefull ways to avoid bites would also be greatly appreciated.

 

[Lycanthrope]

Taming and training advice, don't have any. As for bite aversion, just handle with respect and only when necessary. Monitors aren't dogs. Don't do anything stupid, and treat it like the magnificent natural eating ,machine that it is.

 

[Kayv]

Do not handle your monitor if it doesn't want to be held. Let your monitor get used to you without forcing it. An example is putting the tank in a room where you will be in a lot. After a month or so, try holding your monitor. If your monitor is already large, caution should be taken.

An example is with me and my timor. Timors are very skittish monitors and when he would see me he would run straight into his hide/burrow. I then placed the tank in my room where I'm in a lot. For the first few weeks he would hide a lot but after a while he would start to come out and eat in front of me. Even when I went up to the tank real close to watch him, he wouldn't mind me. A while later I would then attempt to hold him. He would always start running so I would leave him alone and just try this once a day. Finally he wasn't so skittish and I was able to actually pick him up and hold me. He didn't really like it though so i don't handle him unless I actually have to. At least now he is used to me and I can watch him to his every day stuff, unlike before when he would just hide.

Your best bet is to start off with a monitor that isn't skittish by nature, and a baby if you can. Ackies and pretty tame.

You don't want to force your monitor, this can cause stress which can kill some monitors.

 

[mimic58]

Do not handle your monitor if it doesn't want to be held. Let your monitor get used to you without forcing it. An example is putting the tank in a room where you will be in a lot. After a month or so, try holding your monitor. If your monitor is already large, caution should be taken.

Its a Young Varanus Exanthematicus 15" captive bred, A She i beleive, Im not having any problems with seeing her feed or seeing her out in the open exploring, She doesnt run from me, and seems tolerant of me touching her gently now, I have not as yet attempted to handle her as i Fear this may upset the trust she has already built for me,I have been spending a little time each day interacting with her an would just like her to stay this way into adult hood, I dont expect to be able to pick up a full grown lizard any more than i would a large dog,for me just being able to get in an out of the enclosure for maintanence without being ripped to peaces will be tame enough. is even this to much to expect from a monitor?

 

[Kayv]

Seems like you're doing the right thing. No it's not too much to ask from a monitor. If your monitor is used to you around and doesn't flee or act up when you step in the enclosure, then this is good. It will allow for cleaning/maintenance to be easier.

 

[defour]

I dont expect to be able to pick up a full grown lizard any more than i would a large dog,for me just being able to get in an out of the enclosure for maintanence without being ripped to peaces will be tame enough. is even this to much to expect from a monitor?

It is to much to EXPECT from a monitor, but the odds are very good that yours will be that tame as an adult, since you picked a species that tends to be pretty docile. The one I had years ago started out completely laid back, stayed that way for a few months, and then slowly developed an attitude. He was an exception, though. The trend with the savs I've seen is to get more docile with age; some of them are a bit wild as juveniles but grow into very docile adults. One thing to check, though, is to make sure you've got a warm enough basking spot (and a cool enough spot as well); lots of monitors are mellow because they're kept too cool, and when warmed up properly start to show their true colors.

You made a good choice. I've seen posts from people who just brought home a baby niloticus and want to know how to make sure they end up puppy tame (or worse, are totally taken by surprise when it gets defensive), which is a horrible situation for the owners and the lizard. For a first mid-sized monitor, Savs are perfect choices. You just have to be prepared for a monster when you get one, even if odds are it'll be easy to handle.

Steve

 

[Beardo]

A CB Savannah Monitor? LMAO!!! Not trying to degrade you or say you're gullible, but 99% of the Savannahs on the market are wild caught. I can't ever recall anyone actually breeding Savannahs. I'm sure its been done, but I just don't see many people wasting their time trying to do it. WC monitors are super cheap and thousands are imprted every year....a CB animal is going to command a higher price tag and most people who buy Savannahs aren't looking for quality most of the time, they want a cheap, big lizard so they buy the WC for $15-20. Its the same situation with normal Ball Pythons.

 

[Crotalus]

A CB Savannah Monitor? LMAO!!! Not trying to degrade you or say you're gullible, but 99% of the Savannahs on the market are wild caught. I can't ever recall anyone actually breeding Savannahs. I'm sure its been done, but I just don't see many people wasting their time trying to do it. WC monitors are super cheap and thousands are imprted every year....a CB animal is going to command a higher price tag and most people who buy Savannahs aren't looking for quality most of the time, they want a cheap, big lizard so they buy the WC for $15-20. Its the same situation with normal Ball Pythons.

A friend of mine has bred them. But sure, many are farmed animals.

/Lelle

 

[scavenger]

I had a 5.5' long, male V. albigularis who was trained very well... if you consider dropping his threat display for all out running, mouth open assaults trained. I gave him a bath twice a week as a water dish big enough for him to soak in was no option... he never let up on trying to eat me but he was great. He never got me and i'm happy cause he had teeth like Tyrannosaurs.... i digress...

Good luck!

 

[fatbloke]

mimic58

ive found one of the ways that works best for me is to handle the animal just before feeding him that way he will associate being handled with food also when handling them at first dont restrain them if they want to move let them ive found this method has worked for me several times with different varanids

john

 

[Bigboy]

taming

Taming Monitors isn't all that hard as long as you aren't working with anything skiddish like a tree monitor. What you need is something young and some tough gloves. Something as simple as five minutes of handling a day works. For big biters those gloves will make them realize that biting you isn't going to make you let go. For tree monitors that love to grabhold with those little razor claws of theirs and just squeeze, the gloves do the same thing. Tree monitors will stress out much easier and are a whole lot more agile than any others. Never try handling a big fella alone and if something does grab hold of flesh , pin down it's front claws because they'll start goin to work otherwise. Put somethin nasty in their mouths like whisky or vinigar. Teaches them that bitting just gets them a mouthful of yuck. Your best bet is to start small. Get a hatchling, they're easier to tame and manage and don't let the animal get know you fear getting bitten or scratched. If it knows that any of the two will affect you and make you loosen your grip then they'll know just what to do to be troublesome. These are smart animals. Daily handleing is your best bet. And don't worry if they shoot their poop at you, as they get used to handling that'll stop. Just make sure you make it a daily thing. You came tame anything with a brain. As far as training goes the only training I know of is food association. Before feedings bang on the side of the cage. They associate the banging with getting fed and it makes handleing much less dangerous. For anyone who has kept a varanid well knows, when you hover over the cage they think it's feeding time and you don't want them associating something as everyday as that with food. If you have any other questions I'd love to help you out. I used to work strictly with varanids and have kept them as well.

 

[mimic58]

Raptor

If she stays this cute i wll be very happy

 

[mimic58]

Fish?

Is there any reason I cant or should not feed her some tastie Tuna once in a while as a treat?,I figured goldfish must taste pritty ass like, maybe a reward could help in taming or atleast to encorage certan types of behavior :?

(tastie food when she is good)
(Regular boring food when shes bad)

i am already noticing she does have prefered prey items one example would be crickets rather than meelworms though she will eat both if hungry enough she would much prefer crickets . so im thinking maybe i can use this :?