Referenced. They (as a species) have been kept a long time in captivity, so there are many sources of info to compare as far as size, age, weight, etc etc. Now since then diets, reproduction, and captive care in general have improved, so who knows if the books will update.
I would have to guess that from info in books, in the time Ive kept monitors, as well from forums Ive read (the last 4 or so years)and pictures Ive seen of the average keepers BT that most dont seem to live to 3ft long. Most that do have them live to see sexual maturity either lose interest or sell them to make space (they take lots of it up). Of course the type of keeper that buys a large monitor already raised by someone else usually doesnt have the knowledge or experience to properly care for them, its a novelty thing, the lizard dies in what seems like no time, or lives a little while and does not grow.
In my experience the high numbers of suffering, sickly imports already a few years old brought here anywhere from almost hatchling size to 3,4,5ft long are not going to attain any real size, probably an average of around 5ft, of course this is the keepers who doesnt know what they are doing or wants more immediate satisfaction by getting what they would term well started monitors (long suffering is more accurate).
Of course most of my albigs have been in the category (no matter how good they looked or how healthy they seemed) of long term abused before I got them, I get some great growth in a short time from them, but long term problems seem to pop their ugly heads out. I had 3 from one suplier, 2 of 3 were fast growing, and short lived no matter what I did (my care wasnt as good then either), one had to go while I recovered from an accident. Since that time my confidence in the reptile industry went up, I see some more captive bred albigs (I was very lucky that some life events got me back to this hobby exactly when they did.
I cant say with proper care that any will average any size, I guess we need more keepers willing to do that just to prove the point. I think more people need to get hatchlings and raise them and keep them for the long haul. The info thats been around a long time says 5-7ft plus average size, lets see that average go up.
So far personally Ive only seen large albigs in a hand full of keepers collections (Jody Pieper, Dan Turner, Rob Faust, of course Pro Exotics, someone I used to know years ago named Peggy (she had 2 that were 6ft plus), Mark Bayless, myself, and a very few others, why??
Personally if I had to cut my collection down to size or sell off animals to make space, Sobek would be the only reptile in my collection, shes been a one of a kind ever sice I got her. For this I thank Rob Faust, and ProExotics for giving her that needed start in life.

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