Ok, but you aren’t gonna like this...

Monitors are tolerant, not friendly. Bend over backwards to please and it "might" tolerate you. Monitors do not make good pets. I don't recommend any mid to large monitors at all -unless you own your own property and have extra cash lying around on a regular basis.- Monitors are expensive to keep, the bigger the breed, the more expensive. They grow stinkin FAST, and get very big if you do it right. They can be dangerous and unpredictable. Monitors need a habitat/home that meets their needs **including exercise**, medium and large sizes need lots of space. When it grows up you can give it your bedroom, after you fill the room with dirt of course. There WILL be vet visits if you care about the critter, keep $500.00 on hand for the occasion when it arises. There are never black and white answers. You have to include the variables of your surroundings and the situation of each monitor when you formulate decisions on their care. Lots of study, lots of trial and error. Water type monitors are harder to keep, -cause they need all that stinkin water!- which needs to be kept clean for good health.(oh my aching back) Small breeds -ackie, tristis, etc..- are entertaining, beautiful, and much much easier to keep for life. Most people with anything larger find out in the first year or two it is too much to handle and the lizard is dumped on someone else.

If you want good answers around here, read the archives first. Then ask very specific questions. There are some extremely knowledgeable peeps on this forum, they will help if they can because they care about your monitor and want it to have a long, happy, healthy life.

Much luck to you! -H-

My lizard Scooter DOES NOT like to be picked up, he rarely likes to be touched. He tolerates it because we have a long relationship and I don't do it very often.

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