I can go both ways on this....
My first answer would be yes. I had one for over 16 years & trusted him implicitly. He was in photo shoots, TV spots, at pre-schools, parties, & even at a topless club.

The second part of my response would have to be maybe.
After following this forum for several years & gleaning much info from FR & others, I've decided that I really never let Phil (my monitor) be a monitor for extended periods of time - he lived an ok
life, but much of it was substandard in hindsight.
The times he got to be a monitor were awesome! Chasing bass in his water tank was cool - He looked like a mososaur! The time we let him play in the pond, swim around the island, & stick his head down crawdad holes was extraordinary!!! Unfortunately, most of his time was spent in a 4 x 6 cage that, while accommodating, never did him justice.
I went through multiple females to try & breed him, but I really wasn't doing it right.

If I ever get more, they'll have a lot more space, be raised socially, & we'll just have to see what the outcome is - I don't know if I'd be able to handle one that's in better conditions as easily.

Cheers, Max

[ Show Entire Thread ]