I don't want to come across the wrong way but don't want you to be misnformed by your thinking. You may think that you sav likes having it's head rubbed because it just sits there and/or closes it's eyes, but that's not the case. Believe it or not, it's petrified, terrified. Odds are it doesn't move for some time after you stop rubbing it, unless it's headed into hiding.

That is part of their defense mechanism. Some savannah & nile monitors will actually play dead. They won't all snap, bite and/or tailwhip, some will do both. Some may do one or the other & some may tailwhip one minute and play dead the next.

Here's some pics of a 2ft fresh wild-caught that I had purchased the day before these pics. I walk into the room the next morning and see it laying on it's side, looking as though it fell off a branch I had in the temporary tank and it looked dead. I stared at it for a few minutes and then saw it breathing so I grabbed my camera.

This is the first pic I took. Notice that it's eye is closed.




Here's the 2nd pic I took. Notice that it's eye is now open but it still hasn't moved.




I told my wife that it was scared to death & that it wouldn't move. She didn't believe me so I removed the branch without disturbing him anymore than I had to. Take a look for yourself.




I surely didn't train him to lay like that. Incidentally, the cage was clean the night before, and of course, after the photoshoot.

Have a good one!
HH
-----
Due to political correctness run amuck,
this ol' hillbilly is now referred to as an:
Appalachian American


www.natures-signature.com

[ Hide Replies ]

• To train or not - none, Sat Apr 19 20:36:14 2008
• RE: To train or not - holygouda, Sat Apr 19 21:52:24 2008
• RE: To train or not - sidbarvin, Sun Apr 20 00:19:03 2008
• I trained my rudi - kap10cavy, Sun Apr 20 00:40:54 2008
• RE: To train or not - lizardheadmike, Sun Apr 20 17:59:12 2008
• RE: To train or not - sidbarvin, Sun Apr 20 23:12:58 2008
• RE: Its not taboo, its stupid - FR, Sun Apr 20 09:16:17 2008
• RE: Its not taboo, its stupid - tbone21, Sun Apr 20 13:25:45 2008
• RE: Its not taboo, its stupid - FR, Mon Apr 21 08:27:35 2008
• RE: Its not taboo, its stupid - tbone21, Mon Apr 21 10:20:06 2008
• RE: Its not taboo, its stupid - holygouda, Mon Apr 21 14:36:09 2008
• RE: Its not taboo, its stupid - tbone21, Mon Apr 21 19:26:47 2008
• RE: Its not taboo, its stupid - FR, Tue Apr 22 09:32:42 2008
• RE: Its not taboo, its stupid - Tbone21, Tue Apr 22 19:21:31 2008
• RE: Its not taboo, its stupid - cinderellawkids, Mon Apr 21 08:36:20 2008
• Yes, they are dead. - SHvar, Mon Apr 21 10:26:56 2008
• RE: Unfortunately... - Varanids_Rock, Mon Apr 21 15:39:38 2008
• RE: Its not taboo, its stupid - HappyHillbilly, Tue Apr 22 00:45:21 2008
• RE: Its not taboo, its stupid - ginebig, Tue Apr 22 05:16:17 2008
• RE: Its not taboo, its stupid - HappyHillbilly, Tue Apr 22 11:02:43 2008
• RE: Its not taboo, its stupid - cinderellawkids, Tue Apr 22 08:36:21 2008
• RE: Its not taboo, its stupid - HappyHillbilly, Tue Apr 22 10:32:54 2008