The first monitor I ever got was a nile. I was a childhood dinosaur and reptile freak from as long as I can remember. When I was about 5 I learned about komodo dragons. I wanted one because it was the closest thing living that resembled the t-rex I really wanted. To make it worse they came out with this show when I was about 5 called "land of the lost", in my case they might just as well called it "Highway to hell" because for me it really was that.

anyway I was well aware of niles for a very long time but had no interest in them because I didn't think they got all that big. then one day I realized that a 6 to 7 ft lizard really is a good sized animal. after that I looked up more info on them (which was very limited at the time.) and eventually got one.

They are an aggressive lizard which did not bother me and they do require a very large cage. His second cage (first was a tank) was the first custom cage I built and actually the first structure I completely designed and built myself.

He lived somewhere around 15 years. Niles are as tough as nails and can handle a bit more abuse husbandry wise than other monitors (not that I'm advocating that.) so there is some more room for error with niles than with some of the other species. I currently work with asian Waters as I have for many years which I prefer over niles (they get bigger and I find waters more attractive shape wise to niles.). I would not recommend either species to someone who had no clue what they are getting into. But if you can deal with the size and accept their temperament niles are great.

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• Will I be ready? - krookodile, Thu Apr 28 17:12:42 2011
• RE: Will I be ready? - krookodile, Thu Apr 28 17:21:29 2011
• RE: Will I be ready? - Calparsoni, Thu Apr 28 17:33:26 2011
• RE: Will I be ready? - FR, Fri Apr 29 10:43:05 2011
• RE: Will I be ready? - krookodile, Fri Apr 29 16:26:02 2011
• RE: Will I be ready? - Paradon, Mon May 2 13:37:32 2011
• RE: Will I be ready? - krookodile, Mon May 2 20:20:43 2011