Reptile & Amphibian Forums

These guys do have nails much sharper than many other species and trying to figure out a humane way to trim or dull them. I would not use clippers as this might create unwanted stress. I started using this rock as a basking spot in hopes that it will at least dull the tips of each nail. I have never tried this before as the only other species I cared for with this sharp of nails was the Croc monitor, and I had no intention of handling that species due to unpredictable nature. I have so far noticed a slight difference, but it has only been a few days

some other V.melinus pics...

I have finally came up with a name for my guy. The one in first picture is sold, but the one in the next two is the one I plan to keep as a pet, so I have to name him/her. I am thinking Mellow-yellow due to the calm disposition of this guy. With all the talk of how bad they are I feel really lucky to be working with one of such inherence.
Shane

You can use a dremel with a sanding barrel. My mother uses this tool on her cats and dog, and works wonders! It's great because you gradually take a way the nail so you can stop before you reach the quick (vein). I'm pretty sure it'll work on a monitor, too. Although it will still probably prove stressful.
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1.1.0 Leopard Geckos (Booger & Gimp)
1.0.0 Veiled Chameleon (Lucutis)

Are you the one that is getting the melinus??

Yes I am, why do you ask? If it is because I am new to monitors and trying to help out Phantasticus, I just thought I'd throw out an idea. It could be a terrible idea for monitors, I don't know, but I just thought I'd share something that works for cat & dog claws.
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1.1.0 Leopard Geckos (Booger & Gimp)
1.0.0 Veiled Chameleon (Lucutis)

He is just trying his best to start a problem to get attention. I have heard of some zoo keepers using this (drimil) for some species of reptiles after questioning the idea amongst herpetologists. So I don’t think it was a bad idea at all. It would be based on their (the lizard) reaction to this if a good tool to use. So far it was not recommended by these people though, even if they found professionals using this technique.
Shane

I understand you are very smart, or put yourself off as being so. Congrats on that. I am not so smart. I have to work at things. Your a lucky person.

But there is common sense(i have some of that), and I am trying to apply it with you. You claim to have all these expert resources, you know, those who have bred melinus so often that they wore the females out. And herpetologist that have instructed you on the fine art of nail clipping. I am glad for you.

What I fine confusing is, why do you care what us knownothings say? and why do you keep asking basic beginer questions. Also, you offer basic beginer responses. After all, you claim expert advice and consul.

Wouldn't you be better off with your expert herpetologist and expert breeder sources? If you really have them as resources, why come here? I mean really, its only common sense, if you know melinus breeders, then they should be your source of information. You know, apples to apples and all.

The above is only out of curiosity, I cannot figure it out. Remember, I am not so smart, you know, have all things figured out.

About trimming nails. That confuses me too. As you say your monitor is so calm. If its calm, then why not just pick it up and use some NAIL clippers and clip the nails. I mean if you really feel the need to do such a thing. If its not calm, then that is very easy too. Just put the dang thing in a snake bag, you know, what they come in, when imported. I think pillow cases are best because they are thin. When you do that, the monitor will grab the cloth with its feet and all the nails will stick out the otherside, you know, the side your on. Then calmly you can clip and file or even paint the claws to your hearts desire.

You do understand that captive adjusted monitors do not stress easily. Heck they love anything new, gets them all worked up.

A little story about monitors and stress. When people come over that are interested in monitors, I often feed the monitors, as I have mentioned many times, I keep them in groups. I normally open the door, grab the male by the base of the tail, the male flops around like a tuna fish. I dip him in a bucket of mice, he grabs some mice, I then throw him in a trashcan. I then go feed the females. After they are done, I grab the male by the base of the tail again and put him back in his cage. Again he flops around like a tuna fish. But as soon as he sees his cage, he quits struggling and by the time his feet touches the ground he is either trying to mate the females or looking or uneaten food. So much for stress.(a very true story)

The reason I do this is, it points out how hard it is to stress balanced monitors. Sometimes the males are not so easy to get out, so we have a giant fistfight(sometimes I lose) guess what, that does not stress them either. I get the feeling, fistfights are a normal part of their life. What stresses out monitors is, TO KEEP THEM IN CONDITIONS THEY ARE FOREIGN TOO.

Read the capped sentence over and over. As its very important to the understanding of monitors and their keeping. Its also important to understand the difference between a tame/calm monitor and a stressed monitors. You see, monitors are very very curious and do not sit still when tame, they have to investigate anything new. Sir, thats is very basic. A monitor that sits still, hmmmmmm theres something wrong with it.

Back to your experts, In my life I have worked in zoos, reptile zoos and many reptile shops. Those with experience would not use a dremel, they would smack you silly. Those with experience would simply pick the dang monitor up, grab it stick it between their legs(if a bigger type, little types do not need this) and clip the dang claws, then toss the monitor in its cage. The reality is, those with experience would not clip their claws. They would grab the monitor from you, toss it back in the cage, smack you on the back of the head and tell you to sweep the floor.

You do understand, there are lots of beginers in all places, I would imagine they may be like you and recomend something not needed. I actually do not like dremels, they are a kids toy. I use die grinders all the time. Heck, with those I could trim the claws of a T-rex. And I have.(of course, no real ones)

One point is, why are you afraid to be a beginer. We all start out as beginers, and as beginers, we make tons of mistakes and have tons of bad ideas.

Experience eliminates lots of those mistakes and bad ideas, which helps the monitors. But experience creates new problems and new bad ideas.

I imagine a smart person would skip some, making of mistakes, and try to gain advice from those with experience. Specially when its not you that suffers, its the monitors. But then I do understand, I am not all that smart. And heck, you already have all the experts you need. But that leaves that one question, why do you care what we think?

I know none of this will help you, but hopefully others will read this. Cheers

I have placed FRANKS- in front of your paragraphs sometimes with questions. I will answer the best I can with as simplified as I can…

FRANKS-I understand you are very smart, or put yourself off as being so. Congrats on that. I am not so smart. I have to work at things. Your a lucky person.

I too work hard at everything I do, was considered ADD and made it just to high school. I read a lot but I do things hands on better than in the books

FRANKS-But there is common sense(i have some of that), and I am trying to apply it with you. You claim to have all these expert resources, you know, those who have bred melinus so often that they wore the females out. And herpetologist that have instructed you on the fine art of nail clipping. I am glad for you.

Never said anyone wore the females out.

FRANKS-What I fine confusing is, why do you care what us knownothings say? and why do you keep asking basic beginer questions. Also, you offer basic beginer responses. After all, you claim expert advice and consul.

To me the basic beginners are who we should involve with these conversations here as one of the largest sights actively selling to the public. Save the advanced class for your threads.

FRANKS-Wouldn't you be better off with your expert herpetologist and expert breeder sources? If you really have them as resources, why come here? I mean really, its only common sense, if you know melinus breeders, then they should be your source of information. You know, apples to apples and all.

I believe in using all sources and coming up with an understanding based on everyone, not just the few on this website or any other source of information..

FRANKS-The above is only out of curiosity, I cannot figure it out. Remember, I am not so smart, you know, have all things figured out.

I actually have told you haw smart I think you are in the past, so not sure where this is coming from. I do think propaganda and promoting can disrupt this though.

FRANKS-About trimming nails. That confuses me too. As you say your monitor is so calm. If its calm, then why not just pick it up and use some NAIL clippers and clip the nails. I mean if you really feel the need to do such a thing. If its not calm, then that is very easy too. Just put the dang thing in a snake bag, you know, what they come in, when imported. I think pillow cases are best because they are thin. When you do that, the monitor will grab the cloth with its feet and all the nails will stick out the otherside, you know, the side your on. Then calmly you can clip and file or even paint the claws to your hearts desire.

Good idea. I just don’t like clippers like I stated in the past. I never would have clipped nails or anything like that with hundreds of reptiles I am simply trying to establish.

FRANKS-You do understand that captive adjusted monitors do not stress easily. Heck they love anything new, gets them all worked up.

Not sure what you are trying to say here?

FRANKS-A little story about monitors and stress. When people come over that are interested in monitors, I often feed the monitors, as I have mentioned many times, I keep them in groups. I normally open the door, grab the male by the base of the tail, the male flops around like a tuna fish. I dip him in a bucket of mice, he grabs some mice, I then throw him in a trashcan. I then go feed the females. After they are done, I grab the male by the base of the tail again and put him back in his cage. Again he flops around like a tuna fish. But as soon as he sees his cage, he quits struggling and by the time his feet touches the ground he is either trying to mate the females or looking or uneaten food. So much for stress.(a very true story)

This is obviously not directed at me as I understand.

FRANKS-“The reason I do this is, it points out how hard it is to stress balanced monitors. Sometimes the males are not so easy to get out, so we have a giant fistfight(sometimes I lose) guess what, that does not stress them either. I get the feeling, fistfights are a normal part of their life. What stresses out monitors is, TO KEEP THEM IN CONDITIONS THEY ARE FOREIGN TOO.”

This is true again and something that needs to be figured out by the keeper/ monitor relationship and can vary. My Quince will eat out of my hands anytime in the cage they are in, so are they stressed?

FRANK-Read the capped sentence over and over. As its very important to the understanding of monitors and their keeping. Its also important to understand the difference between a tame/calm monitor and a stressed monitors. You see, monitors are very very curious and do not sit still when tame, they have to investigate anything new. Sir, thats is very basic. A monitor that sits still, hmmmmmm theres something wrong with it.

True again, and when I have stated “tame” never referred to a monitor that is “scared stiff” I referred to a monitor that tries to climb my shoulder, down my leg and can not sit still for long…but it does not show fear of me or take me as a threat, even to eat out of my hands while being held. I know when they are truelly scared, they run like a bat out of hell running into anything and everything.

FRANK-Back to your experts, In my life I have worked in zoos, reptile zoos and many reptile shops. Those with experience would not use a dremel, they would smack you silly. Those with experience would simply pick the dang monitor up, grab it stick it between their legs(if a bigger type, little types do not need this) and clip the dang claws, then toss the monitor in its cage. The reality is, those with experience would not clip their claws. They would grab the monitor from you, toss it back in the cage, smack you on the back of the head and tell you to sweep the floor.

Now we are getting to your anger. Who beat you when younger Frank? Why insult me? I try to refrain from use of isults on here.

FRANKS-You do understand, there are lots of beginers in all places, I would imagine they may be like you and recomend something not needed. I actually do not like dremels, they are a kids toy. I use die grinders all the time. Heck, with those I could trim the claws of a T-rex. And I have.(of course, no real ones)

Well I am actually a Tile contractor using mostly natural stone with every stone tool in the industry. A die grinder lol, why not use a reciprocating saw to clip the nails! Dremels are great tools with the right bits for detailed and small work.

FRANKS-One point is, why are you afraid to be a beginer. We all start out as beginers, and as beginers, we make tons of mistakes and have tons of bad ideas.

I consider myself always a beginner, but a beginner who question the motives of others.

FRANKS-Experience eliminates lots of those mistakes and bad ideas, which helps the monitors. But experience creates new problems and new bad ideas.

True

FRANKS-I imagine a smart person would skip some, making of mistakes, and try to gain advice from those with experience. Specially when its not you that suffers, its the monitors. But then I do understand, I am not all that smart. And heck, you already have all the experts you need. But that leaves that one question, why do you care what we think?

I care what you think as you promote to new keepers your agendas on this forum.

FRANKS-I know none of this will help you, but hopefully others will read this. Cheers

And I hope they will learn from it.

Shane

You think I offer advanced ideas? I really have to wonder about that. You see, I do not grade or rate myself, Others do. Just like what others are doing to you. They rate you, by how THEY precieve you. With that said, I know what I am and what I know. The reason is, its based on results and continued results. Not on what I think. Of course I often word things wrong, but with help, I can fix that.

About being advanced or being special for breeding monitors. I again must not be very smart, because I feel no accomplishment for allow reptiles to do, what they have done for tens of thousands of years, without my help. Or without my approach. I guess I feel relief.

They are designed to grow, reproduce, get old and die, They do this in all but the most horrible conditions. You know, conditions of extincion. So, to allow them to do what they do normally, is not advanced. Its normal. To not allow them to do whats normal to them, is below normal, its comparable to extinction.

What I feel is sadness, I am sad that people like you, you know, individuals who think themselves smart, cannot understand that a wild animal is not going to be tame. I feel sad that a smart person like you cannot understand, that monitors have lots and lots of behaviors that we do not understand. And what your seeing is amoung these behaviors. Whats even sadder is, monitors are so tough and strong they do not die easily. If they did, you would understand there is something wrong. So they take long periods to loss their immune system, their tails fall off, their toes fall off, they develop puss filled tumors, all a reflection of stress and sadly are still alive.

How could you think that your monitors, who were in indo a very short time ago, are tame today? Sir, use some common sense. So you really think they are tame or calm? If you had common sense, you would understand, they may appear tame or calm, but there is no reason for them to be tame and calm. SO THEY ARE NOT.

Try to understand this, a long time ago, I manned and flew raptors(hawks/falcons,etc), they teach you, to man a bird, you gain a bond with it. You do not tame the bird, you build a partnership, a bond. Once this is done with raptors, they appear tame. But they are not, they simply have a bond with you. They know you are helping them exsist. They are not tame. The minute you do not hold up your end of the partnership, the bond is broken. Such it is with wild animals. You can build a partnership that is beyond tameness. But the bird or monitor is not tame.

IF you had some idea about reptiles, you would understand, you can intice(force) a monitor to do about anything. for instance, you can get your melinus to bask in a bowl of motor oil. All you have to do is keep the cage cool and put a heat lamp over the motor oil. Then the monitor has no choice, in order to gain heat(they don't make their own) it must go in the motor oil to get heat(to live). That is extreme, but it points out what your seeing.

If you provided your melinus with conditions it understands and perfers. Like deep substrate of leaves and loose dirt, and there was a suitable heat range thru out the substrate. Then you have your current cage conditions on top of that. Then throw in small very tight hollow logs. Your "tame" "calm" monitor would not act the way it did, you see, now it have choices it understands. It can now be a real melinus. The question is, can you tame this monitor in conditions it perfers. Not tame a monitor that is being tortured into submission.

The people that gave you their experience based their opinions on melinus in conditions that were proper for a healthy melinus. Not in conditions that allowed no options. I hope your smartness works out for you. Cheers

I can only understand you take half truths and then extremely exaggerated stories of motor oil created in your mind, then thread them into my situation as if my story. I can understand as you have taken different Australian species and cross bred them. This does not sound like someone who is concerned about extinction of the species. You can always go a level higher. I can say you keep your lizards in a way that is inhumane and they only breed because they can. If I locked you in confinement for the rest of your life in a very well set up cell you would still hate it and want to die. If I placed some good quality food in there you would still eat it. If I gave you a hot looking woman (if you like women) you would probably mate with her. But just because you are productive is not the answer for this cell being the best environment. Just as you having made a lot of cells for your monitors and have produced thousands of babies a year does not make them any better off than my monitors. I actually am not running a monitor mill so my single monitor might get better care. Who knows? I have experience but can go back to the roots and try and find answers there. Sometimes when you feel you are above people you stop looking for new answers and ideas then you just quote all your stories without knowing if times or ideas have grown.
On the other end, the environment monitors come from is Hell in the minds of us if we had to live it, with the majority dieing in the wild. We had the same problem and became civilized just as our wild dogs became domesticated. One day our wild animals of today will become domesticated, not in our time but because of us they will in someone else’s time.
We can go back and forth with ideas and show reasons to back up why they are so good in almost any circumstance. It is though entertainment at its best to listen to you go on as you do, so I will keep giving you the fuel and the target.
Shane

No one blames you, you are only doing what you know how to do. You may have no idea how to understand my posts because you lack of experience to understand my posts. You say half truths. Maybe more like you only understand half of what I say.

To be more accurate, its more likely, 1/50 truths and you only understand half of that, 1/100th of what I say. The reason I say that is, I truely do not know or understand what the whole truth is. But I have a minor basic understanding of keeping monitors. I never claimed to know all that much. I have seen a lot, but to know, thats a different story.

So you do not understand what i am saying and don't know how to relate it to monitors? You can relate it to monitors you know, that is, if you want to.

Then you do what you know, that is, playing your tactical games, that are not monitor related. You know, thats been done many many times before. So I have had time to start to understand it. You should understand, I did not care about that before and I do not now.

As you can see, I kinda enjoy game playing and in a way its much like keeping monitors, if you set up the right conditions, the monitors will tell you what they are. You are doing the same.

So I set up conditions for you to make a choice. You can pick talking about, asking about, or in any form learning about monitors. Or you can choose to attack me or the other people who tried to help you. Its painly easy to get you to make that the wrong choice. You should also understand, to get you to go that direction, all I have to do approach you in a strait forward way. There were others before you that went into the abstract. In fact, one other before you, was/is a genius. I had a ball playing those games. He at least taught me lots. He taught me about people, and even taught me to look at my monitors over and over, to make sure I was seeing what I was seeing. I thank you Jobi.

But you sir, what do you bring to the table. Everything you say is about others, nothing of your own, not even your attempts to devert the train of thought are original. For instance your slander of me, is old, all here have seen it and are aware of it. They are far more aware I my abilities and drawbacks then you. So please, bring something fresh and new to the table. Hopefully bring it about monitors, but even if you can't and have to go the way your going, please get better at it.

About the TOS of the forum, you do understand, this forum is about monitors. I am willing to talk about monitors. IF theres something you do not understand, wouldn't it be best to ask.

Its not a forum about monitor keepers. To bad, that would be fun. Cheers and truely have a good day

You are the smarter one Frank so you win. I am here to talk about monitors, so I cant respond to another one of your lectures. Have a great weekend!
Shane

Its not about winning anything. By the way, if I did win, what did I win? An all expensive paid trip to daytona or something?

The point is you seem to want it to be about winning or losing. And you try to make it about people. The point and its always been the point, its about the monitors, they are the winners and sadly most of the time the losers.

IF you/we would look at each post as if it was about the monitors there would not be these dumb discussions. If you and others would look at posts as if they were about the monitors, instead of, as if they were about you, wouldn't this be a real nice place. You do understand, its hard to do. Cheers

n/p

I know people have used a dremel with Iguana claws. The rescue where I got my iguana used it on my girl’s claws. I have used dog trimmers on her claws also. Some monitors may tolerate a dremel, but most monitors are not as layed back as my Iguana.
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Ed

Why not just have it declawed? If it ever does start the nasty habit of biting, just break it's teeth off, don't worry they can grow back. I also recommend getting a leash so that you take it for walks around town.

I hope you are using a screen top on that fish tank, otherwise it will hold too much humidity. One more thing, I think an inch of peat is too much substrate, just use newspaper.

Neal, he is looking for helpful suggestions. I know he may have rubbed you guys the wrong way, but must you hold a grudge? I say help someone who asks for it, or don't reply at all.
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1.1.0 Leopard Geckos (Booger & Gimp)
1.0.0 Veiled Chameleon (Lucutis)

Yes, he's asking for help, so why not help him in all aspects of keeping? I agree that the enclosure is not very suitable (at least for long) for such an animal, and the substrate is not very good either. Give him deeper substrate to burrow in and a deep layer of leaves to hide/burrow in as well. You may then see the actual personality of your monitor. As for the nails, I agree that when dealing with varanids it really shouldn't be a concern...no offense but what did you expect from an animal of its size? They have sharp claws for a reason, so why not allow him to be a monitor. With a larger, more naturalistic environment, his claws may even dull themselves with more activity, such as burrowing, climbing etc. Good luck

Just so you understand I am exploring the keeping of this monitor from the prospective of a typical keeper with plans of this being a pet. I have bred many reptiles and always used the natural set up as a base for any work. I would already figure this species habits include lots of climbing and use of a large cage with branches would be great for them. The adults are known for also having sharp claws and the collectors have shown that they where found to use trees as a habit. If I was to breed this species I would use a very large cage with branches and a deep substrate. I don’t plan to do this, so my intentions like I said are to keep them as a pet and try to establish a general standard that your average advanced "pet" owner would be willing to do.
My cage right now is 4 feet x 2 feet x 18 inches. I am sure this size is ok right now for the fact they are still babies. The substrate is peat, something that can hold moisture and is very safe to use. I have two hide spots, one with heat and one with room temps. They use these if they feel they need any security. To me the leaf litter can harbor mold & bacteria, and is hard to obtain for the average keeper.
Shane

This (last post) just explains my intentions, but really I do thank you for your input. It is hard to have these conversations back and forth as ideas and reasons, constructively without the interruptions or insults by these other people. Creativity and new ideas have been proven by making mistakes and looking in places for ideas that the experts many times overlook. I do have a lot of experiences, but I will not stop looking for new ways or ideas even if the ideas are borderline of being ridiculous. And I could care less about the insults on my thinking as these guys who are set in their ways can stay behind as the new generation of herpetologists pass them up in successes.
Shane

Where could that be coming from. And you thought I was the mean guy. Heck, I had to deal with 1000 times more of this. I had to deal with old time experienced varaphiles, with the same mentality.

Don't get mad, he will be gone in a few days or weeks or months, they all disappear, sooner or later.

You may have noticed, that he claims to have worked with and is an importer, yet, he knows nothing about nails(What was he importing?). He mentioned this species seems to have sharper nails then others, how naive is that? Its not even close, he again is showing his experience. He only compared his melinus to "a" croc monitor. Man, that means he has lots of experience. A croc monitor. hehehehe

And you get all mad over someone without any experience. He enters these discussions like he has experience, so did you.

The point is Neal, I never went off(loosing it) I just keep poking reality at folks. You know they hate it, just like this fella, and like you hated it. I do understand reality is not fun, when its not yours.

Remember, a lot of my discussions were with PHD super brained varaphile experts. And they kept monitors for years, and had never recieved a fertile hatchable clutch of eggs. Heck, your one up already. It surely wasn't all that hard was it? It just took a decent(decent, not great, not special) approach and work. You know, the actual doing of something instead of the actual talking about something. You know the old saying, you can talk something to death. That really applies to the keeping of monitors.

Which goes back to this fella, its possible hes a super brain and this stuff is far too simple for him. So he makes it a challange, just for something to do.

Speaking of super brains, if you remember, I use to build zoo enclosures, you know like at the ASDM, I did a lot of work out there and at Reid Park Zoo. I also did the stuff on Swan Rd. Anyway, some super brains(PHD, zoo designers) were having a problem with hooves and trimming them. Kinda like this thread. There solution was to ask us to inbed graphite in concrete, and when the animals walked on it, it would automatically wear down the hooves. Cool idea, kinda like this persons approach, you know, make the animal do something un-natural, to solve something caused by being un-natural.

Well you guessed it, the designers forgot to install and stop switch, and the animals did not know when to stop trimming. Also, walking on concrete pretty much kills hooved stock as their joints are not designed to work or such a hard surface. You know, people have a problem standing on concrete for even hours at a time. I'am surprised they didn't ask, no, tell us to embed belt sanders in the ground.

Have you seen the feet of camels and elephants, they kinda have shock absorbers. Its really cool and cool to track them, for a large animal, they leave lite tracks. Anyway, someone forgot to put shock absorbers on hooved stock. Their suspension gets all beat up.

Which leads back to the point(if there ever was a point) Sharp clawed monitors(normally the young ones) have claws for climbing wooden things, you know, trees. Lots of babie monitors are climbers(trees). So my little pea brain thinks, give them what they would normally wear their claws on. You know, tree bark, you know, hard tree bark, not that soft bark stuff you can buy in tubes.

Monitors that are designed to climb on rocks, develop shock absorbers, pads. I guess it turns out, that pads have more traction and cushion, then claws. Who would have thunk?

I know, I am not all that smart, but as a builder of stuff, I do know to use a saw to saw, a grinder to grind, and sander to sand. You know, the basics, use the right tool for the job. Heck they tell you that at home depot. Cheers

Great idea about the graphite. If I feed graphite to my monitors, will it dull their teeth so it won't hurt if I get bit?

Thanks for the knowledge and humorous situations in your posts. That is what it is all about, LEARNING and FUN.
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Ed

"You know they hate it, just like this fella, and like you hated it"

I dont hate it or hate you at all. The results of what I am doing is creating more production in information out of you. Just as I train my monitors to feel they are at home and have no reason to fear me, these coversations have made you to be on point more than normal and pull as many facts out of your memory banks and old archives. You know I will question you so you have worked very hard to have great answers with great "come backs". These come backs are the information I have been looking for so great job!
Shane

here is better shot of the 2 basking on this rock.

The problem with trimming claws is that they dont need it done unless they get too long then twist to the side or something like that. If they do get too long then the problem is a husbandry issue, nothing to wear them off on, or the animal doesnt do anything but hide or lay there from not being able to (usually too low of temps).
My monitors trim their own claws, in the dirt, on the cork bark, etc.
I wonder, where do you get the idea that their claws are sharper than most other monitor species? The sharpest claws Ive ran into were hatchlings, with adults it has been between timors, ackies sometimes, and other small species. Of course the ackies wear theirs down pretty fast when they get sharp. I can remember hatchling monitors from albigularis, niloticus, ornatus, etc that are razor sharp, they cut your skin with no effort in the world. Of course as adults the claws dont get as sharp but much thicker and longer.
I wear welding gloves when Im annoyed at being cut up by claws. With Sobek I dont need to worry much about it, her claws arent very sharp, just very very big. At her size and weight the claws shread your shirt or rip your watchband off of the watch, tear through melamine (an old cage of hers,lol).
I wear the gloves with my BT and the flavi-argus, but then again I dont handle them much.
In the past Ive trimmed the tips of the claws of small monitors, its not too difficult, use cat claw trimmers or those reptile claw trimmers.