Reptile & Amphibian Forums

how much time will a flavixargus cross spend in its burrow. i am wondering because that is one of the reasons i am interested in getting these guys because its gonna be hard for me to go six months without my tegu and i want something that will be up alot. also can you answer this question for an ackie thanks in advance

Depends on how warm it stays in the burrow, if it is stressed out, or if it is sleeping. Monitors hide in burrows for security. Mine spend a large majority of the day in burrows, but they have a pretty regular schedual, they come out twice during the day, early morning and late afternoon for a few hours.

Hope this helps,
Tim

They love to burrow so chances are thats where they will be alot. Its what they were designed for, look at an adults feet they look like a badgers feet, and they are huge with thick straight claws..

I think all monitors burrow or hide the same, which is most of the time. Also, have you ever looked at gouldi type monitors feet??? for instance, Flavi's are the most accomplished burrowers and their claws are long thin needle like structures. In fact, a couple of us where looking at wild flavi claws and were amazed how long and pointed they were, considering they were on sand.

The strongest digging claws are not albigs.(not counting KD's)

With that said, I think its funny how people go about comparing claws. I sit and think, dang, little tiny geckos with little tiny feet, burrow like crazy, hmmmmmmmmmmmm. F

I just got the funniest visualisation of a tiny little Gecko, tiny little feet n all, "speedy Gonzolas" style, diggin up a frenzy with dirt flying in every direction! That would be funny to see.

nobody every seems to mention is the use of their head for burrowing.

I have seen it in Goulds, and to a lesser extent Argus. The gouldii have shovel heads, and use them as such.

I am just going to have to get some flavis.

--Robert

Year old Argus at the Hamburg PA show, he had enormous feet almost as big as his head. That and claws long and thick needlelike. Look like badger feet.

Great, you know I was wondering if the giant lizard book had anything to do with it, because some pics in there look like they have giant feet. On the other hand, I have gouldi, argus, flavis and all possible crosses between them right here in front of me and I do not notice large feet with giant claws. I must have weird ones.

I do notice that Lacies and Croc monitors have large feet with giant claws, but they do not dig much. Still say, the fat thick claws of Albigs "look more adapted for digging. But then my son is sitting here laughing, he said something about toads burrowing for most of their life and they have no claws. Hmmmmmmmmmm F

The feet on Albigs are large with long toes and thick curved claws kinda for both trees and dirt. The argus had shorter toes and long straight claws and the feet themselves were large (a couple of adults I noticed).Then again an ackie has small feet and short toes but they are mini-bulldozers.

I have caught gouldi in trees, argus in trees, Flavi's in trees, Ackies in trees, etc. I really do not believe, Albigs use trees any more or any less then these species. As far as I can tell, most species of monitors use trees when available. heck mertens use trees, kimberlys, gilleni, caudo's, perenties, tristis, mitchell's, bengals, waters, kd's, etc. It surely would be simplier to name the ones that don't and I am sure its only because they cannot find one.

Why people want, like, need to pigeonhole them is beyond me.

I guess you like to sit home and make sense out of what you think, not what it really is. But that fine, after all, its your house. F

Not trying to make too much sense of it but telling you what I see.

If you discribe an observation,(what you see) you are suppose to repeat what you saw, not what you thought. Because you when on about claws, feet, and burrowing, that means you voiced your opinion. That the gouldi group were burrowers and Albigs climbed more. So I reported that I have actually observed all members of the gouldi group in trees.(pers. comm, my eyes). If you read about this group, you will see the word, trees, in most discriptions.

What you saw was simply a very large V.p.horni, with large claws. The rest was interpitation without alot of experience, opinion.

There is nothing wrong with you opinion, as long as you know what that is, which sometimes seems not to be the case.

So then I responded with, I have seen them climb and in my opinion, they do so as much as albigs.

In order to maintain a decent conversation, you should next, provide reasons why you said what you said. After all, that is how a conversation is suppose to proceed. Then I would proceed to provide more material why I think they climb.

You see these forums are suppose to be about discussion. Not about right or wrong. As that is impossible to determine here. Whats the deal,F

On a forum but you say what I said was an opinion yet I described what I saw not what I thought as you are doing in response, after all I saw the lizard, did you?. I described the feet and claws and yes made a statement that they are built to burrow, thats obvious arent they all. I said albigs like to climb, hmm, Mark Bayless quoted to me that the Albig spends all but a few days of the year when really cold, living in trees. You yourself said of the monitors that spend time up, the albig seems least designed for it but spends more time than most up.

" The rest was interpitation without alot of experience, opinion."

"There is nothing wrong with you opinion, as long as you know what that is, which sometimes seems not to be the case."

"So then I responded with, I have seen them climb and in my opinion, they do so as much as albigs."

My answer to the following is simple, Ive seen fish climbing a tree but Im not specifying how high or for how long etc but it happens. Heres something to think about, earthworms spend alot of time digging and burrowing but they have no claws or feet or legs, some birds dig nests and holes in the ground but are built to fly, fact my brother, no opinion.

I noticed you were ready to point the finger about me getting the idea from a book with lousy info contained, yet were disappointed when I told you where I observed what I stated.

"You see these forums are suppose to be about discussion. Not about right or wrong. As that is impossible to determine here. Whats the deal,F".

Exactly as you said you cant prove right or wrong here but this is about discussion, and trying to keep a civilized exchange without insults or belittlement.

on being so mean to people? He was just reporting observations, not claiming that he knew everything. You dont outright call people stupid, but Im sure you make them feel that way a lot.

Just my observations,
Michelle