Hey everyone. This is my first time posting in this forum, I usually hang out with the boa people. 
Anyway, I've been thinking about getting either a monitor or a tegu for close to 7 months now but I'm not sure what would be good for a beginner. I guess I'd be looking for something that would stay in the 3-4 foot range as an adult, good temperament, and something pretty easy to take care of since this would be my first lizard. Any ideas?
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First timer with questions
drasticplastic
Mar 20, 2007 05:59 PM
Replies (3)
nerkhunts
Mar 20, 2007 06:07 PM
You have come to the right place. There are lots of knowledgeable people here. Just watch your sentence structure.
I'm not sure if any monitor or tegu is easy to care for. They seem challenging but I find that the best part of all.
I'll let the veterans make your species recommendations.
robyn@ProExotics
Mar 20, 2007 06:29 PM
Ackies are far and away the best choice for a beginner monitor. just a terrific experience all around. lizards are definitely more daily work than snakes, but there is a lot more activity as well.
check out our site, the FAQ, caresheets and the Monitor Pro Pack for more info.
for a beginner monitor, it is a looooooong way from Ackies to a competitive second choice.
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robyn@proexotics.com
ackie89
Mar 20, 2007 06:35 PM
Hey there, I would suggest starting out with a monitor species that will be fairly easy to learn about and stay relatively small. Look into ackies (varanus acanthurus) they normally get close to 2 feet in length, also they are all captive bred here in the US, not imported as most larger monitors. I started out with a group of red ackies and have learned quite a bit about monitors from raising them up. (Still have a lot to learn though...)
You would really enjoy ackies. I know I have, mine are quite active and have many funny/interesting behaviors. They will also give you a good idea about their feeding requirements...as it will be multiplied many times with larger species. There is also a considerable amount of information to be found about ackies, so just do your research. Proexotics' site is a good place to start your research. Definately consider the smaller species, they are very enjoyable to keep. Hopefully others can add to my response with other possible suggestions. Cheers, Lance
