Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I don't which to get a nile or a sav. Niles in my opinion looks more like a lizard and savs look like a big chunk of dinosaurs. Then on the otherhand a sav is much cheaper then a nile. I would much rather get a nile but do you think it's worth the extra dollars I put it to obtain a nile.

I reread that message and it didnt make any sense.

I want to get a nile but they cost more then savs. I think niles have better coloring and body shape. Will a nile monitor make a better pet then a sav?

If your worried about money. Dont get a monitor. Monitors cost a butt load of money.

It's not really the money I just want to know if it will be worth the money.

No, neither of them will be worth it. That is, if you have figured out whaT "IT" is yet... -Mike

You do not seem to understand. Those monitors cost what, $20-40? You are going to spend many, many, many times that on the animal's cage, many, many, many times yearly on food, and then some more on your electric bill (it ain't too cheap runnin' a bunch of floodlights). A good large (8'x4' for a single sav and 6'x12' for a nile) cage will generally cost a few hundred dollars, and food will cost a few hundred per year as well. Actually, those costs may be more, I am just guessing.

Besides, those monitors are definitely wild caught. They are probably quite unhealthy, and have gone through a buttload of stress during importation.

Anyway, you don't seem to be very monitor-savvied, so I will direct you to the Pro Exotics website. It is a great place to start. Hopefully, you will stray away from all the wild caught savs, niles, waters, etc. after you visit there and go with some ackies. They are all captive bred and stay at a small size (about 2 feet, give or take). Sure that initial price is going to be a lot more that a wild caught monitor, but in the long run it will cost MUCH less that a 4 foot sav or a 6 foot nile. If you are concerned about the price of ackies, I suggest you stray away from monitors, and large lizards in general.

I too suggest you stay away from reptiles if you are looking for a "pet." If you want a social, cuddly pet, get a dog, not a reptile, particularly monitors. If you want to have an animal that you can watch and observe (and somewhat interact with) many interesting behaviors, then maybe an ackie is for you. But please, please, I beg of you, don't fall in for the savs and niles because the guy at the pet store says: "Dude, they make great, cheap pets. Just throw 'em in a fish tank and feed them some mice once a week."

But most of all, I suggest that you do lots of research. Learn how to properly care for your animal, and set it up before you bring it home. Plan for that animal, keeping in mind that the savannah monitor the size of your hand will grow to 3-4 feet in a years time. Truly think about and research what you are getting into...

Cheers,
Ryan
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There are three kinds of people in this world: people who can count and people who can't.

Hello,
I might be wrong, but, money is not the issue in your case. I just really want you to sit down(calm down) before you ring that card for your Nile or sav- think carefully about what "IT" is... because, you will buy the supplies, the lizard or lizards, time will pass- they will inevitably die- but "IT" will still not be satisfied. Think about it... Best to you- Mike

This is pretty darn funny! Someone just posted this sort of question on another forum about, of all things, Nile Monitors.
The answer to the question is simply, no it is not worth "it".
What "it" is, is $$$ and also "it" is a really big lizard that looks really neat and cute right now. "It" costs around $1500 the first year. I actually did the math for this reason, because this sort of question is frequently asked. "It" is very strong and is easily offended. "It" will never love you. You will grow tired of the daily chores associated with "it". You will become dissinterested in "it" when it bites, scratches and whips you whenever you try to play with "it". When "it" begins to hide all the time because it has nothing but fear associations with you, you may even forget to feed it.
If money is "it", then when your running to the petstore and spending $50 bucks a week on rodents and insects it won't be worth "it" at all. When youre running to Home Depot all the time because "it" constantly outgrows the cage "it" certainly won't be worth "it"
To me "it" is about the nature of the animal. "It" has very little to do with money. I have a fascination with the animal and a desire to see how it behaves in a healthy, thriving state of being. I'm willing to throw hundreds of dollars at "it" in order to experience this. In this case, is "it" worth "it"? Absolutely!

Roger

Once again I just want to have the right lizard. I have a cage set up, rodent breeding center, heat and accesories. Money is not really an issue toward accesories anymore I have everything down. I just want to know if a nile monitor makes the better pet. Who said savannah monitors and nile monitors can't be pet, you just have to put in a lot of time. Something I'm wiling to do. I'm willing to get scared, bitten, scratched and I will not fight back. Take a look at this video and the rest of the video this user (Kaffir2) has put up. His Sav is more tamed than probably your dog.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m8fm64el1mA

Since I am guaranteed a CB monitor vetinary issues of parasites from country imports will not be an issue. I'm guaranteed this because the monitor is still 4-5 inches which means it has hatched recently. I have a 48" long 16" wide 17" tall tank heat lamps hiding spot ready for this tiny monitor at the moment and willing to put dollars into a bigger tank eventually...I also have already set up my rodent center to breed live animals for the monitor to eat. 1 male per 4 female mice. and I have 4 tube of this, so there will be alot of breeding and tons of food. I will be spending at the most...20 dollars on food for the rodent. 20 x 12 which leads to me spending a good $120 a year. As you can see I am prepared I'm just trying to save money right now and I want to spend it wisely on the perfect lizard. I'm just asking for an opinion nile or sav, why do I need to sit and calm down, I know what a lizard is and what it is capable of doing.

ok as I have mentioned in an earlier thread I have just recently came back into the care of exotic reptiles but to the original poster of this message you should never feed live rodents to any animal so are you prepared to break the necks of these rodents when you feed the monitor. Also rodents dont make up the whole diet of any carnivorous lizard when babies till basically they are no longer interested in insects that should be the whole of their diet. You should feed cockroaches, crickets, meal worms, wax worms, earth worms, etc., etc. I dont mean to be critical, but I have worked with reptiles of diff sorts since the age of 2 when me father worked at a pet store and he brought me in at night to help care for the reptiles, you honestly sound more like a impulse buyer looking for something to show off rather then someone who is looking to learn from thier investment and maybe gain a lil more understanding of the whole world around them and the creatures that inhabit it. If this isnt you I am sorry. But just understand feeding live rodents as the whole food of a baby very unhealthy diet and the rodents will bite and scratch your lizard, so be prepared to kill the rodents by breaking thier neck before you feed them. realistically look at the cost before you buy too many large reptiles die every year becuase people dont realize the money and time invested
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cead mile failte

I understand you were trying to help this guy out but your dogmatic approach to feeding live is almost as bad. Yes I had a bad deal happen 10 years ago with a rat left in the cage for the weekend with a large red tail boa. Does that mean I should never feed live again? Nope, and if a couple mice could actually hurt a healthy hungry Nile or any monitor over 3 feet I'd be quite suprised. My 3.5 foot argentine tegu eats live rats time to time and has been bit during feeding, he has never had any injuries from these bites and he's a pussy cat compared to a monitor his size. Feeding live may not be for everybody but it's not always to be avoided either.

Nate

Theres not really any reason for taking the risk tho.

You can make a live prey item a non-live prey item pretty easily (at least in the case of mice), so why take the risk of an injury?

Mice/rats are gnawers man. Its really not a big deal tho, if the animal eats them right away. Its when they dont eat them right away, that they become a problem, because they love to chew- wood, seeds.... lizard toes. Im sure your monitor would rather not have to worry about his food source gnawing at him in his sleep.

I have a couple of questions.

How long do you plan on keeping the nile monitor in an aquarium?

What do you consider a good pet?

What makes you think the nile is CB?

What is wrong with other monitors that are known to be Captive bred and to have a better temperment?

Ed
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Ed

That cute nile will get to be 5 or 6 feet long. Very,very,very few of them are complacent towards people touching them (except for the cold and sick ones). Most will spaz when you walk past them. If you try to handle them they projectile crap on you, rake their claws into your arm to get free, and Niles do not hesitate to bite. When they bite, they hold down firmly and shake. They also tail whip. You say you're not afraid, but when you are tired and have to do this daily (change water -spot clean crap piles,etc) it gets on your nerves with a big aggressive species. I have this morning chore with 3 Argus monitors who try to eat my hands. If i didn't have such a passion for them, why would i go through this? Why not get something a bit smaller and captive born and bred (niles are farmed in Africa by catching wild females and taking the eggs)? Yes, the pet store by your house only carries Niles and Sav's. Look at classified ad's here on KS. Most of the people on this forum made your mistake and said they could tame "it". Now they all know the wiser and are trying to steer you down a more enjoyable path. Why would we all put the effort in writing all this?

CB Nile? You are sadly mistaken and ill informed.
Size has nothing to do with being WC or CB. Babies are collected right after hatching in the wild or gravid females are caught and penned up until they lay eggs. Then when the babies hatch out they are shipped. To my knowledge no one is breeding or selling CB Niles right now. 99.9% of all Niles in the trade are WC or farmed. This goes for Savs as well.

This forum is brutally honest, experienced and critcal when need be. Take the advice you are given, especially with Niles.
They are not for beginners or the inexperienced. The financial
aspect of these animals is the easy part. Anybody can spend
(or waste) money. Dedication and experience are they key to success.

Good luck!

Hello again,
My point is, sadly, I believe that you will run this "toy" until it breaks and then want a new one... That is all that "it" is to you... "it" is the want, and the need to have something to show off to others. It has absolutely nothing to do with how much it cost or whether you will provide for it before it dies. Wouldn't a little pink trick poodle be a delightful attention getter? You could smother it with affection that it wants, not like the Nile that will give you a mouth full of blistering tail just for smiling at it or the Sav that will "bite your lips off"(archive this one and your YouTube-Kaffir2 aka Dances w/savs) for trying to kiss it! There would be hundreds of other gags, nick -naks, technological toys that could get you the same attention. I know, I know, why am I drawing such conclusions about you- because before you ever posted such a foolish question- that many here who have done their research have tried to answer- you would have already known the silly answer... Get a toy, not a life...- think carefully about this- I was once you, then my parents scolded me. Best to you all- And enjoy to those of you celebrating today- Mike