Reptile & Amphibian Forums

how do you tell the sex of a moniter?

I take mine to a shoe store. If it looks bored, I say male, if it gets giddy and starts running around looking at the shoes, I say female. hahaha

Ok, seriously, it depends on the age, size and species.
If it's an adult, post pictures of it.
Nice clear head and tail base shots from many angles.
We all like to play guess the sex, guarenteed a 50/50 chance of being right.

Scott
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Do not meddle in the affairs of dragons, for you are crunchy and taste good with ketchup.

I use to go out of my way to help keepers sex there monitors, now I realise theirs no need for them to know what sex they have, 99% will never breed them anyway, 90% will not keep them in pairs, only 3% will survive there first year as captives, so I ask why the need to know?
(these are fictive figures)

I am not being rude, this is partly true, very few will keep there monitors in good enough conditions to allow reproduction, in most case females will die from reproductive failure.

Anyone serious about this should obtain breeding stock from breeders, they THE BREEDERS will help you select pairs or groups, I really think knowing what sex your import is of little value, unless you have a lot of varanids experience in witch case you wouldn’t ask this question.

I know what you're saying and pretty much agree. Here's the question I have:

Thinking about what you said, I have to admit that I may not quite be ready, knowledge wise, to breed my sav, and its probably not ready to breed (of age/size), either.

When I saw the "tame sav" I mentioned in an earlier thread I wondered if it could be a possible mate. My sav is only about 26-inches long and the other one is about 18-inches long.

Odds are they're too young to sex, right? So, since I haven't even looked into keeping groups, yet, do you think I should get the other one or let mine remain in solitary confinement?

I'll have to research recommended introduction techniques, what works & what don't, etc... I haven't done that , yet, that's why the "tame sav" is still at the petshop I saw it at.

Thanks, sport!
HH
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Due to political correctness run amuck,
this ol' hillbilly is now referred to as an:
Appalachian American

Yes you can easily sex them, but matching them can be a problem, or not.

I advise you to start with a pair of babies from the start, and this only if you’re a fan of this specie, because even if your successful they will fetch very little income, probably wont cover your investment, don’t forget dealers import farmed hatchlings for $4 to $8ea and pet shops pay $12 to $20ea.
Hears an advice iv never said, if your into monitors get some from the best source FR, raise them and make it both fun and self sustaining. If I was in the US id get those flavis and such.

Thanks jobi!

Yeah, I realize I wouldn't be able to get much for the babies, I'd be doing it more for the experience than money. And there's always the thought, "Why waste the time with this species instead of getting some higher quality specimens?"

I can't turn back time, I've got the sav already, and so far I don't regret it. So I struggle with keeping my sav alone and getting a different breed, OR, go ahead and let my sav enjoy a full life by breeding and once I gain more experience, move on to a different species. Hmmmmmmmmm.....

I like the Savannah Monitor species, even though I know there are other species that are generally considered better choices. The fact that they're dirt cheap & exploited doesn't lessen the monitor, itself, at least, not in my eyes.

For the record, jobi, I don't think you were putting savs down. I know what you're talking about. Its the same thing I've been struggling with for a few months now.

Thanks for your time & input!

HH
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Due to political correctness run amuck,
this ol' hillbilly is now referred to as an:
Appalachian American

Well it becomes a moral issue for you, I cant advise you on personal choices. But hear this! Many years ago when I started keeping varanids, I had exactly 40 cages witch housed only cobras, they where my real passion before the ban. Anyway my first monitor was a nil, then I got all kinds of fancy species and this nil became my garbage can, he was as close as what could be called neglected (a trash can)

You have to know iv never kept them as pets, its all about study for me, I love species not individuals, so I kept my garbage can many years without even seeing the poor thing, then one day I realised, this was my most trusted and friendly monitor, wow how can this be? Iv never invested any time nor have I been nice to it in any particular way? Without realising it iv provided this monitor with food, shelter, tranquility and most of all respect, in return it trusted me, this no value almost disposable creature has become my friend, one I wouldn’t change a parenty for, not even a truck load of them. This animal has tot me more then all others, it surly tot me theirs no such thing as a cheep monitor.

So if you love that savannah, it’s the most valuable monitor you own.
Who am I to say otherwise?

Nice story about your nile.

After thinking about it some more I've decided that I will probably attempt to find a mate for my sav, but not any time soon. I've decided that now's not a good time.

I've got burmese python eggs due to hatch the end of this week, a clutch of corn snake eggs laid last week, cages & rat rack to be built, rearranging of reptile room to make way for EDBs, and I might even need to work a day or two somewhere in between all that in order to pay the bills.

Things should slow down a tad in September or October, I'll see how I feel about it then.

Thanks, jobi!
HH
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Due to political correctness run amuck,
this ol' hillbilly is now referred to as an:
Appalachian American

RR equals Retes rant,(retes boards are better)

About Savs, females lay eggs from 18 inches total lenght. If you have a Sav and it grows to three feet and has not laid eggs, its a male.

About introducing them. There is nothing to read, either do it or not. Its just plain that simple. What happens after that, is the question and again, its not about something you read. Its about how tough you are. If you can withstand them fighting and possibly perishing. Or where you draw that line. There is no clear cut line. Raising them together is best, after that, are you feeling lucky, you could be lucky.

You say, you have an ability to judge behavior(my speciality) this putting them together will put that to the test. Good luck with that. I am serious. Your going to need luck.
Heres the rant

Also you are totally naive about your species of choice. Its not about Savs being nice or not, or better or worse. That has nothing to do with it. Its much more complicated that that. Monitors are simple, people are not.

Monitors are a lot of work, a lot of work. And a lot of time. and material. If you do not value your time and effort, you most likely have no value. You really should value your effort and be rewarded for it. In reality, without some type of reward, you will lose interest. That is history period. All that have bred Savs, stopped breeding them, WHY? they all claimed a love of Savs. Yet they all stopped and stopped quickly. I could explain this too, its about not actually knowing what they were doing, in the begining. The benefit was not enough to force them to keep learning, so they quit Of course, they did not say, I quit, they simply did not put forth the effort needed to succeed. So the animals lingered around until they die off or the keeper sells off the whole group.

The folks who stay in this the longest are commerial. The reason is, the goal is money(a reward) this reward covers the problems. The problems are not the monitors, they are fun and a joy. Its the people who create the problems, will you do that for a loss? that is the question. Cheers

You call that a Retes Rant? Ha! Not even close. (Actually, I'm glad you didn't do a better job of ranting. Ha!)

Seriously, though, you made some excellent points, most of which I've been struggling with. Oh, by the way, you're getting pretty darn good with your coding.

I don't think I want to be a full-time breeder of savs, I'm mostly torn between letting mine live a full life (which, I can hear you now, "That would mean full-time breeding" or letting it remain in solitary confinement.

Your time & care differences 'tween snakes & lizards is DEAD ON! Man, even though I realized that they were gonna require more time than my snakes, I didn't really REALIZE how much. And that's without any clutches. My sav, nile, 3 beardies and gator take well over 10 times the amount of time, etc..., than my 7 snakes & rat population.

Almost a year ago you had asked me in a thread about my nile, if I planned on breeding it. I said, no. You made a comment about that's what they live for, etc... That's stuck with me all this time. (See, some of us do pay attention & listen. Ha! You just never know when something you said will stick in someone's mind and one day be put to use.) I definitely have no intentions on breeding my nile due mostly to the area I live lacking anywhere near qualified keepers.

Yes, my time is valuable. Being self-employed has a way of bringing that to the forefront, doesn't it?

One more thing, the thought of producing dispensable animals breaks my heart as well as makes me mad. I know where you're coming from. For the sake of others reading this, we all know that not all monitor owners will neglect or be bad keepers, its just pretty much a given that savs & nile fall into this category due to their low cost. Its how most of us got started.

FR, I'll take those kinda rants all day long. Ha! You presented your thoughts very well and I appreciate the honesty. That's the way I like it.

Take care!
HH
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Due to political correctness run amuck,
this ol' hillbilly is now referred to as an:
Appalachian American

Yes, they live to carry out lifes normal functions. All of life, leads or is suppose to lead to reproduction. Passing of the genes, to exsist, continued exsistance, etc.

The REAL problem is, once you see them carrying out a full cycle, you or at least you should understand, that is what THEY DO. Once you see them work in groups, you understand, or at least you should understand, that is what they live for. Even pairs of male work together with amazing grace and care.

These varanids appear to be as social as any animal I have ever seen. I know, science says otherwise. But that same science has not said anything, or seen anything or done anything. To them monitors do nothing, but somehow exsist. Their story is a very weak story, its missing nearly every chapter. Their story is missing what it takes to exsist. So how can that be a story?

Yet in captivity, they exhibit all manner of social tendencies. From pairs to groups, to solitary fruitless individuals. Which is all normal for social animals. Its so very known to science, if you raise any animal away from its own kind, it will have a very hard time enteracting with its own kind. That goes for ants to chickens and humans. But science has somehow forgot that. At least our science guys have.

Our poor naive science fellas need to step back and apply some common sense. You take a flock of birds and add a "new" bird and see what happens? a pack of coyotes? a school of fish? an ant to a new ant coloney? a turtle to an area it does not come from? a snake to a new den? Dudes, where did our varanid science fellas fall off the boat? I know, I know, before it left the dock.

Anyway, you get the picture. If your attuned to behavior, you will soon realize, everything monitors live for is to work with other monitors. Sadly, some think its to walk on a leash and feed out of a dog bowl. Its a good thing T-Rex is extinct, as I would not want to see them feed out of a bowl. Cheers

Judging from your title I think you might've misunderstood what I meant with my "I'll take those kinda rants all day long" comment.

I didn't mean that I blew you off, in fact, just the opposite. I guess what I was trying to say was that I felt it was a good rant.

I believe all living, breathing, things were designed to reproduce. This is an area purposely left out of the "pet" trade. (You know what I mean.)

All the years I've kept snakes, I never had a desire to breed them, mostly because the ones I kept were so common & already exploited and I didn't want to add to that. Last year I bred snakes for the first time in over 30 yrs.

I watched my burmese pythons grow up together, being housed together the whole time. I watched them mate. I watched her make a nest & lay her eggs. I watched her incubate those eggs. Now they're about to hatch, hopefully. Absolutely one of the greatest experiences of my life, observing the whole process, step-by-step. Fascinating, intriguing, educational.

Hopefully one of these days I'll enjoy the same experience with one monitor species or another. I can only imagine how fun & interesting it would be to watch them function in a group.

And you're also right about how an animal reared with anything other than its own kind, is anything but what its supposed to be. I had a miniature billy goat one time that grew up with 3 dogs. The goat was a dog. I kid (pun?) you not. He would literally chase cars. Dangdest thing you've ever seen.

Thanks for your insight, its appreciated and given serious consideration.

Have a good one!
HH
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Due to political correctness run amuck,
this ol' hillbilly is now referred to as an:
Appalachian American

>> I ask why the need to know?

See, I like to know because I name them.
Right now I have one Vosh that is a quiet, submissive. Lula, a dominant thing that steals all food til there is only tails hanging out of his mouth and Stub that is somewhere in between and lost 4inches of tail in his former home.

I think they are all males....based on you guys and no eggs and all.
And being named Lula might explain 'his' anger issues. Lula still fits.

But I name many of my fish too and most don't know their sexes either.
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Sonya

I'm not mean. You're just a sissy.
Happy Bunny

Hello Rainsok,
Unfortunately, Jobi is absolutely correct... If your monitor makes it to adulthood then it will be almost impossible to not notice if it is a healthy male. But if you are trying to raise a young group up together, then simply obtain the group of 3 or more and your odds will be in your favor to receive both sexes... Best to you- Mike

basically i was just wondering if there was a difference as in some other animals coloring and such...
was just curious.
this is a baby i have adopted as the original owner didnt want it.
he knew i have a vast experience with herps, being i had 4 iguanas who all lived to be 14, 16 and 2 who lived to be 20.
currently i have 18 snakes.