Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I've had a nile monitor for about 5 years and, am looking for something that i can handle, my nile is roughly 5 feet, cant really measure it. What is a relatively small monitor with a VERY FRIENDLY attitude. I enjoy the nile but would like to have a monitor that doesnt try to kill me every time i hold it.

Look around in the Kingsnake classifieds and your local herp societies, and maybe local reptile stores, for an adult or sub-adult blackthroat, savanna, or other mid-size monitor that is already very tame. That way you won't take the chance that the individual baby monitor will have a stand-offish personality.

Of course, for those who will point it out, under the right (or should I say wrong) conditions even a tame herp will bite.

Roger

An ackie is a small species, a bosc is a medium species, and a BT is a large species like the nile.
Id avoid local pet stores save your money and order one you enjoy. Very few local pet stores have a selection of monitor species or healthy animals.

Do you think this person should trust what someone's ad says?
Look at the ads, they ALL say tame. Some say "totally tame" or "super tame". How could they all be sooo tame?
What I hear when I read that stuff is "I've kept this lizard in underheated stressful conditions to a point where it doesn't defend itself anymore."
I hope I am wrong, and that is only the minority of them.

A sidenote; my vote is for the black roughnecks, they are midsize and less apt to bite from my experience. They are shy and don't like to be looked at most of the time. They go hide.

Do a search on the crosses, the Flargus, I haven't read a bad word about them yet. They are midsize, bold, non-bitey, and colorful (bonus!!) I don't have these, but would like to.

Congrats on sticking it out five years with a nile.
D.

I don't know of any monitor that enjoys being held, i think they put up with it, but i may be ingorant. Some dwarf monitors are more prone to letting you hold them. i only keep kimberlys as far as dwarf monitors go, we are buying a trio of tristis tristis and one thing is for sure, my kims do not like being held, i had an ackie female that seemed to put up with it more than some monitors. yeah, use common sense with your nile, it isn't good everytime some person gets bit by their monitor and they have to go to the hospital, its not good press.
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