Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hey,
My birthday is comming up on the 17th of september and i think my parents are considering either buying a new monitor or helping me out if i wanna buy an expensive one.......I;m kinda considering a croc monitor. I've always wanted one , but never got it because thats a big animal to deal with if its mean but since in that last few years I've been dealing with caimans, alligator snappers, waters and other monitors. retics and blood pythons I think i'm ready. Oh and BTW if yout wondering why I just got here so quick and started posting was because I have decided to focuz myself around pythons and monitors so I've sold out alot of my colubirds, geckos, skinks, boas, etc.....and now i Have space and money. But anywyas my question is........If i got a croc how fast would it grow and how big of a cage would it need full grown (i kno really big) just need a good measurment so when time comes I can build a proper cag

Thanx alot
Justin Morash

n/p

if u are interested i have one for sale super cheap, 904-982-4220
Bigkibbee@aol.com

I was considering one a while ago. Regal Reptiles had a CB baby and someone else had a CH one (This was at a Show). They were both incredibly tame for a Croc Montitor, so all I can say is get one as young as you can. The younger they are, the more expensive though, that is what kept me from getting it.

I beleive they grow fairly quick in the first 3-5 years, and then after that the growth rate slows down. It does sepend on the diet and living conditions also.

I would start a baby off in no less then a 4' Long, 2' Deep, and 3-4' High enclosure. That should last you a couple years. When his body is about 1.5 foot, you will probably need to get him into something about double that size. When he is reaching his full grown size, you will definitly need a large walk in closet or a small room to house him properly.

If you think you can meet the requirements needed to keep one of these amazing animals, and you do get one, handle it as much as possible when it is young, but dont restrict it. These are very intellignet reptiles also, so never underestimate them.

All this said, I dont have one myself, so I am not the most experianced. I did however research them when I personally wanted one, so that is the information I have shared.

If anyone here feels they need to make any corrections or additions to my information, please feel free to do so.
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Billy
Reptile World
http://www.reptile-world.net

Salvadori deffinatly aren't a good first time, or even first couple years monitor to get, and from your post it sounds like you are new to the hobby. The person below from reptile world gave dimensions like 4'x2'x4' for the first couple years. If you got one as a baby, that wouldn't even do after 6 months. At a year old, my first one was around 6', at about a year and a half he is reaching 7'. A realistic approach would be something like 6'x6' for the first 4-5 months, given it was acquired as a baby. Then something like 10'x10' or bigger for an adult. I would say that interaction is possible when young, simply because of it still being small. But as it gets older, it just really isn't possible to interact. They get very large claws, and extremely large teeth. Making an normally small accident into a very serously injury. They are the most agressive feeders I have ever seen, and react very quick to movement. I have had some close calls with mine, but luckily only took a bite one time from a young one. They are deffinatly beautiful monitors, but require a large amount of space and a lot of money to raise and keep them. If you do get one, try for something captive bred or hatched so you know it's history and hasn't been through trauma like a wild caught. I would suggest putting in a couple years with other, smaller species and get used to the time, money and effort maintaining cages before getting a Salvadori. Good luck with whatever you decide. -Jeff

Thats why I said for someone to correct my post if needed. I just relayed the information that was given to me. Thanks for correcting it for me.
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Billy
Reptile World
http://www.reptile-world.net