Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Ive been considering getting a monitor for a few years now. Ive spent some time lurking around here, reading up and getting some good information.

Still, Im having trouble deciding what species to go with. At first, I was highly considering a Water Monitor, but the size is just too much. The Argus too expensive to feed, and the Ackies too expensive initially and prefrence wise a little too small.

These are the traits im looking for from most to least important.

1. Temprament (For my first monitor, I dont want something overly aggressive. But id like it to be some what "social" and espeically active.)

2. Size (A water monitor is too big, and Ackies too small)

3. Expense (More along the lines of food/supplies rather than initial investment)

I was figuring a BT might be a good medium there, but perhaps theres a better option? Any additional advice in deciding?

Any advice would be much apreciated, as many of you seem to be very experienced and whatever I do I want it to be a great experience for me and the animal..and once I get one, ill stop lurking around here and post some pics =P

first you should set up colonies of lobster or dubia roaches, hissers, and rats and mice. these lizards are all expensive to feed if kept properly. but roaches and rodents are easy and inexpensive to breed.

So is a BT, simply put, a BT grows to lengths beyond 6ft, the average size of water monitor (depends on locality) is around 6ft (just heavier in weight on average).
Why not try a dwarf, then move up to a medium size monitor, or start with an exciting, medium sized monitor such as an argus or flavi-argus, they are a great example of what a healthy monitor is.

I was considering the flavi-argus as well. But I got the impression that they're easily disturbed by attention and still have a fairly aggressive feeding response.

Though, it could be just what im looking for

Feeding responce is an understatement. Mine as well many others Ive heard of and have fed or watched eat all feed aggressively. They seem as if they are always hungry, and are hard to fill up. I was given a few bags full of rat pups by a friend who sold a few snakes that ate them. I defrost 23-25 of them for the flaviargus at a time, he flies after them and eats like he is starving until number 18 or 21. Most times he eats chicken peeps and sometimes medium guinea pigs.
At one time when my huge female albig was a bit younger I showed a few people how aggressive of a feeding responce she had (one was a member here, not sure why he doesnt post here anymore), I held up a single adult mouse from a shoulder height, she leaped from a plastic container she was in to take it from my fingers (5ft in the air, please dont try this unless you know your monitor very very well).
My ackies have been known to leap their body length into the air to grab rat pups.
The flavi is by far the most exciting to feed.

An ackie or similar-sized monitor might be best for your first. Flavi-crosses and Argus monitors are great to work with, but do require a bit more experience.

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dragonbreeders.com

All monitors are expensive to keep and feed and if your not prepared to get a monitor that may want to tear your hand off then I wouldnt get a monitor. As I said all monitors are expensive to keep and feed and what are you going to do if you get a monitor that wants to just bite you, abandon it. Not attacking you just see alot of people on here that are always worried about cost and it being mean and if your not prepared for both then dont get one.
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Tom
1.2.0 Leopard Gecko (dot, spot, leo)
0.0.1 California King Snake (booboo)
0.1.0 Sulcata Tortoise (tank)
0.0.2 Russian Tortoise (tito and lulu)
0.0.2 Red Ear Sliders (bernie and ernie)
0.0.3 Painted Turtles (larry, curly and moe)
1.0.0 Bearded Dragon (marshmellow)
0.0.1 Savannah Monitor (beef)
1.0.0 Peachfront Conure (kermit)
0.1.0 Australian Shepheard (layla)
2.1.0 Crazy Cats (babe, sabastian, tinkerbell)
0.1.0 Lion Head Rabbit (daisy)
0.1.0 Ferret (jordan)
0.2.0 Guinea Pigs (lilly and petunia)
0.0.1 White Tree Frog (dumpy jr.)
0.0.2 Fire Belly Newts (spork and blaze)
0.0.1 Fire Belly Toad (ferdinan)
0.0.1 Red Spotted Newt ( red)
0.0.2 Bull Frogs (goliath and tubby)
0.0.1 Rainbow Ameive (jack)
0.0.1 Spectacled caiman (wilbert)
0.0.3 Green Anoles
1.0.0 Bahama Anole
0.0.1 Long Tail Grass Lizard
Lots Of Fish

Dont get me wrong, im not expecting a docile/affectionate pet. I know (to an extent at least)what im getting into. I also know it wont be cheap, but that doesnt mean that some aren't more expensive to keep than others.

but as well, Id like something that i can handle so I can learn without endangering myself or the animal. Above anything else, Im mostly concerned with doing it right, which, I may reconsider the Ackies for that fact.

anyhow, thanks for the insight.

Dumerils!

Black Roughnecks!

Peachies!

All great medium sized monitors.