Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hello,

I am reading different things about these guys. One is that they can settle down with handling. I also understand that they are respected for their teeth and size. Do they tend to try to whip more or bite in their moments. What have you all seen from a personality stand point. Reading Nerds page and the a Honalulu HI zoo page sounds like they will adapt with work.

It has also been my understanding that monitiors do not really calm down or qualify in the pet catogory. Lots of back and forth things from what I hear and read. I am in that phase where I could put in the time build the cage and so on and so on, but what do you all see as challenges and rewards of these guys. Do you have any interaction with them. Is their a difference between ones that are captive born and bred compaired to Captive hatched or wild caught, and are most of them wild caught?

Thanks
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0.2 Rotts
1.0 Super Tiger
1.0 Amel Retic
0.1 Ball Python
0.1 Red Tail
0.1 Blood Python
1.0 Green Ananconda
1.0 Emerald Tree Boa

we have a Croc FAQ on our site, at the link below. it isn't a rah rah go get em FAQ though : )
Pro Exotics Croc Monitor FAQ

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robyn@proexotics.com

Pro Exotics Reptiles

Thanks. I did check your site out but did not see that until you posted that link. One of those pics I did see on here before. Just a question do you think most of those things could have been by wild caught animals. This maybe a stupid question but I will ask it anyways to help me understand. Have you seen the pic of the rock python that bite that barbwire fence. Now those teeth look like they would do the same damage. I guess the difference is that snakes at 10ft teeth are not that long an jagged?

Thanks for the post, everytime I think I want somthing and start to look into it, you only hear the positives, and people saying oh thats great, good luck. Hahahhahahaa. I am by no means an expericend keeper but like to keep and work with things. Just impressive animal.

Still would like to hear other peoples experience.

Thanks again.
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0.2 Rotts
1.0 Super Tiger
1.0 Amel Retic
0.1 Ball Python
0.1 Red Tail
0.1 Blood Python
1.0 Green Ananconda
1.0 Emerald Tree Boa

I’ve been bitten by a lot of stuff, including an adult python (17 ft), and a BABY (2.5 ft long) Salvator.

The python was a quick shot at my arm, and then he let go. It hurt, but was nice and clean AND FAST...key word FAST FAST FAST FAST, didn’t bleed a whole lot. Just a few bandaids.

The water...after he clamped on for about 15-20 seconds, chewed, and gnawed my thumb for another 10 at least, like he was chewing juicy fruit. I could only imagine what a juvenile (4-5ft) croc or water could do as far as damage with a solid bite let alone an adult. Look at a skull on google...look at those teeth.

Most on classifieds seem to be wild caught.

Hey Jeff!
I don't have any input for ya at the moment, I just read where you mentioned the teeth of the electrocuted python and did a Google search for "Crocodile monitor skull" and found this > TEETH

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

www.natures-signature.com

My buddy has a salvadori, and he doesn't like anyone!! He's more of a display animal, but when he's staring at you, you kinda get the chills, like " what is he thinking? " Kind of like in Jurassic Park, when the raptors are staring at the ppl. Only he is real, and 7'-8' and very, very REAL!!!! He commands great respect and gets it, as he stares back thru the glass at you. Cheers

I own a pair of crocs. They're incredible animals and one of my favorites. However, they are a handful. One is WC (male) and one is CB (female). The female was slightly calmer at first but the male is now just as calm.

These are not animals that you handle, EVER. I consider myself to be successful with them so far as they now allow me to enter their enclosure without any fuss. In the beginning, when I'd enter their enclosure, they'd hiss, defecate, and the male would occasionaly charge. Now they are very tolerant of me. They trust me because I leave them alone. Never, ever, would I attempt to handle one unless I had to. I consider them docile now but I do not attempt to handle them.

I keep them in a 15' x 12' x 12' enclosure which, in my opinion, is the bare minimum size requirement. This enclosure is in a dedicated reptile barn, I would not want them in my house. They eat a lot and deficate often which would get a bit ripe in a home.

They also like high humidity. Robyn can attest to the fact that you begin sweating after about 5 minutes in my croc enclosure due to the humidity. This is not something you'd want in your home.

I do not recommend them unless you're prepared and have the resources to properly support a truly massive and potentially dangerous lizard. They are awesome but a poor choice for the vast majority of reptile enthusiasts. They are quick to bite without warning and extremely intelligent. These guys have some serious teeth. Avoid them.

Wow,those are some impressive looking lizards, What are some of the visual differences between the male and the female? The last pic looks male,hes very beefy.
thanks Roger

Great pics and nice monitors. I love crocs!

I have had a few in the past. One was a CB male and the other 2 were a WC pair. I never handled the WC adults since they were not too fond of me. (Quite an understatement). My CB male was more tolerant of me, but twice I scared him and twice he put me in the ER. Trust me, bites from them hurt. And stitches in the ER are expensive. They require a lot of space and respect, but they can be rewarding monitors to keep provided you have the adequate experience, space, and resources to care for them.

i had one a while back and used to work in a shop that had a pair. they are ok the one i owned was wild caught and calmed down nicely after about a yr. he wasnt really handable he was always real squirmy and whippy but was a good captive would eat from tongs and would let me clean cage without flipping out just sit on a log and watch. the pair i worked with was always flighty and the female was always real neverous. i enjoyed having him but had to sell him to focus on other breeding projects. a good lizard if u are in to watching behaviors and enjoying them for how beautiful they are but if your looking for a large handable lizard id look to a water monitor or white throat or mayby blue tail.

Thanks to all, I think that is some great information. That skull of the croc looks like a raptor. Crazy. They are very cool looking.
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0.2 Rotts
1.0 Super Tiger
1.0 Amel Retic
0.1 Ball Python
0.1 Red Tail
0.1 Blood Python
1.0 Green Ananconda
1.0 Emerald Tree Boa

I started looking at those. Very cool, seems like a much better fit. Thanks for the suggestion. I have also looked at Ackies and an Argus in the past. Still waiting to make my choice.
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0.2 Rotts
1.0 Super Tiger
1.0 Amel Retic
0.1 Ball Python
0.1 Red Tail
0.1 Blood Python
1.0 Green Ananconda
1.0 Emerald Tree Boa

you will love them.

bluetails are one of the best monitors there is and i feal they are often over looked. they seem to me to be a lot calmer than peach throats ive owned 3 and all of them have been real calm and are more likely flea and whip before bitting. i had a female that was as tame as any lizard could be would sit on my shoulder eat from my hands even just sit on my deck in the sun. great lizard but needs big cage other than that no probs. these lizards need more work and more people to captive breed them. give it a shot.

I've kept a few, and they are just as unpredictable as a Croc Monitor, but not as bad as say, a Tri-color. They've also got some fairly decent dentition. If you want something thats workable and not as dangerous, stick with the Aussies. Thiers plenty available in the Sand Monitor complex, and they are about the best compromise I've found. They will make your heart flutter a bit when you feed them, but other behavoirs will be a bit better suited for a captive environment

Would a blue tail be considered an aussie?
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0.2 Rotts
1.0 Super Tiger
1.0 Amel Retic
0.1 Ball Python
0.1 Red Tail
0.1 Blood Python
1.0 Green Ananconda
1.0 Emerald Tree Boa

Nope - Indonesian

My dad and I are actually in the process of building him a bigger cage. I'll try and keep this short, a few months ago my bluetail got sick and my dad (I was away at college) went to take him to the vet. Well my bluetail tagged him on the thumb pretty bad and he had to get stitches and it damaged a nerve that was supposed to take 9 months to heal. Luckily he had it fixed during carpal tunnel surgery on his wrist; but man his teeth are like glass. Hes always been real flighty, I used to be stupid and feed him by had but now he sometimes charges for his food and seeing what he can do has convinced me otherwise. The couple times he tagged me were the two times he escaped but he was a bit smaller then, mind you it did take a while to stop bleeding I still think he took it easy on me; he didnt clamp down like he did with my dad. Sorry for the long post but I hope this helps. I do love him, I think they're awesome to watch but I dont feel they're a very good "starter" or hands-on monitor (Not that many monitors are) if thats what youre looking for.