Reptile & Amphibian Forums

monitors for sale in the classifieds? I would like to get an argus at some point in my life but i wonder why people decide to sell them when they seem to reach full size.

The main reasons would probably space and money..which is a big reason why people stray away from owning monitors until they have the rights funds for them.

IDK, maybe there's a surplus of breeders. I would think there are more adult males for sale, than females?

I think the feeding response is why alot of one animal Monitor keepers let their Argus's go. They want the behavoir, but don't understand everything that comes with it. The masses don't want "aggressive" animals, and the feeding response on these animals always gets misconstrued as aggression to the un-enlightened keeper.
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South Central Herpetological

Argus are large, very energetic monitors. I would imagine many people get them as hatchlings, and are completely stunned by their growth rate and feeding/space requirements. I think the same thing applies with most large species goannas.

With pure argus a big majority are most probably WC, so therefore like many other species adults are commonly available. Notice there are many more Aussie species that are avalable as hatchlings, this is because they are CBB. In the case of more commonly available species the hatchlings come from countries that make loads of money from the pet trade and collect hatchlings regularly WC.
Also alot of keepers lose interest as their monitor gets big and is not a lap dog.

ah. I have finally had a moment of clarity. Thanks!

>>With pure argus a big majority are most probably WC,>

I thought all Ausie monitors were CBB these days?

Argus are Indo monitors, there are some argus found in Australia, but they have a different appearance. Most argus are from Asia.
The argus have relatives (other species that are similar) that are from Australia, but you can see the differences between them. Its why argus are classified differently and categorized as Indo monitors.
Argus have been available as WC for many years in this country.

Oh I see, I thought, since there are so many CBB Argus advertised for sale, they were the Ausie ones that can't be imported, so have to be bred here.

The problem with so many CBB claims in this industry, you ask around and everyone sells CBB monitors of all breeds, but all but a few are WC, its a sales tactic to either sell them faster, or make a few more bucks.
Years ago I had kept a few WC BTs over the years, I asked around purposefully in person, and on the phone making calls country-wide, everyone was honest with me and admitted that theirs were all WC (maybe they realized they couldnt BS me). At that time 7 of those who I called and 3 in person told me to contact PE.
PE had some of Rob Fausts babies at the time, in a few days I had Sobek in her new cage set up 2 days ahead of time.
She may be a cross, but that doesnt bother me, I have 2 crossbred monitors, and 2 pure.
Argus and flavi-argus are awesome monitors, I like the look and smaller size of the flavi-argus much better.

I realize that, but they usually claim them as CB, so they have an 'out' if confronted. CB=captive born, rather than CBB=captive bred and born. But with Argus, I know several people are breeding them successfully and are providing the proof from copulation, egg laying to hatching. When I see adult males for sale from these keepers, I just assume they're excess breeding stock. ( I know- never assume)