Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Just got this baby 2 weeks ago. Still kinda "crusty" but the vet check him(?) out o.k Would not cooperate with the poor doc while being probed. But that is o.k. I was told this is a White Throat but after a couple of comparision with other pics here, it seem that Rock is more of a Black Throat but let me know, Thanks.

most likely they called it whitethroat from its light color. Either that or because of the constant name change game going on with them haha

great looking Blackthroat! It was a good idea to have him checked, but please do not have a monitor lizard probed. It is too dangerous. The internal sheath of the hemipenes is easily punctured. Probing is also very inaccurate for sexing monitors. A male Blackthroat nearing maturity (like yours) will have very noticeable bulges at the base of the tail where the hemipenes are located.
take care,
Robert Faust

Hi,
When you see a V. albigularis with pattern such as yours with large dots on dorsum - they usually derive from Tanzania - Kenya from coast to inland as far as Lake Victoria, and Lake Tanganyika. The Brown coloration animals usually come from Malawi and Zambia to Namibia. The darker animals often are equatorial coast to coast (Tanzania [E] to Angola [W]). Your animal looks to me to be clearly a Varanus albigularis... and as I stated in the June-July 2000 issues of Reptiles magazines, a monotypic species with color/pattern variations due to habitat and elevations = they can all interbreed as their hemi-structures are the same.
Nice animals - Enjoy them, they are Terrific.
mbayless

Thank you all for the reply. I have been to other forum on K/S but this is the most lively one (IMHO). I will try to get more pics to post and learn from you guys.
Yes, I certainly can see the difference in behavior in bigger monitors. I have another adult monitor(water) that I “rescued” too. Man, to put it nicely, she is not “friendly”. Even after 2 years, I still get wrack hard. Rockie is cool. It is only about 1 week since I got him, he does not whip me anymore.

Sean

Wow, that water needs to go on a serious diet. He is obese. Hate to break it to ya. I would suggest cutting down on feeding emensely..