Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hi!

I've heard a lot of debate about the personality of Niles. The general opinion I get from large scale breeders is that they are nasty and should not be kept in captivity. But it seems that people who own one or two in general seemed pleased with their behavior.

Just curious on what the owners here think and have experience with.

Nile are a great pet, if you have the time, a nile will need at least 2 hours three times a week of handeling with just you, even to calm down to tame him your talkign about a life long struyggle, but yes it can be done, ive seen niles wear harnesses and take walks, and ive seen niles go to public librarys and handle a group of kids, but ive also seen niles attack and eat house cats, and take a finger or two, its all in how they are rasied.

Nile monitors do not have the dentition required to remove a finger, without really working at it. You would have to already be a corpse for that to happen. A living person would be able to get their finger(s) out of the animals mouth. I know this because I personally own two of the largest Nile monitors in the nation.
As far as consuming cats...I can see a kitten maybe, but not a full grown cat. Our largest Niles don't get anywhere near our cats. Besides that, our cats can easily out-manuever and out-run the Niles. Please, do not spread such silly accusations about Nile monitors on the internet! They have a difficult enough time with there reputation.
Robert J. Faust
NILE MONITORS
Barrons Educational Series. 2001.

I have one at the moment that I've owned for over 2 yeras. He doesn't like to be picked up much, but is really too big now to pick up anyways. He does allow petting and enjoys walks around the front and back yard on a harness/leash. He only bit once, that was when he was a hatchling. He was very calm as a baby, became a little ornery when he was a juvenile (1 foot - 2 feet long). As he aged and reached adult hood after about a year (now 4.5 feet) he mellowed down again and became the pet he is today. I've never excessively handled him and think that this is part of the reason he is rather calm (he is not expecting me to pick him up and carry him around whenever I see him). He lives in a cage in my living room, so he is constantly exposed to us and therefore learned that we will not harm him (though he does not like it when people (who are outside) look into the house through the backyard window at him (his cage is next to the window).