Reptile & Amphibian Forums

i got my little buddy one of those iguana leashes, but he hates it. i like the idea of letting him run around without worrying about him getting away, but i hate to stress him out. also, he figured out that he can crawl backwards right out of it, making it completely pointless. this leads me to believe that monitors are a good deal more intelligent then the tree chickens.
anyone have any other ideas for leashes/ harnesses that are more escape proof, or even ideas for safely letting a foot long monitor exercise without escaping.. im thinking maybe a big box turned into a jungle jim for a few hours a day, just something bigger than his 30 breeder home. (i will get a bigger one, probly building it this summer.) thanks,
kxi

How big is he right now?

try a ferret leash you know the ones that go around the mid section of the body so there legs cant get out of it.if he/she is big enough but at 1ft long i would say it would be best to block off a area and let him run around there.got any pics of it?

right now he is about 14 inches, still a baby.
i guess il wait and give him a few months and get a better leash, il try a ferret one like you said.
heres a pic

my little guy is 54 cm total, I found a toy, ie miniature, dog harness, that fits dogs up to like 3 pounds, i tightened it up as small as it would go, it fits around his legs and back, perfectly, to the point that ive left it on for a day or so, with out the leash on and he seems to ignore it, or feel perfectly comfortable in it, the leash clips on and off like a normal leash, but make sure if you go the route to get the ligh clip, that way it isnt too heavy for it...worth a shot, and i'd say that these guys are a heck of a lot smarter than ig's, i know mines rotten, he can give you a look, and you know what he wants or doesnt want for that matter..lol

~Lauren

Most young lizards (including monitors) do not like being on leashes. While they are young they have a lot of insecurities and thier first instinct of something new is flight! I use a small dog harness on my adult sav and he loves going outside for exploring. I just make sure I hold the leash, and follow to make sure he does not get into ant trouble.
Nick

This is a pic of Loki the other day outside when it was finally warm enough to have him out for a little while. I wouldn't take a little one out because they get "wild" once outside. Loki is a big cat, he has the best temperment but when we take him outside he whips, hisses, and bites. He does none of this when in the house. He did bite on to Chris's hand, not bad but the first time he nailed one of us, he has never tried to bite me. As soon as we get him back inside he is fine, back to Loki. So just be careful and bring a towel with you to pick the little one up with. We use a small dog harness but Lo is almost 3 feet. For Tikka it will be either a ferret harness or a rabbit harness. Good luck.

Christina

N/P