Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I have a 21 1/2" black throat who is no pleasure at all, for the past three months, after i find him hiding because he is so skittish he tail whips, hisses puffs up, etc i try to handle him for about 15-30min. aday to no prevail,i have only managed to keep his weight up by not going in there more than once a day cause otherwise he usually wont eat
should i go ahead and take my friend up on trading him for my friends pair of savs that are calm yet still fairly active or keep my BT and keep working on him?
i am not trying to dump my BT, i just know my friend will take better cxare of him since he is used to caring for some very vicious(2 are nice but anyways) niles and several black throats.
he is my first monitor but i would like some not so skittish so i can get my husbandry techniques in place so even if it is hard to monitorm a skittish monitor in the future i will know the caring for them better.

oh and also if i do go with the savs would a 9'lx5'dx5't cage be big enough (the cage is under construction, rigt now i have a 6'l x3'd x 3'tcage) even if i have to split it in half if the savs dont get along? not that i ve made a choice yet just needed that base covered.
Thanx so much

I aint Tom but, your post is kind of confusing.
Are you pulling the critter from it's hide?
What are you doing to earn it's trust?
Granted, not all monitors will calm down.
I have a had a few that were downright terrors but with time I was able to enter the cages for cleanings, water changes, ect. ect. because they no longer saw me as a threat.

Scott
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Do not meddle in the affairs of dragons, for you are crunchy and taste good with ketchup.

hey Scott ,can you still watch your terrorous monitors

cause thats kinda what i want with a monitor just to be able to at least watch him be a monitor (not a terror L.O.L.) and mine doesnt let me do that, second he hears the room door opes he dives into his hide

Thanx

Either keep this lizard or forget about monitors.
Use this critter sitting in your house as a learning tool.
It takes time to learn, you have to be patient.
I had a large male nile I took in until I could find it a home.
It took months before I could open the cage door without being charged. Now, that aint fun.
I took on this lizard and wasn't going to give up on it.
I started by feeding through a small trap door.
I also sat against the glass and watched tv or read.
I have used these techniques to teach the monitor, I was not a threat and just an everyday part of their lives.
Most monitors with bad dispositions are just trying to defend themselves from what they see as a threat.
If you are not a threat or a challenger to it's food source,
it will calm down.
Never force yourself on the animal, let it come to you on its terms.

Scott
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Do not meddle in the affairs of dragons, for you are crunchy and taste good with ketchup.

thanx, i guess i shoulndt have tried to give up or give exscuses i will keep him , i guess next time i will think in more the way of commitment no matter what it was rather stupid of me wasnt it? but is there any chance of him at least allow me to see him be a monitor an investigate or could he always be skittish?
thanx for knocking me back into my senses
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0.1 Bearded dragon
0.0.1 madagascar giant day gecko
0.01 corn snake
0.0.1 Black throat
0.0.2 black rat snakes
mountain horned dragon...R.I.P
YTPL...R.I.P.
BKS...R.I.P.
etc...etc...etc
(UNFORTUNITALY about 16 various others...R.I.P.)
some locals kept for a few months to heal (i.e. skinks and a box turtle)

I take it you are feeding with tongs. If not get some. Make the lizard come to you for food.
Buy yourself a good pair of welding gloves.
From my experience, most BT charges and threats are mostly bluff.
Be warned, that tail can and will leave a welt.
You are too big to eat, but it is trying to scare you away.
So far it has worked.
Open the cage door, sit down with a few thawed mice and offer one at a time.
Be slow and deliberate, no sudden movements.
Sit one right outside it's hide but far enough where he has to come out to eat it. Then feed the rst with the tongs.
If he hisses, or threatens to charge, hold your ground but be ready to grab it with the gloves.
Try this and good luck.
If you think this is fun, you should get an argus. hahaha

Scott
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Do not meddle in the affairs of dragons, for you are crunchy and taste good with ketchup.