Reptile & Amphibian Forums

If you need to ask what type of substrate to use or how much of it... Or the ambient temps that you should have in your cage... or the size your cage should be... you shouldn't have ANY type of monitor... Do your damn research.... learn how big they are going to get and what they will require.... It kills me to see so many people posting questions about things that are ridiculously easily answered. Saying "I'm getting a monitor... what now?" Stop being an idiot... if these questions need to be answered for you your not ready for a monitor... Hundreds of sites are available with everything you need to know... If you have never had a monitor before take the damn time to do a little research before jumping into something... All I'm saying is that if you need to ask these questions YOUR NOT READY!!!!! plain and simple. Find out what your getting into and do at least a couple months of research before making a LIFE DECISION... Because thats what it is... These things live for a LONG time...... Be prepared to care for them properly!!!!

I understand your point. However, it is good for people to ask these types of questions so they can be educated by those experienced members of the forum.

Also, if you got rid of all these types of questions, the forum would be nearly "dead" as there wouldn't be much in the way of communication.

This is a perfect "forum" to ask these types of questions. Flaming new people is probably a reason why this many are afraid to ask questions in the first place.

I have had a large number of reptiles in my life and have learned a great deal from people asking NEW questions. Now I am a lot more experienced and appreciate all who were willing to assist me over the years.

I doubt if this post was directed toward you.

Ok look the reason I asked the question I did was because every site I found about blue tailed monitors did not go into cage detail. They also did not all agree. I am a reptile keeper at a zoo so I actually know what I am talking about most of the time. But when I have a simply question like that I go to the forums and post it because there will usually be someone that is kind and likes to share there experience with other people. You are obviously not one of those people to in the future don't reply to anything and that solves the problem. When folks ask questions on a forum that I know the answer to, I gladly answer because I want people to succeed at keeping the animals I love.

To all of those that do help other people, thank you very much. You are the type of people that need to be on this site, not people that feel they know everything and that everyone else should also.
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1.1 Motley het butter corns
0.1 Snow corn
0.1 Okeetee corn
1.0 Anery mutt corn
0.1 Stripe Ghost corn
0.1 Amelanistic corn het carmel
2.2 Colombian Redtails
0.1 Striped Colombian Redtail
1.0 Hypo Colombian Redtail
0.1 Hogg Island Redtail
1.3.1 Brazilian Rainbow Boa
1.0 Anery Kenyan sand boa
0.1 Normal Kenyan sand boa
1.1 Mexican Rosy Boas
2.0 Ball Pythons
0.0.1 Banded kingsnake
0.1 Jungle Carpet Python
3.0 Bearded Dragons
3.0 Leopard Geckos
0.2 Snow Leopard Geckos
0.0.5 Sulcatas
and lots of fish

Nine times in ten, the questions are asked by people who are having difficulties as a result of using husbandry tecniques passed along to them by the petstores they bought the monitors from. They take advice from the people at these places at face value and come to the fora for advice.

Bad information from petstores, zoos, crackpot keepers, monitor husbandry books, and internet sources from people who type the information but dont know a darn thing about keeping them in captivity. Many times people supply husbandry advice have never kept a monitor or have their first bosc monitor and are trying to make people think they area an expert.
The best advice is to research the archieves, since I have been posting here (over 7 years) every basic husbandry question has been beat to death a thousand times a year. There are some amazing discussions if you find them, some very detailed advice, and some very advanced husbandry advice all available on monitor husbandry from some of the best keepers in the world, starting with Frank Retes (FR). Im not positive where he has been lately but hes a great source of husbandry information, no person aside has accomplished what he has with varanids.
I can say with all confidence that with 10 years experience with monitors before my first discussions with him did not prepare me for the insight he offered.

this is a forum.. its a place for questions. without forums like this, monitors would be harder to keep than they are as it is. i have many examples as to when i needed help with my monitors. after asking about substrate, since i was told aspen was good for ackies, i redid my entire tank to the specifications i was told on this site. ive gotten food tips on this forum, and ways to make husbandry easier, and more natural. the forum is to show off your animals, and ensure people can get proper husbandry techniques since 95% of books and staff knolege is wrong. it seems like you just dont want more people to work into the world of monitors. this is the place to go for questions, and since every company says our food is the best, our substrate is the best for monitors(i lost a tegu to one of those great bags, he couldnt digest the substrate he accidentally ate) the best thing people can do is ask on forums like this and hope for answers.

Chill out... I'm not saying you can't ask questions... what I'm saying is that if you need to ask questions about basic husbandry you should not have a monitor... your not ready!!! Thats it. And my original post wasn't directed to anyone in particular, it was just a general type of thing.

i wasnt saying it was directed towards anyone, but basic husbandry is the biggest lie out there. my first monitor ever was a sav, i went on what the pet store told me and 3 books i purchased, damn thing died within 2 months due to the fact that all 4 sources went against eachother from food to substrate to heating. all im saying is i believe if they need help with basic care, then they should come here before asking anyone else because these people have proven set ups.

I agree that even though the questions seem to repeat over and over and over, offering correct information, no matter how basic, will only help with improving the lives of countless monitors out there.

I've been reading this forum for years, and have only posted a few times. I've read nearly every thread depending on what subject I'm researching or questioning at the time. I personally prefer to "find" my answer before asking, but I don't have a problem with anyone taking an easier way out.

And even though a question on substrate is one of the very basic ones, opinions on it seem to change if someone finds something better than what was "best". Like Robyn from Pro Exotics thought he had something that was superior (decomposed granite), then later found that it wasn't ideal. Currently a cyprus mulch/sand mixture seems to be best (in general), but when someone is doing research and finds old threads contradicting each other on which substrate is best for his particular monitor, that person should be able to post up the question to get the most correct answer at the time without getting criticized.

Anyway, IMO, you're free to answer or ignore any and all questions asked. Atleast they're asking. I'd rather answer the same question a hundred times and save one monitors life, than not answer and have one suffer.

You said, that if you are asking basic questions then you are not ready.

When in fact you come in here to ask those questions, to be prepaired or realize what you have gotten into. I could come in here and say, I am getting a Croc monitor, what do I need. I would hope that people would point me in the right direction to make sure that animal has the perfect home. Now, you may disagree with my choice and not think it is right, and you can give your points that may make the person think twice before doing it but then again if it is what I have always wanted it does not mean I can not be successful at it with some help and guidnance.

Just look where you started out. I am sure you made a lot of mistakes, alot along the way. How nice would it have been to have had keepers that know what they are doing have helped you out vs that person who could help you out and did not want to be bothered.

If there is one thing I would say about this hobby. Most people are willing to help you out or answer anything they can so you are successful. I see it at shows all the time. Don't be that guy who is in it for himself.
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0.2 Rotts
1.0 Super Tiger
1.0 Amel Retic
0.1 Ball Python
0.1 Red Tail
0.1 Blood Python
1.0 Green Ananconda
1.0 Emerald Tree Boa

Who said cypress/sand was "currently the best"? That's goofy.

A good soil is the best basic substrate. Something like DG does many things well, some things not so well, it isn't IDEAL, that is all.
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robyn@proexotics.com

Pro Exotics Reptiles

>>"Who said cypress/sand was "currently the best"? That's goofy.
>>
>>A good soil is the best basic substrate. Something like DG does many things well, some things not so well, it isn't IDEAL, that is all.
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>>robyn@proexotics.com
>>
>>Pro Exotics Reptiles"
>>

It was a poor example. I actually meant dirt/sand. Either way, my point was that it always seems to be evolving each year from one thing to another. That's great though as the monitors will only benefit from our better findings/knowledge/understanding, and our communication of that knowledge to everyone else.

soil and sand is definitely better : )
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robyn@proexotics.com

Pro Exotics Reptiles

wat r u talking about i agree with u saying that people need to rescreeh but do u really belive that most of thoses websight or books are going to tell them every thing how do u think most of thoses web sights got there imformation do u think that they went up to a monitor and said hey how do u take care of your self no people asked qusitons to other people every one does it even u so i dont know wat was the point of staring this post if u probely ask qusitons your self

What I would like to know when is pro exotics going to come out with a ackie book , that would be great , I would definetly purchase it?

You are getting excited about the amount of ignorance folks have when it comes to proper husbandry, but perhaps you are missing the point.

Most often they don't recognize the ignorance. The dude at the pet store said 100F was "way hot" and bark chips were "awesome". They don't have the knowledge to combat that yet.

The forum is exactly the right place to ask basic questions, and get things ironed out, the good from the bad.

Sure, I would HOPE that folks would do the research first, before acquiring the animal, but that is ideal, and often unrealistic.

We have ALL done it, gotten excited about a new thing and jumped in feet first before seeing how deep the water is. That is the nature of excited human beings. In a week this post is going to be buried under others, never to be seen again, and it won't stop a new keeper from asking about feeding hot dogs and gizzards to their new Savannah.

It can definitely be annoying when keepers really don't know the first thing about their new monitor, ESPECIALLY when there is a thread 3 inches down on the exact same thing, but this has been going on for a decade, and will go on for a decade more, there is nothing you can do to significantly stop it.

All you can do is keep answering the questions, try to be helpful, and if blunt about someone literally killing their animal with poor husbandry, hope that they can see the advice and apply it, rather than worry about hurt feelings of "you are screwing it up".

THAT is the most annoying thing for me on the forums, the threads about "pat me on the back and tell me how big hearted I am" as opposed to "really help me get my husbandry squared away" : )
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robyn@proexotics.com

Pro Exotics Reptiles

The only dumb question is the one that you dont ask. Most days I think I know a lot about reptiles then all it takes is one thing to go wrong that I have never seen before to humble me. I have been keeping reptiles for years and I am always learning new things. If you tell people they are stupid for asking questions and trying to learn, they wont ask and the animals suffer. This is as good as place as any to learn. Petshops sure dont help. There is a lot of literature out there that is very contradictory. Asking questions can help. We have all been there at some point when we started out.