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Terrorist should be his name.

I have figured out a way to begin handling him without having my nads bitten off too badly. He is most vulnerable in the water, which he likes to be in luckily. he can't see me when he is in the water so i grab him then and it has been working out okay. Another method is simply scooping my hand under his body to minimize the biting. I sure hope he grows out of the biting, but I do realize he is a Nile so my expectations are not that high.

Thanks for looking-

D

Try leaving him/her alone. maybe that will work out a bit better w/ out so much stress put on the animal as he ventures on to being an adult.Your nile looks very pretty.I'd like to see it as an adult.

i am seeing how the 'five minutes a day thing' works out, while he is still small enough not to break my finger when he bites me.

He is a cute one. Everyone has their own approach to the 'handling/not handling' thing, so I hope your method works for you. I don't have enough experience to try and tell you 'not' to handle him. Just might want to watch for any slight signs of stress. They are good at not letting you see though.
Good luck!

>>Terrorist should be his name.
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>>That is a PRETTY NILE FOR SURE!!

Smokin in FACT!!!!

SATAN
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>>I have figured out a way to begin handling him without having my nads bitten off too badly. He is most vulnerable in the water, which he likes to be in luckily. he can't see me when he is in the water so i grab him then and it has been working out okay. Another method is simply scooping my hand under his body to minimize the biting. I sure hope he grows out of the biting, but I do realize he is a Nile so my expectations are not that high.
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>>Thanks for looking-
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"Satan™" is a registered trademark of NERD, Inc. Any copyright infringement is punishable by ETERNAL DAMNATION and some other terrible stuff.

Why is it so necessary for you to handle it. You need to gain it's trust, something that will never happen should you continue picking it out of it's cage.
Here's a link to a thread on another forum. I would suggest you read it unless you want a six to seven foot bundle of muscle, claws and teeth that hates you on your hands.

Link

Thanks for that link sidbarvin!

I am not so set on handling them I just want a monitor that I can be around when it is 6 feet long like yours and not one that I will be in constant fear for my life of. Ya know? I know i may get a bunch of 'well why in the heck did you get a nile monitor" questions in return. My point is that no one wants a terrorist animal when it boils down to it. In the least I would just worry about taking it to the vet etc.... when it is bigger. I know it's a nile, they are generally defensive flighty and aggresive, i am not trying to change their nature. I just want to earn my niles trust as sidbarvin has guided me to do.

I have a nile myself. Gain it's trust. Do not constantly try to handle it. Let it get used to you while you change the water and do maintenance. After a few weeks (if you are lucky) it will not see you as a threat but rather as something that brings it fresh water and food. Niles are curious. Eventually it will approach you or jump up onto your chest to come out like my oddball does). The main thing with all monitors is to earn their trust and do things the way they want and not how you want. I am happy to be able to pet it and do cleaning without worrying (I just need to break the jump on and try to climb up habit some way). Would I love to have a bug lap lizard? Sure, but that is not what you get with a nile.
Good luck.

"they are generally defensive flighty and aggresive"

Really? Based on what? Based on people who buy one as their first monitor, or even first reptile and want it to behave like a dog?? Hmmmmmmmmmmm..............

From what I have read it is just the opposite. People who provide for their niles needs while respecting them (doing things on their terms, not grabbing them) seem to think they are one of the most rewarding species of monitor to keep and exhibit behaviors exactly opposite to what you stated.

Nonetheless your baby is very nice looking, I would put him in a cage and only interact with him when you MUST for now (IE feeding, cleaning).

Mike.

The mean nile temperment in mostly a myth. I honestly don't see them as being any more or less defensive and flighty than any of the other species of varanids in my care. The do have very good memmories and hold a grudge for a long time.

I believe the reputation comes from the fact that mostly kids and inexperienced people end up with them because they are readily available and cheap. These people, having no clue about monitor behavior and husbandry are all told the same thing by whomever they purchased them from; "It will calm down with daily handling". So they piss the niles off every day, get bitten, scratched, and tail whipped all the time, then call them "mean" or "aggressive" and pawn them off on some other unsuspecting goof after they have completely conditioned them to hate and fear humans.

Niles do well in the hands of experienced keepers who have somewhat of an understanding of what makes them tick. I learned the hard way but mine ended up ok. I have a great time with them.