Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Does anyone own/have experience with timor monitors? From what I have read they seem to be pretty shy, arboreal and remain relatively small. Just wondering about some hands on information.

Thanks,
Dan
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1.1 Savannah Monitors (Annah & Terrance)
1.1 Nile Monitor (Lyle)
1.0 Blood Python (Kevin)
1.0 Ball Python (Martin)
0.1 Leopard Gecko (Bella)
2.0 Bearded Dragons (Peter & Jack)
1.0 Mexican Black Kingsnake (Hector)
1.1 Kenyan Sand Boas (Wayne & Maude)
1.0 Dwarf Gecko (Little Girl)
1.0 Curly Hair Tarantula (Pube)
1.0 OBT Usumbara Orange Baboon Tarantula (Sin)
1.0 Emperor Scorpion (Ashoka)
2.0 D. auratus (Poison Dart Frogs)

I have had mine for about two years now. He is extremely shy and wants absolutely nothing to do with me. If you leave them alone, they calm down somewhat. However, the best I've gotten out of him is that I can open the cage without a freakout but, if I'm working around in his cage too long, he takes off and hides.

Don't buy a Timor if you have any hope for interaction. I've only ever seen one handleable one.

Mine is full grown and a little over two feet long.

Had about 2 minutes experience with timor monitors. A shop told me it was tame and asked me if I wanted to hold it. After they had to come to the back of the store with a mop, to clean up all the blood, I decided it was not for me.
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"Nothing happens in contradiction to nature, only to what we know of it."

hi,

I had 3 timors a few years ago. Completely unhandlable and most of the time invisable. Got rid of them in 6 months. They were WC howerver.
I have got CB V. similis right now. They are a different story, much more out in the open and they don't mind me sitting in front of their cage, they don't interact howerver and handling them isn't easy too. (Yes, I only handle them if I have too, the are not toys or dogs)
If you want a small tropical varanid, I think similis is the way to go, I think timors and auffenbergi have a nicer pattern, but who cares if you never get to see them.

Jasper

I guess I will see how the CB's do... Mine will be here this Thursday.
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1.1 Savannah Monitors (Annah & Terrance)
1.1 Nile Monitor (Lyle)
1.0 Timor Monitor (Timmmmaaayy)
1.0 Blood Python (Kevin)
1.0 Ball Python (Martin)
0.1 Leopard Gecko (Bella)
2.0 Bearded Dragons (Peter & Jack)
1.0 Mexican Black Kingsnake (Hector)
1.1 Kenyan Sand Boas (Wayne & Maude)
1.0 Dwarf Gecko (Little Girl)
1.0 Curly Hair Tarantula (Pube)
1.0 OBT Usumbara Orange Baboon Tarantula (Sin)
1.0 Emperor Scorpion (Ashoka)
2.0 D. auratus (Poison Dart Frogs)

hi,

Let us know how they behave, maybe CB's are better suited as captives. Are they hatchlings?

Jasper

From what I understand they are hatchlings from the parents of WC, so I guess that is CB? I will let you know how it goes!

-Dan
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1.1 Savannah Monitors (Annah & Terrance)
1.1 Nile Monitor (Lyle)
1.0 Timor Monitor (Timmmmaaayy)
1.0 Blood Python (Kevin)
1.0 Ball Python (Martin)
0.1 Leopard Gecko (Bella)
2.0 Bearded Dragons (Peter & Jack)
1.0 Mexican Black Kingsnake (Hector)
1.1 Kenyan Sand Boas (Wayne & Maude)
1.0 Dwarf Gecko (Little Girl)
1.0 Curly Hair Tarantula (Pube)
1.0 OBT Usumbara Orange Baboon Tarantula (Sin)
1.0 Emperor Scorpion (Ashoka)
2.0 D. auratus (Poison Dart Frogs)

If the parents were Wild Caught and the copulation/nesting did not take place in captivity, they are CH (Captive hatched). Not CB.

Mike.

Awesome thanks for the clarification. All the initialing can get confusing... Or I am just an idiot.

-Dan
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1.1 Savannah Monitors (Annah & Terrance)
1.1 Nile Monitor (Lyle)
1.0 Timor Monitor (Timmmmaaayy)
1.0 Blood Python (Kevin)
1.0 Ball Python (Martin)
0.1 Leopard Gecko (Bella)
2.0 Bearded Dragons (Peter & Jack)
1.0 Mexican Black Kingsnake (Hector)
1.1 Kenyan Sand Boas (Wayne & Maude)
1.0 Dwarf Gecko (Little Girl)
1.0 Curly Hair Tarantula (Pube)
1.0 OBT Usumbara Orange Baboon Tarantula (Sin)
1.0 Emperor Scorpion (Ashoka)
2.0 D. auratus (Poison Dart Frogs)

CB = Captive Born - CBB = Captive bred and born. Depends on what terms you use. Some use CH, others CB
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South Central Herpetological

Lied to. Timors are imported regularly, a common WC monitor. Beautiful but not an interactive captive.

They are shy, fast, reclusive, and nervous, also will bite very fast and hard. They can be so nervous of human contact that they struggle so hard with the end result being you having cuts like a razor blade and the lizard will rip claws out in the process.
Most timors will run and hide when you walk in the room any time, even after years they start to come out when you are around and not moving.
I had an old male that was sold at over 10 years old, he was 30 inches and fast, he bit hard to.

They are only about 5 inches long so that makes me think I was not lied to, however that thought crossed my mind as well.
I hope I don't get a mean recluse! But if I do then so be it.
Speaking of recluse my nile finally lets me look at him without darting away. It has been almost a year... We are making progress!
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1.1 Savannah Monitors (Annah & Terrance)
1.1 Nile Monitor (Lyle)
1.0 Timor Monitor (Timmmmaaayy)
1.0 Blood Python (Kevin)
1.0 Ball Python (Martin)
0.1 Leopard Gecko (Bella)
2.0 Bearded Dragons (Peter & Jack)
1.0 Mexican Black Kingsnake (Hector)
1.1 Kenyan Sand Boas (Wayne & Maude)
1.0 Dwarf Gecko (Little Girl)
1.0 Curly Hair Tarantula (Pube)
1.0 OBT Usumbara Orange Baboon Tarantula (Sin)
1.0 Emperor Scorpion (Ashoka)
2.0 D. auratus (Poison Dart Frogs)