Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hello,

I wanted to see what everyones thoughts are on these topics, money, size, just want peoples thoughts.

Most Active Monitor (Not Shy) to watch?

Hardiest for a new keeper?

Most forgiving with temperment,

Most tollerable of being moved or picked up if need be?

What is your favorite and why?

Is the Black Throat the best choice when size and money is no objective or is the Sav the best.

Thanks
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0.2 Rotts
1.0 Super Tiger (Dash)
1.0 Amel Retic (Mahola)
0.1 Ball Python (Cyeanne)
0.1 Red Tail (Memphis)
1.0 Coral Sun Glow Boa (Rodman)
0.1 Blood Python (Danica)
1.0 Green Ananconda (Prefontain)
1.0 Emerald Tree Boa (Bing Bong)
1.0 Ivory Ball Python (Hansel)
0.1 Bumble Bee Ball Python (Sissy)

[Most Active Monitor (Not Shy) to watch?]
CBB 'anything' If interacted with from hatchling and not force handled

[Hardiest for a new keeper?]
CBB 'anything'

[Most forgiving with temperment,]
CBB 'anything'

[Most tollerable of being moved or picked up if need be?]
CBB 'anything'

[What is your favorite and why?]
1.Albigularis- Theyr'e the only one's I keep- so far!
2.Salvadori- They're just awesome!
3.Melinus- Wish someone was breeding them.

[Is the Black Throat the best choice when size and money is no objective or is the Sav the best.]

Depends what you like. Obviously, I'd say a BT over a Sav

Hi Susan,

I think you hit those right on the head hahahaha.

Variability in personality is one of the first things I learned back when I started first keeping these creatures, and infact that is probably why I still do.

Ackies are a BLAST (for me). Just my answer to the last question, I agree with susan on the rest.

Cheers,
Mike.

With cost and space no option there are many more choices. An exanthematicus is a lousey choice simply because nobody breeds them, so your stuck with WC.
Your best bet is ackies, or if you have space then flavi, goulds, argus.

I know there was one person that I got into contact last year with and then fell off. I am with you on that.

Due males tend to be more aggressive then females?
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0.2 Rotts
1.0 Super Tiger (Dash)
1.0 Amel Retic (Mahola)
0.1 Ball Python (Cyeanne)
0.1 Red Tail (Memphis)
1.0 Coral Sun Glow Boa (Rodman)
0.1 Blood Python (Danica)
1.0 Green Ananconda (Prefontain)
1.0 Emerald Tree Boa (Bing Bong)
1.0 Ivory Ball Python (Hansel)
0.1 Bumble Bee Ball Python (Sissy)

The nice thing about it being any flavi, goulds, you find avaialable will be CBB. If you finf flavi-argus they are CBB. Specifically now I dont know who is, but there are some out there.
FR breeds the whole complex and crosses, they are some of his most numerous examples.

Yup just hatched two clutches of flavis and just recieved two clutches of flavis. I also recently hatched a clutch of crosses and have a gravid female ready to go. Just writing that makes me tired. Cheers

I hear you on the writing. I sent you an e-mail if you could let me know that would be great.

Thanks again,

Jeff
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0.2 Rotts
1.0 Super Tiger (Dash)
1.0 Amel Retic (Mahola)
0.1 Ball Python (Cyeanne)
0.1 Red Tail (Memphis)
1.0 Coral Sun Glow Boa (Rodman)
0.1 Blood Python (Danica)
1.0 Green Ananconda (Prefontain)
1.0 Emerald Tree Boa (Bing Bong)
1.0 Ivory Ball Python (Hansel)
0.1 Bumble Bee Ball Python (Sissy)

>>Most Active Monitor (Not Shy) to watch?

Of all the species I've had the privilege to work with, arguses have been the most active. They are always moving around, getting in to things, and getting in to trouble. However, they are jumpy and have an in-your-face attitude, and don't care for handling at all.

>>What is your favorite and why?

For me, arguses, 'cause they are always on the go and keep you on your toes. Never boring, those arguses.

>>Is the Black Throat the best choice when size and money is
>>no objective or is the Sav the best.

It depends on what you want out of a monitor.

Luke

My answers will all be relative to my limited experience, which is Argus, Blackthroat and Mangrove.

[Most Active Monitor (Not Shy) to watch?]
Argus by a long shot.

[Hardiest for a new keeper?]
Argus, primarily because their CBB.

[Most forgiving with temperment,]
Blackthroat. Argus, while great to watch are also very "don't invade my personal space" Monitors. Mangrove doesn't even tolerate my presence in the room.

[Most tollerable of being moved or picked up if need be?]
None, but would lean toward Blackthroat.

[What is your favorite and why?]
The Water Monitors. Size and appearance, They're what attracted me to Monitors in the first place.

[Is the Black Throat the best choice when size and money is no objective or is the Sav the best.]
I'm biased towards Blackthroats.
Take this for what it is, personal opinion.

Most Active Monitor (Not Shy) to watch?

Argus and ackies

Hardiest for a new keeper?

Most Australian species and Argus as there CBB and easier to establish

Most forgiving with temperment,

Not argus by a long shot, one of my females absolutely hates me now. I will have to say ackies

Most tolerable of being moved or picked up if need be?

I will have to say ackies and possibly a black throat

What is your favorite and why?

Spencers monitor as they look absolutely amazing but too bad we cant get them here in the usa. As there not here i would have to say Argus and flavi as they have a tough guy personality and are active all the time plus when they are investigating something they will sometimes stand on there back legs

As for my preference of a black throat or a savannah i would have to say neither instead maybe a white throat as they are more appealing to me. Its all about what you like

Bryan

[Most Active Monitor (Not Shy) to watch?]
I have the limited experience factor as well with only niles, savvys and timors but out of those three would be my savs.

[Hardiest for a new keeper?]
Have to say savs, because that was my first and I am still constantly learning, but they have been quite forgiving and can take some mistakes. I have read ackies are great for the same reasons.

[Most forgiving with temperment,]
Once again, savs in my experience, but I have also heard ackies. However my female sav has a much worse attitude than the male ( I raised the male from a baby, I got the female when she was a juvie and I think she was mistreated and not worked with)

[Most tollerable of being moved or picked up if need be?]
Same as the last.

[What is your favorite and why?]
Favorite Ever?: Croc monitors. They just look SO COOL ( I will get one eventually when I am ready)
I also like a lot of the Australian species like the spensers and mertens but it may be a kind of 'you always want what you can't have' sort of situation lol.
From what I see I like the size and temperments of Black/Whitethroats, but i have not had the chance to own one yet.

For the last question obviously I would say a sav, but I have never had a bt so I am biased.
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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)
1.0 Peacock Bass (Gary)

Most Active Monitor (Not Shy) to watch?

I have Sav, Nile, Croc, BT and Waters. None of mine are shy except the Crocs. They want to be above your head, they do not like to be looked at. Best to look at them out of corners of your eyes. But when they don't know I am watching them, the things they do, the way they move gives me shivers.

I have heard that Ackies are incredibly fun nutty little guys, but I have never kept them.

Hardiest for a new keeper?

Gosh, I don't know. None are hardy if you don't have proper husbandry for the species. All the ones I keep are pretty hardy. I would not keep any Crocs or Tree monitors if I were new to this.

Most forgiving with temperment,

The most docile monitors I have are two out of the four waters and the big female BT Old Hissy. They come to me, get on me and interact quite a bit. The other seven, 2 Waters, a BT, the Nile, the Sav and of course the two Crocs want nothing to do with me except food.

Most tollerable of being moved or picked up if need be?

That would be the 6 foot male Water. He goes for walks in the woods without a leash or anything. I would not use a leash. He is a sweet guy. He could rip the tendons out of my hand if he wanted to and I keep that in mind. Old Hissy, BT, allows me to get her out of trees and attics but she is very self willed as a monitor should be.

What is your favorite and why?

Old Hissy, BT, has more personality than many people. Very curious, interactive, funny, fiesty, intelligent. The young male BT I have just hisses and whips. The Savs impress me as being obsessed with food, Waters are kind of lazy lumps with mild personalities when they get big, Crocs and Niles, hands off of course.

Is the Black Throat the best choice when size and money is no objective or is the Sav the best.

BT for sure out of the ones I keep. You were asking the size of enclosure needed for one on another forum. BTs grow to 5 or 6 feet or more and they are heavy. They don't race around like I've heard Argus do but they still need an enclosure at least the size of a small bedroom as adults.

[None of mine are shy except the Crocs. They want to be above your head, they do not like to be looked at. Best to look at them out of corners of your eyes. But when they don't know I am watching them, the things they do, the way they move gives me shivers.]

Stop teasing us, set up a surveillance cam and post some flippin' vids on youtube

"6' water, walks in the woods, without a leash" (another good vid, right there)

Hey guess what? He swims now. I just got in his tank with him and supported him in the deep water and he got it together in a couple of minutes. He puts his legs back against his body and swims with his tail.

>>Hey guess what? He swims now. I just got in his tank with him and supported him in the deep water and he got it together in a couple of minutes. He puts his legs back against his body and swims with his tail.

We want videos!!!!!!
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Mike Heinrich,
Mike@amazontreeboa.org
www.amazontreeboa.org

Sounds like all the 'walkies in the woods' is doing the trick!)
Stop changing the subject though, and let us get a glimpse of your monitor family in action