Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Does Varanus varius have similar tooth structure to Varanus salvadorii? Or is it that V. Varius are slightly venomous that people are reluctant to keep them?

They are one of the best looking monitors IMO. I would be more apprehensive about picking them up though.

Reluctant? Who????? Where??????

It's prolly more to do with whats available.

Teeth structure, I have no idea, but I know they both have teeth and are big lizards = ouch.

Cheers
Mike.

They are Australian so no more 'wild caughts' are going to make it here. There are precious few CBB's around in the states. Seeing as they are a very large species of Varanid requiring sizable caging and cage height (preferably), they take more than the average person can accomodate. Virtually all of the V. salvadorii (Crocs) are WC and restocked here as people inadvertantly kill them off. It's a shame, but most folks don't or can't seem to provide decent enough living for large monitors to reproduce. That is why it is beaten to death to NOT obtain the big species, yet people keep grabbing them - especially inexpensive WC ones from Africa and Indonesia.

I saw a large male on the classifieds a while back and I thought it was a very fair price considering they aren't that common in the reptile trade....at least not where I am. I don't know anything about their personality,temperments. I was looking at the croc monitor bite pictures on Robin's site...I don't know if varanus varius is capable of inflicting that kind of damage as well. I'm guessing they probably can.

Tooth structure? No idea, you'd have to do some research. I've seen croc monitor skulls, water monitor skulls, savs, and even Niles but I've never seen a lace monitor skull. Ehh.. good luck. I would think it would be more similar to salvadori just by looking at the outline and general appearance of the skull.

I just got my index finger shredded by my 'baby' Nile last night. I just can't imagine how bad it would hurt if he was an adult and really wanted to hurt me.

I got to play with some Lacies the other day. It was quite fun. The Males are insane eat anything that moves but the females were just...sweethearts...No other way to put it. Everything the females do just screams feminine. I don't think I've been around another large reptile that made my heart flutter like those female lacies. I'm crossing my fingers that I will have a pair in a 2 year time frame. It should be a sure thing as long as someone digs up the damn eggs.

lol...dig em up!

ps...hows that lone prasinus egg doing that you guys found a few months back?

Cheers,
Mike.

Mike,

I will probably end up digging them up.LOL
The prasinus egg is still doing well. We got two more but one had a hole in the end, so we now have another lone one sitting in his incubator. She is a small female so I think 2 eggs at a time is all we are going to get from her. She did nest them this time too a little shallow but at least nested. Will definitely post pics when/if it hatches.

Hello Elidogs,
There are plenty of V.varius around in the states but they trade for "adult" prices as all of the giant monitors probably eventually will. They are being bred by some keepers but these keepers are very careful that these wonderful creatures do not go to homes that will not provide them with what they need to survive well. The prices asked for babies narrows out alot of the spectators and generally also ensures that the keepers who do purchase will look after and provide for them.
Also, on a side note, I'm not sure that any monitor has the dentition of a croc monitor but I have seen some far worse bites from larger reptiles than croc monitors which aren't really considered dangerous (you have to put yourself in the lizards immediate space). I have been working with croc monitors since the mid 1990's and have never yet been bitten- I do not handle them with out purpose and do not do foolish things like hand feeding this species. I do enter the enclosures and the males will run circles around me while females normally remain on their planks- really! I'm not sure what this behavior means but it has never led to an attack. Best to you- Mike S