Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I started by asking what the people on this forum thought tame was. There were a few responces, but interestingly, they were not from the real newbies, but from people who have had monitors for some time.

From those few responces, you can see that the term "tame" is a personal interpitation. Each person has their own feelings on what it means.

What I find odd is, day in and day out, there is this post, how do I tame my "whatever monitor"? Where were those people?

How would those people ever tame a monitor, if they have no difinition of what tame is. Remember, its about you and your conceptions of what tame is, not about monitors.

Part 2,

Next, monitors are reptiles, reptiles live in a varity of temps, their bodies do not function the same at all temps. This is normal for them. Behaviorally, then will react differently, depending on temps. For instance, if a wild monitor, is not at maximum operating temps, it will choose to not run. The reason is, it cannot run well. If a monitor is to cool to defend itself, it will choose to not defend itself, again the reason is, it knows its ability.

In captivity, its the same, they react differently to different temps. So, before you label your charge tame, you first must decide if its working at normal temps.

Next, you should consider the health of your monitor, unhealthy monitors simply give up. That is not tame.

Let me say again, monitors do become tame. But when you have one sleeping on your lap, I would look at other labels then tame. As a healthy tame monitor, when at operating temps, are a bit like domestic ferrets. They are only cuddly a few minutes after waking up and a few minutes before going to sleep, the rest of the time, they are simply too curious to sit still. If a healthy tame monitor sits on your lap for any lenght of time, it may be, cold, in total fear(check its heartrate) or sick. A healthy monitor may sit for a minute or two, but then it would be impossible for it to not investigate the surroundings, that is what they do. Your thoughts F

I think there might be a difference between what we think is warm, and what the monitor thinks.
Trouble is, they do not always choose to be that warm. Mine bask mornings, then hide the rest of the day, usually. So, are mine vulnerable to predation, most of the day? I'd like to know how they keep themselves in the wild. Maybe if they emerge at all, they make sure they get up to the temps that allow a fast run. But surely, they cannot stay so hot all day.
Anyone?
D.

I would have to agree completely on this one. I do not have a single animal that will sit there with me without trying to get away, but I would still consider them tame, just for the fact that I was lucky enough to have it near me at all. Well actually right now I have a indicus that will not move once I pick it up but it is breathing so hard, it is obvious that it is frightened. Relating this to my last post I would consider this animal the least tame....it is frightened, it is the least predictable...(while all monitors are, some more than others.) So, yes, in expirience...it has been obvious that temperture directly affects behavior.

Please, this is not so much about you, just an example.

Whether you agree or not is not the point, in fact, doing either one is not recomended. I believe what really holds back successful husbandry, is this exact thing.

Why is there a need to judge the correctness of what I have said? do you judge the correctness of every little thing your monitor does??? I bet you do, and that is the problem. You do not know, what correct is. How could you? The story has not played out.

When I included Part 1 or part 2, that means there may be or are many parts, they may all tie together to from points of explainations. Without reading the rest of the parts, there is no way to judge, or think or know, whether I am on tract or not.

The same goes for monitors, they are a whole story. Judgement should be based on the whole story. F

i know for sure that my nile is really curious as to her suroundings,sure she will sit for a sec but then its off to explore what ever she can see or sniffmostly it would seem she would love to know what my innards look like,seeing as shes always raking her claws deep into me!.On a serious note tho it would ring true for most reptiles that when there sitting still on your lap then something is amiss,i never expected a tame nile but i will admit to giving it a bashOh and my definition of tame is an animal or reptile that is totally comfortable with handling and or beeing watched,also to be able to function normally under my or other ppls gazing eyes,my nile is not tame nor will she ever be,it seems more on a par with fragile trust than her tameness.
Hope that made sense
well laterz ppl
jason

You say, 'that is what they do', that they are curious and want to check out their surroundings.

In all honesty, I have not seen this behavior much until recently. My monitors hide, all the time. I assumed that's what rudis did.

Once, a while back, there was a thunderstorm at night, and I opened the sliding glass doors next to their cages, and went out on the balcony. After a bit, I came back in, and was really surprised to see all the rudicollis awake, and out. They were craning their necks to see and sniffing. I found it really odd.

And most recently now, I have been bringing wood and tools and doing stuff in the living room. They actually come out to watch me, and yes, this surprises me. They just have not reacted to anything I do, until now, food events excepted. I thought before I was being watched, as the long noses gave them away, but now they are coming into view, to get a better look. It may be they feel more comfortable, or that I don't do anything exciting enough for them. Strangers make them hide.
I've had them a year.

I am starting to think, that there is so much more to them, and that this is a relationship. Because its changing, slowly. Their relations with each other are evolving, and me too. Though I suspect I am simply an environmental factor, and not a social one, like they are to each other.

When I got my first iguana, and it settled in, it did not change much in habits or personality for the 8 years I had her. I wonder if I wrecked her life. Maybe some higher power wished monitors upon me, to open my eyes.
Monitors seem to take a long time to change their feelings.
Just rambling, D.

An animal that, when you enter the room it does not run and hide, it does not attack the glass/plexi-etc. A tame monitor will approach and climb on you, except food from you even leaping to take it from you, will occaisionally climb from the floor to a place they recognize as a good vantage point to see and a place they recognize as safe on your body (when someone they do not trust or recognize is around). When a monitor that has every ability to run, be it chasing a rabbit (almost catching it when close enough), etc will not run from you or threaten you by bites etc on your approach outdoors. I believe the way you explained once, if the animal acts differently indoors than outdoors, something indoors is wrong. When a tame monitor approaches and places their head or back under your hands as to allow contact out of trust, along with a million other similar actions. I have 2 monitors I consider tame now, and one that is on his way slowly to trusting me and being tame. These are animals that bask in the morning, are extremely active, go underground for part of the day coming up occaisionally to observe any out of ordinary occurances, and will bask later after emergence for a period of time (134-188 degree basking spots). My female albig is tame, my ackie is tame, and my male albig is on his way to tameness.

Makes me think about my girl.