Reptile & Amphibian Forums

How's it goin,

How much harder is it to take care of a Crocodile Monitor to that of a Water Monitor...size is not the issue. But what about temperature, feeding, etc. Thanks again.

-Darryl

simply because of the potential danger and injury associated with a monitor like a Croc Monitor, i think they are best left to zoos and other institutions that can provide properly for their needs.

a number of dealer/breeders have stopped working with the Crocs simply because there is really not a market of qualified keepers that truly understand the potential of these beautiful monitors. of course, you could still buy a Croc a day from other sources, and find a steady supply for the next few years, as they are still imported regularly, but that doesn't make it a good idea : )

if you want a large monitor, which can be a very rewarding experience, i think the Albigularis (Black or Whitethroat) would be the best choice. Waters are also a good choice for a large monitor, but it is really a great committment to house and care for any of the big monitors, so be well prepared.

and go visit the Croc monitors at the zoo, they certainly are visually stunning : )

best of luck!
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robyn@proexotics.com

Pro Exotics Reptiles

n/p

Hello,

I currently care for a few croc monitors some cb others are wc, the wild caughts are very difficult to work with because they have a very foul tempermant, the captive breds on the other hand a very curious and that is what makes them dangerous, you will be doing enclosure maintenance look up and they will be on top of you. They do indeed get very large, and they have also evolved large teeth to hold food that they catch in trees.

i would go with the albigularis they are very hardy and generally have good attitudes

The only one at the moment I can purchase (due to expense) is the WC Croc monitors. What size is your cage and what are the temps. Also, How big is your current croc monitor...and where did u purchase them from???

Thanks for the reply!

Happy Holiday

-Darryl

you should be able to get a baby blackthroat monitor for fairly cheap.....

n/p

Their names may sound similar , they have both have a head a tail , four legs , both are large monitors but the similarity pretty much ends there . Personality wise they are not at all the same . Over the years I have found that most tree lizards in general are a lot more nervous and harder to handle then ground lizards of a similar size.

Crocodile monitors are extreamly intelligent , very curious , and daring . The larger they get the more daring they become . They will definately challege their keepers authority any chance they get once they get some size on them . (captive bred ones also) Of all the montiors lizards I have kept over the years this one I can not compare to any other monitor . All other monitors I have worked with are easy compared to crocs.

Once they get over they 8-9 foot size it is like working with a large cat (lion/tiger etc.) that has been given the intelligence of a large parrot . They will sit and watch you and dialate their eyes then distract you by wiggling their tails . If you turn to watch their tail expect for it to attempt to bite you . They have recurved teeth , if they land a bite it WILL be nasty unless you get extreamly lucky.

Food cost - honestly if you have to ask the price of the monitor to decide if you are going to buy wild caught or captive bred you are not going to like the food bill . My adults would eat 10 plus large rats at a sitting on their maintence diet . Selling the babies I produced for $1000 each did not cover my yearly feed bill for the adults .

8'X 8' cages are really to small for large adults, which adds to the problem of keeping them for most people. Their cages also need a seperate area where you can lock the monitor in while you clean the cage for safety reasons (you can not be in their territory / cage with a large one and be distracted at all ... ie no bending over to clean their water bowl etc.. )This is the one monitor that is really better suited for life in a zoo.

If you are looking for a pet any other monitor available on the market would make a much better pet . If you are looking for something that gets pretty large , easy to care for , and can become very tame try a tegu =P Seriously though captive born Albigularis make awesome pets that are worth every penny breeders charge for them .

Stella St.Pierre
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Stella St.Pierre
www.bluetegu.com