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This was 1 of many pics taken during a visit with Sobek along to a good friends. Once Sobek lets it be known (very loud hiss, then he approaches head low to the ground and allows her to check him over) to "T" as he approaches that this is her travel container, she will let "T" in to share it with her. I think its great that she gets along with him as she almost killed a male of her own species not long ago. They get along great actually, she acts as if shes protecting him when they are together. I wish more people of many races could get along this well, but then again to them they are 2 monitors not different species.
I really like this picture.

thats a big argus shvar very nice pic and i agree people should get along like those two.

From a long ago injury, was at a reptile rescue, originally from from a pro atheletes personal collection supposedly (wont give his name up). He has several old bite scars from what appears to be one or several large dogs all over his neck, back, and a leg. He would be over 5 ft if it wasnt for his tail, but none the less hes such a beautiful animal and so social to other lizards even lizards an argus would probably eat. "T" is 16lbs 7 ounces and strong as heck. Sobek is over 6ft and stays right about 25 lbs, she is usually not friendly to other monitors or lizards at all but these 2 like each other. She is a powerful animal that can lift and move large living room chairs and gets my personal supervision when around "T" as I dont want him to get hurt by her, she has a bad habit if she doesnt like another monitor she gives a warning then strikes instantly open jawed at the back of their head and neck.

That happened to me one time. I had a white throat was only about 30 inches or so at the time of the event. I had a speckeled water monitor about the same size maybe a little longer. The speckeled somehow got into the enclosure (mugatu) was my whitethroat and mugatu when straight for the neck and would not let go. I had to pour a little bit of vinegar for him to let go of the speckeled. So even at that small of a size they are powerful.

In the pic's you posted it didnt look like much was gone. It's my experience with argus that once the tail goes into that solid band pattern there is only a few inches to the tip.

My thoughts exactly Jody, I would say 3-4" at the most.
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Bawaa Herps
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"Conservation through Captive Propagation"

His STV is actually longer than his tail, very old injury though. I havent measured but hes around 4.5ft. Ill try to get a better measure later tonight.

I measured last night, wasnt easy. 28.5 inches STV, 25.5 inches for his tail.
The last time I checked other than the bosc monitor the percentage of body to tail ratio on most monitors other than the bosc is higher than 110%. Even at 110% he would be 5ft long. Arent the argus and gouldi complex at 125-130% body to tail ratio? If so then "T" would be 64-65.5 inches if entirely intact, and if you look at the pics there are no darker stripes at the end of his tail stub.

I do not know how accurate the % of tail to body length is,I do know that the part of the tail on Argus where it changes to solid banding is normally not long enough for "T" to be missing another 12". My old breeder male has a section missing at what appears to be the exact same spot and the missing section compared to his offspring at the same size is about 3-4".
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Bawaa Herps
www.BawaaHerps.com
sales@bawaaherps.com
"Conservation through Captive Propagation"

And guessing at his size. Argus monitors have longer tails than STV length, even going by the ratio of a bosc (short tail to body ratio) he would still be 5ft long. According to Bennetts monitor book a Gouldi complex monitor which is 64 cm (25.6in) snout to vent length, measures 155cm (62 in) total length, thats 36.4 in of tail or 142.2%. Roughly that puts T at 69 inches, or missing 15 inches.

Where do you get these % of tail to SVL ? I checked Daniels book under Gouldii and Flavirufus and find no such, comparision. I measured a # of my crosses, Argus , Flavi/goulds and as adults they are about tit for tat SVL to Tail length some that are longer are no more than 110% to 115% at the most.
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Bawaa Herps
www.BawaaHerps.com
sales@bawaaherps.com
"Conservation through Captive Propagation"

Also the younger the animal the higher the % seems to be, with the Flavi/goulds being the longest. My point is, I do not think you can come to a conclusion on how big a monitor missing part of a tail is, by using these %, I just don't think they are accurate.There are just too many variables, to be accurate, in my humble opinion.
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Bawaa Herps
www.BawaaHerps.com
sales@bawaaherps.com
"Conservation through Captive Propagation"

There is a section where as they termed it then a V.gouldi Panoptes (male) measured 64 cm STV and 155cm TL. These convert to 25.6 inches STV length and 36.4 inches tail length, as a total of 62 inches (by no means is a young or little argus), 5ft 2 inches. If I had the book this second I would tell you the page number. Thats 142.3% when you figure it out. Every pic of Argus I can find (adults) have a long tail, noticeably longer than STV length. 40.5 inches 28.5 inches =69 inches or 5ft 9 inches. 69-54=15.

Don't know what to tell you, other than none of my adult Argus have a tail even close to 140-150%.
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Bawaa Herps
www.BawaaHerps.com
sales@bawaaherps.com
"Conservation through Captive Propagation"

wow thats awesome an argus and an black throat together ur very lucky I dont see too many monitors get along together like that way to go