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Not sure how you'd define the smartest lizard but just wondering if anyone has any insights on which lizard might be the smartest...
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Chris Vanderwees
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as you said depends on how you see it. Some say a bordercollie is a smart dog simply cause it can herd a sheep. Well they were bred for that.

So then is one lizard smarter then the other cause it can climb a tree? swim? burrow?? eat its food head first? eat its food no matter which way iot picks it up? escapes the cage?

Alot of variables, and all you will end up with is opinions.

I think you need a criteria for smartest.

All monitors learn quickly where food is involved, for example. Does that make them smart?

What about rudimentary reasoning capabilities? Argus monitors, for example, never seem to figure out that they can go around an otherwise impenetrable barrier through which they can see food. A salvator monitor I was keeping for a while figured this trick out in less than a minute. Was this an aberant genius among lizards, or are all salvator monitors this smart?

Luke

Hi Luke, How interesting. I have seen something very similar.

Many would think the gouldi group to be amoung the most intelligent of monitors, but they seem to hunt straitlined. That is, they go strait after their prey. They have a hard time figuring the barrier problem.

But, Many would think Albigs are amoung the dumbest of monitors, yet I have at least one that figure out how to go around a barrier thing. And She did it quickly. She was chasing an adult mouse, in a very ackward matter, going full bore after the mouse, the mouse shot between the outside wall of the cage and a large water tub and hiding area. The monitor imediately went around the obstacle and caught the mouse coming out the other side. The obstacle was two feet by three feet. She has done this several times. Hmmmmmmmmmm. An Argus would still be trying to get between the wall and the tub, digging like crazy.

I think it has to do with inherent behavior, The gouldi complex, are probably very success at simply running down prey and digging it up. Albigs being very slow, in comparision, must outsmart their prey. Hmmmmmmmm

Maybe the smartest monitor species is the species with the least specific requirements and the largest range. FR

Heh, that's a bit funny, I have seen a little newt do the barrier thing under water, chasing a little earthworm. Went to the other side and waited for it to come out. Looked quite cute.

Definately Timor monitors. I have one, and after years of being in captivity, he's still smart enough to be wary of humans.

(My dog would have trouble with that barrier thing, BTW)
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