Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Can someone please describe their housing setup for either of these monitors? (pictures would be great) I'm planing to get one or the other (maybe one of both) I can't decide. I know they're like comparing apples to oranges. I'm just looking for cool housing ideas. I want to design something pleasing to the eye. But more importantly, comfortable for the animal. I'm looking forward to everyone's different designs.
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Thanks, Ken
1.1 Argentine B/W Tegus
1.0 Argentine Red Tegu
0.1 Colombian B/W Tegu
1.0 Colombian Red Tail Boa

What do you plan on doing with them? Are you looking for a pet? Are you looking for simply a "display animal"? What are you hoping to get out of the experience?

If you can answer this, I can answer your question better.

I want to have a "pet" experience. I want to be able to interact with it.

my guess is, you'd be better off with a blackthroat. Even then, there are never guarantees that any monitor will turn into a 'pet' or respond well to interaction. Some respond almost immediately, some take months, some take years, some never do.

In my limited experience with the four monitors I keep, all of the same species, they have four different personalities and four different levels of interaction with me.

In that case you probably don't want a croc monitor. Any of the larger monitors can deliver a nasty bite, but crocs are in the emergency room and reconstructive surgery category. Crocs can be touchy, and their state of mind can be harder to read than for many other species. If you look through the posts here and on other monitor websites you will find many examples of BT/WT that are easygoing and "interactive" in ways that are either unlikely or very risky with croc monitors.

I personally think if you're looking for that type of interaction, a dog will be your best bet. If the monitor doesn't want to interact with you on your level, which most likely it wont, then what?

You can interact with him, and hold him all you want, you just have to beware of the "love" nips, and not mind stitches and expensive doctor bills.

Really though, in all honesty, if it is "pet" that you are looking for, you are gambling no matter what montior species you decide on. Ive seen sweet tractable crocs, as well as sweet tractable BT's. Likewise, Ive seen both species display nasty dispositions as well.

Heres the skinny on it though. A Salvadorii gets to be roughly 9 or so feet. They are active, arboreal, and highly cunning animals. Salvadorii are best suited in very larger outdoor type enclosures. Salvadorii do not make good pets, and IMO should NOT be in the "pet" trade. Albigularis, on the other hand, are not nearly as demanding captives. Albigularis is generally more predictible in its behaviour towards the keeper(you), and is a more tolerant animal. The speed/ dexterity of a 6' albig, compared to a 6' Salvadorii is like night n day. Just look at their morphology. The albig is not built to be an ambush predator, like the salvadorii. Have you ever seen the skulls of these two beasts side by side? It would make you wet your tighty whities!

Personal testimony...
My 4' BT clamped on my thumb one day by mistake, and it bled a bit. My 6' croc clamped on my arm one day, and I had to go to the ER.

HERES A LINK TO SOME OF MY PICS...
http://gallery.pethobbyist.com/index.pl?user=50956&cat=500&thumb=1

Thank you all for your input, but most of you missed my point. I know the difference between the two monitors, I was only interested in different enclosure designs. If anyone has details and/or pictures of they're B/T or Croc set-ups, I'd really like to see them. Like I said before, I want to build something pleasing to the eye, without giving up comfort of the animal. Thanks again.

Check out Jodys pics on varanus.nl He is an experience croc keeper, and has some very nice outdoor enclosures.

I gave you a link to pics of my BT enclosure, and described the needs of Salvadorii. Not sure what else youre asking for really. Monitors are generally messy animals, that rip everything apart in the cage. If you want a pretty little display/ pet type animal, you should perhaps look into other lizard species. Though not Impossible, it is challenging to build/ and maintain a very asthetically AND functional monitor cage. Most of the more "successful" enclosure designs arnet much more that dirt pits.
You should HOWEVER, check out DKs Lacie enclosures. He ROCKS!! Another enclosure building wiz is bmndyk. If you ask these guys politley, Im sure they would be inclined to post some pics for you.

Be warned, however, that these guys have put thousands of dollars into their set ups, and their results didnt come overnight.

Thank you sumherper. Actually you were the only one to answer my question. Thanks for the pics. I'm starting with a B/T and a dirt pit.

the reason everyone got sidetracked off your original question and decided to talk you out of salvadorii was this:

"I want to have a "pet" experience. I want to be able to interact with it."

Once that was out there, we couldn't just ignore it and give you enclosure instructions, for it would seem like we thought a pet croc was a good idea.

Hey thanks for the compliment michelle, you should see the rockwork I'm working on for my pond backyard... I have also been building some "exhibits" for rich people's homes here in Noo Yawk..

by the way, when are you heading to Polillo? Don't forget to take lots of pics... Let's hope you get to see some greys while you're there. I just got the new Reptiles magazine, and there's a tribute article to the late Auffenberg, and in it, there's a pic of him holding a good 5.5' olivacious...

take care michelle,

bob
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Hey man!!!!What can I say? I think youre a true artist! Cant wait to meet you in Daytona!

Im leaving from SFO on the 25, and arriving the morning of the 26th. Im actually leaving at 1am!!!!What was I thinking!? Not to mention my flight will take like 19 hours!!! Hahahaha! Iz cool though. Itll be well worth it to get the chance to see, and study(crossing fingers) olivaceus in his natural habitat. Im a lucky girl indeed to get the opportunity to learn from Mr. Bennett, and be a part of this project!

I will have to check out that issue. Its very unfortunate that we had to lose a great researcher such as Auffenburg. I only wish I could have met him.

all the best,
michelle