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Someone asked me a question today about monitors that I had no answer for, but that got me wondering as well.

Is there evidence of temperment being an inherited trait in monitors? I'm not so much thinking of temperment toward their keeper, as I realize that there are many factors involved there, but within breeding or hatchling groups.

In other words, has anyone seen evidence, for instance, that a male who is very aggressive when breeding, ie. leaves serious wounds on the female, fathers offspring with the same tendancy? Are the offspring of a dominant female likely to be dominent within their own breeding group?

Just curious...

Leslie

Breeding in monitors is gentle, fighting is not. People often confuse the two. Try another example. Cheers FR

Point taken, but I think you understand what I'm asking. I thought that with all the monitors you've raised, you might have an opinion on the inheritance of temperment.

Leslie

Two important things to think about.

One, monitors are reptiles, as such, they are ectotherms. We have to understand first what a monitor is, and that can only be done with the proper temps. So you are assuming we give proper temps to every individual for many generations. Please don't assume that. I think I allow proper temps, at times, but because they are under my control, surely not always. Maybe 10% of the time, if I am lucky.

Monitors like "other" captive animals, change over time and generations in captivity. Its a stream of change, that has nothing to do with, individual inherited agressive behaviors.

Lastly, I never thought monitors were genetically aggressive. Most aggressive monitors have darn good reason to be aggressive. Like humans chased them down with dogs, dug them out of holes, and shipped them here(the ones that survived that ordeal).

I still am not sure of your question, hahahahahaha FR

I appreciate the information. The question came up during a conversation with a couple of horse breeder friends of mine. Temperment is, at least in part, inherited in horses, although the same applies in terms of their interaction, positive or negative, with humans (and other horses). In horses you breed as much for temperment as for confirmation, if you're smart. I may not be able to answer their question any better, but at least I understand why. I just figured that, with all the many generations of monitors you have bred, if anyone had noticed a connection, it would be you. Apparently there are just so many more variables with monitors.

Thanks for the input,

Leslie

wiht the result of the individual. Ive worked on equine breeding ranches for some time, and its the mothers "imprinting" that has more to do with the character of the babies than anything. The way the mare poops in her stall, is exactly how her baby will do it. How the mother reacts around us, the trainers, is replicated by her foal. When a mare is friendly, and lets us work with her with little fuss, her baby sees that and regards us the same. (of course COLTS are the exception to the rule hehehe -those bad BOYS!)
We always joke about giving the babies of "nasty" mares to the "good" mares, so theyll turn out nice. Hehehehe. Too bad we cant do this with people...

Granted, in horses, the mare is a HUGE influence. That's one of the reasons I become "the other mother" with my foals; it helps to counter some of the more outrageous foal behavior that a lazy mare may ignore But inheritance of temperment from the stallion is important, too. My last warmblood colt is a good example. His sire is a huge American White Draft who is the most placid stud, as is the grandsire. The dam is an arab, though not an overly hyper one. I see much more of the sire's temperment in this colt. He is completely fearless and actually contemptuous of other stallions. He will totally ignore them and literally give out with a low groan, as if to show his lack of concern. His sire, whom he has never seen, does the exact same thing. This behavoir occurs whether there is a mare in heat around or not.

With monitors not being raised by the parents, there is no opportunity for parental nurture. I was curious if there was any indication of inheritance of unusual behavoirs or temperment in any of the monitor species.

Probably a silly question, but I was curious.

Leslie

Doesn't sound like a silly question to me. Sounds quite interesting. I wish I had raised a few generations of monitors so I could be of some use to you.