Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hi, can someone help me out, I'm looking for a monitor but I want to get a species that is very tame. I'm not interested in Savanna's. Can somebody give me some names of monitors that if handled on a daily basis will become tame. I know it very with each monitor but some species are known to be nice. Size is not an issue because I'm going to put it in an outdoor fenced in area. What kind of disposition do waters have?
Any help will be appreciated

Waters are great. They are basically the tamest monitors you can buy (if I'm not mistaken). Also, Ackies and Ionides are quite tame if you handle them regularly. And I THINK Dumeril's are easily tameable, that's why I want one.

(Incase you didn't know, an Ionides is either a blackthroat or whitthroat.)

-Chris
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there is no such thing as a tame monitor, or reptile for that matter. They aren't domestic. Calm maybe but not tame. For example everyone thinks a bear or tiger is calm...later down the road they seem to attack someone. It's not their fault, they are wild animals!

John Light
Pristine Pythons

how old are you if you dont mind me asking?and where do you live?

Im 27 and in south Florida. I'm saying within my yard im making a custom enclosure for the animal. I'm not letting it run around my yard like a lab. That's to Cdanston. PristinePythons, I know a reptile cannot be domestic and classified as tame but what I mean is for example an amazon tree boa is known to be agressive, balls and corns are known to be tame and easily handable. It doesn't mean a tame corn wont get provoked at something and bite, it could happen. I'm looking for a monitor that has a good reputation. I do realize they can bite at any moment, but that's a chance everyone has to take if they have the desire to keep reptiles. Thanks for the replies everyone. I appreciate them all. I'm going to look into waters and ackies.
Thanks
Regards,

In my limited experience with monitors, I have found water monitors to be mostly unpredictable and actually downright nasty. Here's one creature that will hurt you a lot more than any ratsnake because when they bite, they will not let go.

I've been fortunate to get a WC 1.5ft juvenile water which has so far been well behaved enough not to try and bite or lash at me. However, this tends to be the exception than the rule as, more often than not, they will be on threat display even as you open the cage door.

So far, savannahs seem to be a lot more docile than waters and I've had no problems handling them. Again, I must stress here that my experience with them is limited and have only come across tegus (also very nasty), savannahs and bengals besides waters. Of course, only the water and bengal are native to my country.

In the main, while it is possible to have a calm and tractable monitor, one must never forget their potential for damage. Good luck and take care.

i would suggest you go with a goldenretriever or a lab for that fenced in yard

A medium or large monitor can do some serious damage and make you an animal attack statistic (very bad for this hobby if especially if your a minor, all animal attacks are reported through doctors , hospitals etc). Ackies can do some damage, but not too bad they can live in a 4x2x2ft cage and not eat you out of house and home, as large monitor species can put you in dept feeding them and housing them PROPERLY, not including vet visits etc. Ackies are on average very handleable and great personalities but all monitors are very very intelligent and can have from unapproachable to almost cuddly attitude. Dont expect a friendly tame monitor, you need to earn their trust earn their respect, and earn them liking you.

I would say no on the water monitor,they get massive,and most of the time have a good disposition,but there are also alot that are just mean,so i would suggest a black throat or maybe an ackie