Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I've read in several places that the Salvator if handled often will be as tame as say a B&W Tegu and will crawl up into your lap to be rubbed. Is this true for most of the "normal" tempered Salvs or just a butt load of crap someone made up?

Well Mr. Alpha,
Look in 1992 'Giant Lizards' by Sprackland and see "Puff" the obese very large V. salvator sitting on Robert's lap; I knew that lizard too, before its owner murdered somebody over drugs or some such nonsense, and 'Puff' was very docile, and as he was a gluton, he did not move very fast - but I did see him personally dispatch a goatling, a messy and noisy affair - but this is what salvators do at that size...."tameness" is in the eye of the beholder, and if you misjudge, in the eye of the 'holder'!
cheers,
mbayless

hmmm, guess maybe I should get a B&W Tegu instead since they seem to be a bit smaller and possibly cheaper in the long run. I've heard they live around 15-20 yrs if cared for right but they can also put food away like a big monitor can also so I wouldn't be saving any money there.

I'll have to do alittle bit more researching and theres a Reptile show coming up next weekend so we'll see what they have waiting for me.

Thanks for any other info anyone else posts

I think if what you want is a big, laid back lizard PET, a B/W tegu (Argentine, not Colombian) is a fantastic choice. My big male is very cool and predictable and even "enjoys" getting his head and neck rubbed. I have let young children do this with him as well and he just soaks it up. I can leave him outside on my front lawn only loosely supervised and he just hangs out in the sun until he gets warm enough and then usually chugs up into the shade. My waters are a whole different story and are much more high strung and would not hesitate to haul ass at the very first opportunity they got. They are more of a challenge and therefore have a whole different set of rewards. Good luck in your choice. Billy

>>hmmm, guess maybe I should get a B&W Tegu instead since they seem to be a bit smaller and possibly cheaper in the long run. I've heard they live around 15-20 yrs if cared for right but they can also put food away like a big monitor can also so I wouldn't be saving any money there.
>>
>>I'll have to do alittle bit more researching and theres a Reptile show coming up next weekend so we'll see what they have waiting for me.
>>
>>Thanks for any other info anyone else posts

I totally agree. My argentine is fantastic, and everyone I know has held him at some point in time. He loves to curl up and go to sleep next to me, etc... My waters and argus crosses, on the other hand, are often more fun to watch, but I wouldn't trust them anywhere but in their cages. Also, you might just want to order an argentine of the net rather than purchasing one at a show- I am rather partial to Bert at agama international.
Ian
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buy the ticket, take the ride...

I have calm waters and grumpy tegus, I also have grumpy waters and calm tegus.

If your looking for something particular your better off going with something that is more often that, rather then that being an exception. For instance if I wanted a monitor that can swim I wouldn't look for that 1 emerald tree monitor that likes to tread water. I would be better off to atleast look into known swimmers waters, dumerils, rudis, etc. . My chances are then greater and with my luck I need all the help I can get.

Your choices are pretty close in my experience at getting a calm one or not. So if I were you I would wiegh the differences and see what else about them fits my needs and what of there needs I could fit. (i.e. size, wieght, temps, diet, etc.)

Here is a calm water of mine that like billy's tegu can be outside without restraint. He just walks the yard like he owns the place. On occasion he chases anoles and other critters he sees. I of course have him supervised at all timesand my yard is fenced. Also note I cannot do this with every water I own or every reptile for that matter.

Thats what i figured is that every animal is different but since I have heard more about B&W Tegus than Waters, i just figured they are "easier" to tame and so forth.

The size of the animal isnt't really a factor since I have supplies available to biuld a big enough enclosure to house the animal while i'm away. I think my father has an old chiken coop that I can salvage or at least use as a model to build a new one. I also plan on letting it free roam out of it's cage as much as possible while I'm home when it gets big enough.

I still have a few questions on the size of the animals and their lifespans. I'm really hoping that I hear from majorly owners.

Now, i've heard that Salvs get 5-7 ft in captivity and in other places i hear they reach only around 5 or smaller. Which is it? I'm guessing both. Also, same question for the Argentines.

And how old will they usua;;y get if cared for right? I've heard for the Salvs any where from 20-30 yrs old and the Args 15-20 yrs.

I just want a big lizard that i can get to know me and i get to know him, one who I can relax after a long day of work and rub his head and stuff, and spend time with. Hopefully, what ever I end up getting, i wont get a devil so to speak.

Now, I've heard that Salvs get 5-7 ft in captivity and in other places I hear they reach only around 5 or smaller. Which is it? I'm guessing both. Also, same question for the Argentines.

They continue to grow throughout their lives. if provided with the conditions to do so. My biggest two are 5-6 foot male being the bigger and female smaller. They are both around 10 years of age. I also have a 3 year old female that is 4 foot, and a 6 month old that is over 2 foot. My female cumingi is only just over 3 foot.

The only thing I can say is be prepared for it to be anyplace from 4 foot on up to 8 foot. It can go over that but it is not typical.

The tegus are alot smaller no place near the girth or length. Be prepared for 3-5 foot. My friend has a huge male but it is the biggest I have seen and is above average in size.

And how old will they usua;;y get if cared for right? I've heard for the Salvs any where from 20-30 yrs old and the Args 15-20 yrs.

I would sadly say the real average is less then that. But if in good conditions those numbers may not be to far off.

hey JP, do you let your Salvs free roam your house and what not or are they to big and destructive to do this?

Also, is it possible to potty train a Salv like a Tegu?

I'm still trying to weigh the differences but I cant find any one reason to get the other besides the coloration and longer snout of the Salvs which isn't that bigg a prefrence to choose one. I can provide the amount of food both will eat, i can build a big enough enclosure to house either one, and everthing else. Plus, i can get them both around the same price range from well known breeders.

Such a hard choice........ARG

I do not let them free roam my house. It is not setup for that sort of thing. They will end up someplace I do not want them to be, someplace I cant get them back out of, or busting stuff I do not want broken. I may let them out of the cage to interact with them but I do not simply let them roam all over.

Also, is it possible to potty train a Salv like a Tegu?

Wow maybe one of the reptile mommies should answer that one. I do not think I would say any reptile is potty trained. They choose a spot and will use it. I do not see anyone with a way to teach or tell them to only go in one spot repeatedly.

I had a hard enough time teaching my dogs, ferrets, and hell my son for that matter. I won't be trying to impose that on on my reptiles anytime soon.

As for price goes if it is a c/b water the price should be higher then a argentine B/W tegu. Unless the tegu breeder sells high or the water is an import, f/h and even c/b do not always mean they produced them so ask.

We cannot make the decision for you. You'll have to judge for yourself. Your the one who has to live with it. For me it is easy I prefer monitors over tegus. But I am a varanut.

potty trained as in putting them in the bath tub with warm water and letting them take a crap in there constantly, trying to reinforce the habit.

But anyways, the Waters that I can get for $91 shipped are indeed CB but are in season right now and he will only have the price for another month and then it will go back up to $89 shipping.

I've also thought about getting a Sav. also, but I haven't fell for them like I have with the Salvs and B&W Tegus. But I have heard alot of good stories of them becoming "dog" tame. Plus i can get the babies for $40 which is alittle cheaper and they are right in the middle of the B&W and Salvs length and size.

Hey alpha hate to break it to you bud, but if youre getting offered a salvator for 91 shipped I can bet you that they are not captive bred. If the guy cant provide pictures right away then they are not captive bred. If they are indeed captive bred try asking them when, where were they born and if he has pics of the eggs and the hatchlings out of the eggs. Cb sells more than 92 shipped thats for sure ......watch out for RI and watch out for dehydrating animals when theyre running for such a low price... try hadnpicking one out yourself that way your monitor and you dont suffer in the long run dude....

http://market.kingsnake.com/detail.php?cat=53&de=229617

right there in the classifieds of this forum.

If you didnt know anything about xtreme well here is a little knowledge for you so think about this a little clearly and with some commonsense.....where are the pics of the eggs, and the pics of the parents that produced the eggs? Lastly, Xtreme reptiles is an importer not a breeder big difference between the two...... want something cb then be prepared to fork out some cash man....

yeah, i've been thinking it over for the past few hrs and so on that and i'll prolly just end up getting a Tegu or a Sav. for a first big lizard. Then, if by chance sometime down the road i get a chance or have a larger income to be able to "spoil" my Water, then I may get one then. But the reality of me gettig one right now isn't looking so good and maybe the passing away of the one I was going to get from my friend was an Omen.

So........now I need to figure out weither to get a Tegu or a Sav. Tegus are known to calm down at a younger age and tend to be a bit more mellow while Savs tend to be a bit fiesty for awhile and then tame down like the Tegus.

Any input or suggestions?

if your inclined to get a larger monitor that will be receptive to you and cant provide the ample spacing for a water get a whitethroat......they are generally better behaved and are not as shy as a sav.......if tegus are such an uncertainty....

thats my suggestion, but i started with ackies because they best suited my situation.

Yeah, i like the White-Throats also, but arent they like in the $300ish price range for CB baby?

ya, someone is selling one for 200
they usually sell nice animals and theyre in good condition and I can atest to that as i have purchased from him..check out the classifieds youll see it right away its the only one available to my knowledge

yeah, i seen it when i did a google search. But right now I don't really have $200 to spend on one, around $150 is the most I could dish out right now for one cause I still need to build a cage and get all it's supplies like heating, substrate, etc.

Also, do yall suggest to go ahead and build the cage and put it in there and try to block off a section or just buy a tempary cage to put him in until he gets big enough to be in the full sized cage?

If you only want to spend 150 there are other specied you can get for that price....but they would still be wc or ch 91 for a salv is just asking for problems its not about the price but its about quality of what youre getting try doing a search of the herp shows in your area on the ks show section

are you trying to say I couldn't get a Sav or B&W Tegu for under $150? And i dont want an adult or Juvi lizard, i want a baby so I can watch him grow and I want to put my sweat and time into him/her so I can make it grow right.

If white-throats are as tameable as say Savs and Tegus, then I might have to save up alittle more and get one.

black n whites are very cheap too cheap if you ask me you wont spend more than 50 bucks on either or if theyre wc........but where is the quality of the animals when theyre so cheap????? save build the cage then buy the animal the best thing you can do is that for now.

> Yeah, i like the White-Throats also, but arent they like in the
> $300ish price range for CB baby?

Whether you get a large monitor or a tegu, $300 is negligible compared to the amount you will need to spend to adequately house, feed, heat, and care for such a huge lizard. Unless the price is over $1000, it really makes little difference to your pocketbook if it costs $300 or $100 or even $0.

Please think this over carefully - if you cannot afford a $300 lizard, you cannot afford to properly care for it, whether it is a whitethroat, an argentine tegu, or a salvator.

Good luck on whatever you decide.

Luke

Don't buy an animal that you might not want. If you want a water, save and research until you can get what you want. You'll be happier in the long run.
I have savs but wanted an albig, Finally got my albig, now I want a rudi. It never ends once you get started.
Then I want ackies and an argus or 3. lol

Scott
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Do not meddle in the affairs of dragons, for you are crunchy and taste good with ketchup.

well after frances hits me you can come collect all my reptiles from the nieghborhood LOL

who, me? I had one hell of a time trying to convince my mom to let me keep a new lizard. I had 4 anoles and a pine lizard in a Aquariam and she put them outside during the heat of the day with out anything in the cage and fried them all except the pine lizard. I ended up letting him go since their a species that are local and he was WC. God i hate living at home but I dont feel like moving out just yet until my income becomes alittle bigger or until I Grad college.

BTW, that all happened when I was 8, i'm now 21 and work at UPS.

Oh, BTW Harely, i have some Audio Bahn subs and a Sony Explode amp i'm prolly never going to use in my Eagle Talon cause I dont really need all that much bass in my car. I'll prolly sell them and get anywhere from $200-300 for them so there ya go. =) I could always pawn my class ring........nah, lol

Whatever it takes man ......I suppose.... thatll work ...there are some rudis available stay fairly good size...and are generally calm you might want to look into them or flavi argus crosses theyre the same 150 price range I have few of them they are cool animals...

the main thing i'm looking for is a large (4-6 ft) monitor or Tegu that is tame/mellow and that I will be able to let free roam without much of a problem if any at all. And of course wont mind a few naps on the couch together with me or while watching TV being rubbed.

So far, Savs and red/B&W's are these. I haven't heard much about the WT's or any of the other sub species of monitors that yall mentioned. Ackies are out of the question for right now, their to small for my liking and cost to much for a trio. Niles and Crocs are out of the mix also since they have a reputation for not being to tame and I dont like their coloring anyways.

And of course, i've out-ruled Waters for right now cause i prolly dont have the funds and spaces to keep them going when they get longer than me(i'm 6'3"

So far, thank you for all of your help and is this the longest thread ever on this forum? lol

dude youll never find a monitor or tegu thall want to cuddle with you or watch tv with you....its just the reality of it if you want to get something thall do that dude.........i suggest a fury animal or a bird....reptiles dont play that game.

arg, i misworded that i guess. I know that they wont actually sleep beside or on me all the time, but I am thinking that they will occasionally since I've heard many owners attest to them doing this with them and other stuff. I know they'll get off me and crawl away and explore which I have no problem with, i'm just saying that from hearing other ppls experiances with these animals seems to suggest that most dont mind it and some even enjoy it.

I prolly sound like a complete n00b on here.......

What are you going to do with your new reptile in the event that he / she "hates" you. Not all tegues and not all sav's or BT's are anywhere near friendly.

I'm unsure if your ready for any large reptile species if you cannot accept your pet in the long run because of its natural tendencies not to like you.

Keeping and feeding large reptiles is much more work than I believe you think it is. Also the $150 you fork out up front is only a tiny tiny portion of the cost of your new "couch buddy". I still remeber my first order of feeders for only one of my reps excedded $150.

I spend that amount every 3 months......

If i end up getting an illtempered lizard, i'll still keep it and love him as much as I would a tame "couch buddy". I love watching them just as much. I used to spend hrs at the local zoo in the Terriaum(sp?) just staring and watching reptiles. When i say that i want a "lounge lizard", thats my goal to get him to be, but if it doesnt happen, then thats just my luck and I'll except it. And if it's a type that doesnt like to be held often and would rather go explore, then thats fine. I'm sorry if I came off as someone who was expecting their lizard to be like a cat or dog, i'm not. But i can hope that I do get one with a personailty that will allow me to interact with and be able to handle.

Why the phuck are you guys even talking to this guy? Cmon hes 100% moron. Just cause of his screen name, I wont even talk to him. The alpha male my a$$, no alpha male asks that many questions.

who ever you are, you need to chill. I'm sorry that i like to be well informed on my possible future pets, is that such a bad thing?

And my screen name was a joke that me and some friends have and it stuck with me.

np

If I can keep what I catch and you send directions, I'm on my way. lol

Scott
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Do not meddle in the affairs of dragons, for you are crunchy and taste good with ketchup.

I am in PSL near I95.

If it takes out my house there will be alot of new non-native species to complain about.

LOL

get what you want. if your unsure makre yourself sure. Go out and find a place with waters and tegus and savs that you can see for your own eyes. Handle them see what you think of them. Don't sit aorund and live vicariously through what others say or see.

As was said those waters are nothing more then imports not captive produced animals. At that price they just came off the runway.

good luck to you

i live in KY and the monthly Rep. show doesnt seem to have any Tegus or Monitors I'm looking for and neither do the Pet Shops around here. And I know I'm being alittle cheap, but I'd prefere to buy one locally like around Indania or Tenn so I dont have to pay $30-40 extra for postage. Every dollar i save goes towards food and supplies for my future pet.

I need to move to FL like i've always wanted to......*sigh*

It's like the old saying, you buy cheap, you get cheap... I think if you're complaining about the price of the animal, perhaps you're not ready for it.. It is going to cost a hell of a lot more to feed and heat that animal each year, than the initial investment, and you are complaining about the cost of the animal? paying extra for shipping?

Perhaps you should do some re-evaluating on what you may be getting yourself into, especially such a 'gluttonous' species such as salvator... Monitors are not for the 'cheap' individual, or person with limited resources.. They eat a lot, get big, require a lot of heat, etc. etc... and if you are complaining about 30-40 dollars, well, I think you will be well in over your head...

just my thoughts on your comment..

> do you let your Salvs free roam your house and what not or are
> they to big and destructive to do this?

On this issue, you have the good fortune to be able to learn from other's mistakes - namely mine. Free roaming monitors in the house is a bad idea. They are like mini natural disasters. They will climb on things and break them. They will climb on shelves and knock everything on them down. They will dig up houseplants just for the fun of it. They will deficate huge steaming piles on the carpet. They will crawl into the most inaccessible places possible (places you'd never even think of, like up inside the stove or inside your furnature) and refuse to come out. They can dig through drywall. They will climb the drapes, ripping them to shreds in the process. They will climb the blinds, breaking them. They will rearrange your worldy possessions to their own liking or carelessness, paying no respect to ownership or value or breakableness.

A sturdy, secure cage is recommended for any monitor. For a salvator, it had better be a very large, sturdy, and secure cage.

Best of luck,

Luke

My waters were born in april 04 they came into me as 10 inch or hatchlings and they are not even a year old and are already 3 1/2 feet long so its a matter of husbandry and genetics that will dictate how big or small your monitor may grow. Right now at the rate my animals are going they could be 4 to 5 foot by their 1st yr and if this goes on well on through their life growing their whole life that is like jody said mine have a potential to get really big.....

unlike jelly beanies who are like 30 and still 3 foot ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha jk brotha

np

In my experience, the one salvator I owned was one of the two most docile monitors I have ever had (the other was a big male savanna). When I first got him, he was nervous and untrusting, whiping me across the eyes as I lifted him out of his carying case and into his enclosure. He was fairly small for a salvator, his previous owners had obviously neglected him. Under my care, he quickly filled out his formerly emaciated frame and over the next few months became increasingly trusting. I did not handle him durring this time except when necessary, his tameness simply came from coming to realize that I was not going to hurt him (and that I brought him food helped, no doubt). Because of his docility, he was the only one of my monitors that my girlfriend (now wife) really liked. She would hold him, cradled in her arms, with his head resting on her shoulder. As long as she rocked back and forth (like with a baby) the monitor would be perfectly content, if she stopped, he'd try to climb up on her head. He seemed to know me, and would try to climb over to me if anyone else was holding him and I was nearby.

I have seen several other very calm adult salvators, and am inclined to believe this is a trait of the species when full grown. This impression is confirmed by all the other salvator owners I have ever talked to, assuming the salvators were not wild caught adults. When still young, they are fairly high strung and flighty, however.

I hope this helps,

Luke

ok, when you say young, do you mean 1 yr and younger? The monitor the guy owned that i was going to buy from him was about 2 foot long and was supposed to be a yearling. He looked healthy from what i could tell, but i now know he was well underfed and and had no heat so this resulted in his stunting. To be honest, i have no idea how he survived so long without any heat and only being feed Fried Chicken and leftovers.

But even though he was poorly cared for, he was as tame as any dog or cat. You could pick him up outta the cage without so much as a hiss, tailstrike or anything. He'd sit in your lap and then crawl down your pants or shirt and lay there and fall alseep. I feel so bad that such a beautiful animal suffered due to an implusive and irresponisible owner.

Actually, I suspect that the tameness you saw was BECAUSE of the poor care. I got a savannah monitor that my daughter 'volunteered' me for because the poor thing was 2 feet long and living in a 20 gallon aquarium with a screen top and no substrata and an old aquarium light for heat. 'Bubba' was described as dog tame, too, and he was when he arrived. He was also dehydrated and emaciated. After a week or two of nice fat mice, a hot basking spot and some place to hide, he suddenly was a monitor...hissing and tail whipping and swinging that head around like he was the meanest SOB in the valley. I was thrilled, because I knew he was feeling better. Now, months later, he is used to me and no longer runs or hisses at me. I've even managed to touch him without incident, although if I become too free with my attentions, he'll tell me.

As you are also considering tegus, I have two reds. My male is 29" and is infinitely handleable. Never as much as threatens to bite, although he will 'huff' at me if he gets annoyed with me. The male enjoys having his jowls rubbed and he will stay with me as long as I rub. But eventually, he will begin to crawl around on me with his sharp little razor claws, crawling up on my head and then down my back when he wants down to explore. The female will let me hold her, but she wants to crawl around and explore. Have had them since February, when they were about 8" long.

Best advice I can give you, though, is that once you decide what you want, buy direct from the breeder. You get to see pics of the parents, will be given a genuine hatch date, and usually get all you questions answered. Pay the shipping, and be assured of what you're getting. Or, if you get lucky like I did, you'll find someone within driving distance, and can go pick out your own.

Good luck,

Leslie

What I have observed with all monitors I have ever raised is that as hatchlings, they are skittish, shy, and jumpy. Towards adolescence as the hormones start flowing they start to settle down a bit, and by full maturity they are as calm as they are ever going to get (which for Niles is still pretty scary).

What I have seen with salvators supports this. All young salvators (pre-adolescence) have been scared of people. All captive raised adults have been docile (I know there are some that are not, I've just never seen them being handled/interacted with).

I hope this helps,

Luke

To a guy who has crocs etc. The monitor was a seemingly friendly animal compared to another one he has, but he didnt handle him much after a while and the monitor started to get a bit skittish but still not bad (no biting, very little tail whipping), and would climb on you without much fear. He arrived at the destination and when the box was very carefully opened the monitor leaped out (since he shredded the heavy duty bag he was in) and bit the guy then bolted, I remember the guys reaction "he shot outta there like a darn jack in the box and bit the crap outta me, he makes my croc monitor look like a sweetheart and he aint even the slightest bit tame". Actually this animal is a good judge of charactor, oh well. Theres a story behind that, an exploded lizard story.