Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I am trying to find out if anyone is training their monitors to do any types of behaviors. For example: climbing, swimming, running, holding, etc. Of course you have to give some type of command to the animal for them to do the tasks. I have started a new website documenting some basics of training reptiles. Just wanted to see if anyone would share there findings.

Flavio Morrissiey
ReptileTraining.Com
LIZARD TRAINING

ive been training mine to eat,dig, and poop, he is doin good!!

What are your commands or cues that you use to get him to do these behaviors? Do you use a bridge, or just positive reinforcement or punishment? I am curious to know. I am trying to provide examples for people that do not know how to train reptiles.

Flavio Morrissiey
ReptileTraining.Com
Lizard Training

Hi,
Several decades ago fellow wrote an article about his circus: "My Komodo Circus" where he demonstrated his 5 komodo dragons leaping through hoops of fire, jumping to catch a rat, etc...he used a whistle. There are a few other similar reports but not as impressive conditioning as his....

cheers,
mark bayless

Thanks, I will search for that. I need to show the maximum ammount of behaviors to demonstrate the intelligence and memory of reptiles.

Flavio Morrissiey
Reptile Training
Lizard Training

i saw a program a while back about a zoo's komodo dragon setup, i dont remember which zoo, but they showed them blow a whistle to have the dragon on display go back to his cage, and the one in his cage go on display... they also had a stick with a different color/shape on each end i believe and they would stick one end in and the dragon stood up against the fence (for cutting nails, etc.), i dont remember what they did when shown the other side.. but someone else here had to have seen it too, i think it was on animal planet

Hi,
I believe the Naples, Florida zoo does that with their monitor lizards = and has been doing that for years. Both Nigel Marvin and Jeff Corwin have done shows there...the varanid/big cats keeper there, Becky Speer has kept varanids for many many years and bred V. indicus some years ago, including 'twinning' of V. indicus (see Reptiles mag., May 2000.

Cheers,
mbayless