Reptile & Amphibian Forums

i was reading in a book that the "although it may be exceeded in length by the croc monitor, no other monitor equals the komodo dragon, in bulk (monitors,tegus,and other related lizards)

so who is bigger the
1)croc monitor
2)komodo dragon

and if the croc then y do people say the komodo is the largest lizard?

thanks

Someone who never existed, the animal got away before a picture could be taken, the animal got away before it could be measured, no one could substantiate the measurement, etc. Croc monitors dont get as long as those claims in some books. This is explained in Daniel Bennetts Monitor lizard book (the thick one). The largest listed that can be verified is 1 in a zoo and 1 in a private collection, 8ft 4 inches. This is like the reticulated python measurements in the guiness book, they are skins that are dried and stretched, no one other than 2 Brittish hunters or there people ever saw them alive.

so the croc is not the largets ok then y do people say it is,

thanks

because that is how rumors work...

Someone claims they saw a 14-18-25-whatever foot croc monitor. They tell a good story. Other people want to believe it. Those people then start telling the story. After a few tellings, that story then becomes "fact."

I emailed someone a month ago or so to mention to her that crocs do not get to be 14 feet. Her response was... anything but polite and filled with profanities. You wouldn't think the length of an unverified lizard would fuel such a response.

Oh well.
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^x^ Bloodbat ^x^
Monitors, monitors everywhere
and all the food they ate.
Monitors, monitors everywhere,
their parents loved to mate.

I have heard but forgotton. Aren't there some alive now that approach 8 feet? and what about Nile monitor length? I am thinking the largest is between 6 and 7 feet, but I am not sure.
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Ed

These heat lamps make my electric bill to high.

I had a friend in D.C. that raised one from a hatchling(Sumatran) water that measured 7'2" long and 142lbs. at about 10 years old.Also a Va. Beach pet shop (animal jungle) had a huge one there too, years ago.Just because it's not on record,doesn't mean larger one's don't exist.How many people actually have there lizards measured for records?Not many that really care.

I read in Reptiles magazine they killed a nile that was 7ft 11in. I can't remember what issue, it was in the news part at the front.

steve

In an elementary school playground near the nile river. So that may be an indication of 8ft and longer males, who knows.

Yeah, that was the one i read. that is definatly a big nile.

steve

I have never seen any monitor longer than 7 feet other than the Komodo. But by largest, it's like the african Elephant being the largest land animal yet the giraffe is taller.

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

i was reading in a book that the "although it may be exceeded in length by the croc monitor, no other monitor equals the komodo dragon, in bulk (monitors,tegus,and other related lizard)

You already have your answer in your post. Croc monitors have proportionally longer tails and long slender bodies. Komodos are without a doubt the largest living lizard by weight.

Adult Komodos and crocs tend to be similar in length. Most of the reports of really long crocs are suspect. I imagine somewhere in the jungles there are probably crocs that are longer than the longest Komodo, but they would only weigh a fraction of the weight of an adult Komodo.

Crocs are secretive and not well known, while I would think that a record size Komodo wouldn't go unnoticed, what with all the locals, tourists, and science people in the area.
Neal
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pale reason hides the infinite from us

Komodo's are think heavy lizards with the largest girth and are basicaly still the longest lizard. Few croc's get really really long. The longest croc got to like 9-10 feet that i had a croc for about 9 years, about 4-6 inches of tail was missing though. a 9 foot croc monitor doesnt appear to be 9 foot, more like 6 foot, you would swear it wasnt very big. Dangerous as hell though, dont play around with one.

You want a big lizard?, contact an importer and try to see if you can pre-order some large salvators. I use to bring in some giants, one was nearly 8 feet about 10 years ago. Fish and Game thought is was a komodo at first and didnt let me clear it until i removed it from the box fully, it was maybe 70-80 pounds. I got in about 7 maybe that were giants over the years i imported. They were amazing, if your thinking about getting a large one like that make sure you have a really long enclosure, like 20ft feet, they are unbelievable looking when they walk and run. Mine would storm up to me like bulls and snort and feeding time was a sight