Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hey guys,

Well, upon seeing some Green Tree Monitors at a show, I decided to casually look into them, the way like people do with species they have an interest in keeping but don't know the first thing about keeping them. I've always liked monitors, but these guys really stand out from the rest. Upon checking out treemonitors.com and looking at some if the pictures and reading some of the articles, I've become more than "casually" interested.

Anyways, the main reason I'm posting is just to find out more about these guys (green tree monitors to be exact). I've only dealt with snakes (Morelia, if anyone wants to know), and my keeping experience with them is still limited (I'm only 15--and haven't been able to keep a snake until a couple of years ago). Is it really unrealistic to think I could maintain something like a green tree monitor given my age and what I've already kept (not that I think they'd be easy, but I'd hate to assume they're extremely difficult and miss out)? Just by what I've read, it sounds like some of the problems associated with this species is due to them being imports. What if I waited a bit and found a CBB animal (and some cash, ofcourse)? Now, I'm certainly not saying that I'm going to get something like a green tree monitor; I just figured I'd introduce my self to the folks that are familiar with them and see what they have to say in reguards to their "keepability" to to interested herpers with no experience keeping lizards.

I apologise for the long post. Thanks for your time though; it's greatly appreciated
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Collin

Hello Collin,

First off, it is great to see that you are doing research on an animal you are interested in, well before you go ahead and buy it. It is sad, but so many people who fall in love with the beauty of these monitors impulsively buy them, without doing any research on their true needs in captivity. 99% of these animals die a quick death. They never bothered to do their homework before buying. For that, I commend you.

I would however advise you to hold off on a green tree monitor at the moment, at least until you gain some monitor keeping experience. As you will find out, monitor keeping is different than other lizards, and starting out with quite possibly the most fragile species, is not a good idea. I would recommend that you start out with a more hardy, captive bred species, such as an ackie. Ackies make great first time monitors, as they have everything you need to be able to learn about the needs and behaviors of varanids in captivity. I started out with ackies, built up some experience, and began to understand what monitors are. Only after some experience did I get into the tree monitors.

But as for jumping in to monitor keeping with a tree monitor,I would honestly advise against that. I'm sure if you ask around on the forums, you will find many people who had jumped into tree monitor ownership without "knowing the ropes" and have failed. While they are incredibly beautiful, it is best to be rational, and realize the great risk with taking on a very difficult species without any prior monitor lizard experience.

Email me if you have any specific questions I might be able to help you out with..I'm always here to chat monitors...

Cheers,

Bob
treemonitors.com
treemonitors.com

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TheOdatriad

Thank you for your kind words.

I totally understand where you're coming from--in order to keep anything difficult, you have got to "build up" to that species. I don't think ackies would be too much. . .I've been interested in them for some time too. My intent of the post wasn't so much "would I be able to successfully maintain this species with my current level of experience" so much as "what are the necessary actions I should take in order to put me at the experience level I'd need to successfully maintain this species", so it's encouraging to hear that they're not for the elite keepers who have been keeping monitors for many, many years. There are still lots of hoops to jump through ofcourse, but who knows? I don't want to put a major halt on any snake "projects", but I don't want to forget about these guys either . . . where there's a will there's a way, right?

Thanks again for your reply.
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Collin

Is it to keep one alive for awhile? a long while? To keep a group ? breed them? raise many generations?

What have you done with the snakes you keep? have you had them along time? did you raise them? ho many do you have? have you produced any babies?

this will help me (us) know where your coming from and where you want to go.

If you are just a 15 year old that has a pet snake then I would not suggest getting any tree monitor. Start out with something smaller and easier to get a feel for monitors.

However if you have some solid experience with snakes you can use that as a base for keeping monitors. I used my experience with green tree pythons to help me out with my tree monitors and vise versa.

Well, I'm not going to pump my self up and try to make my self sound any more qualified than I actually am. At this point, I'm just a 15 year old who has raised a pet snake for almost two years (a jungle carpet python). I know "hands on" experience can't be found in books, but I'm familiar with lots of species (mostly snakes, but not limited to snakes), & their requirements, so I think it's just a matter of keeping experience more so now than research (though I'm sure there's definately alot I have yet to learn that I could gain by reading). Again this isn't an excuse to justify getting into something I'm not ready for, but I feel that there is alot holding me back from expanding at the rate I'd like to. . .like $$$.

As far as what I'd like to do if i had a chance to work with trees, I'd love to breed them eventually--there aren't too many of these guys, so I'd certainly like to contribute to the captive population some how. That's not my first priority though, but If I was successful at keeping them, why not give it a shot?

Thank you,
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Collin

since you've only kept a snake for a pet for 2 years. Sorry to say it but you probly have not learned alot yet. If you had been breeding them you may have learned more.

At this point I would suggest getting book knowledge, read the forums on how to keep monitors. Use this as a base or a stepping stone. Purchase a easier to keep monitor, small species like an ackie. Gain some hands on experience with it and laearn what monitors are about and how they act.

Then perhaps you might be more ready then you are now.

Lastly i'd also say if you don't have significant funds $$ then I wouldn't get into monitors. They wont do well in a shoe box rack like a snake, they eat more often and cost is higher.

This of course depends what type of snake keeper you are. You might be one of the rare ones with an elaborate setup.