Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Four Dots looks good, I wonder what is is about snails that monitors love so much! Bruce looks good too, yay! Hope you had a nice 4th, we went to the canyon for awhile. Scooter is really getting accustomed to a larger body of water. I think he was looking for crawdads, he dives down and flips over rocks with his nose! There were big tadpoles and waterbugs, small frogs and fish. He gave chase to movement but didn't catch anything that I saw. It seemed like he was looking for something in particular. He looks small out there no? There is half as much water as there was last time.

Goodluck with finding Four Dots a special someone. There have been 2 possible female mangroves in the classifieds. One looks just like Scoot. I felt ill when I saw it, lol! I looked for years for a mate for him with no sucess, now here is one and within driving distance to boot! But there is no way in hell I can bring home another monitor, if I want to keep my place to live that is -H-

How the heck do you get him back? I always save your pics to my screensaver folder by the way, they're awesome.

He recognizes us as his family group, (or neighbors at least). He does not fear us, but instead seems to understand we are there to take care of him. We have some kind of relationship…. though it is hard to put into words….

Other people came to where we were swimming on the 4th. He was very curious/nervous about the other people so he then stayed close to us, he knows we warn other people/animals away from him. We left a few minutes later, too much commotion. He was not ready to go, but knows his duffle bag very well and does not freak out about being put in there.

I have had him a long time, I am something familiar, I suppose that is why he sticks around.
-H-

So good to hear from ya girlfriend! Scooter looks like he's having the best of times in those canyon pictures. For you to offer him an environment that's as close to his native surroundings as you can get, is stupendous. Keep up the great work!
As for Four Dots, she is doing great as well. When she's outside in the front yard, she owns it! She does not venture outside of our property. She even knows how to get into the back yard through the side fence. Around 6 p.m., I go out to look for her sleeping among the pipes in the side yard, and pick her up to set her down to start her walk back to the front door. As I coax her back to the front door, she'll look back at me huffing (because I disturbed her) and curling up the tail to strike, all the while I'm telling her, "it's time to come in and go to bed." It's down to a daily routine now. Here she is in the tree in the front yard. - Nessie's Mom

Bruce always wanted his hair to grow longer. - Nessie's Mom

Here's a close up of Four Dots on Bruce's hat (got the hat at a garage sale). - Nessie's Mom

The boyfriend I had before Sean used to let Scooter squeeze up the back of his sweatshirt, Scooter would rest his head on top of the guys head under the hood and look around. Of course the guy looked like he had an alien head, and the green and black tail hanging down the back was very funny. To bad I never got a pic of that.

We had a nervous moment when Scooter decided to sniff Sean's toes underwater.

Here's one of my guys watching tadpoles together.

Please let us know if you find Four Dots a mate and thanks for the pics!
Take care, -H-

ok, well i would guess you get this kind of question all the time but, i have to ask. How did you get thay awsome monitor so use to people?. Did you handle him everyday? or did you just let him be when he was a baby and get used to you? if you have any good tips for me geting my ackie baby used to me it would be great. Right now hes is left alone most of the time so that he gets used to his newer home. thanks and nice photos
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0.1.0 BCI, 3 yr old
0.0.1 Ridge Tail Monitor, Juvi.
0.0.1 Leoperd Gecko, Juvi (My girlfriends)

Hi, long ramble!!!!

This may sound silly but I try to put myself in their place, try to imagine their mentality and make decisions based on that to make them comfortable. I put myself in their position, try to understand what they need and give it to them. Their bodies are designed for a specific type of environment, I try to meet their changing needs in regard to soil/groundcover heat humidity privacy exercise food and mental stimulation. I spend a lot of time near my monitors, usually focused on something else. If I don’t act interested in them, in time they become curious instead of scared.

This type of creature will disappoint someone looking for the traditional pet or “best friend”. Monitors don’t have the emotional/physical need to make friends with other creatures in the same way. My monitors will sit right next to me but very rarely want to be touched.

Every situation is different. Scooter has been with me almost 11 years. I am home during the day so I have been able to do things like share my apartment with him when he outgrew his enclosure. He tore up my furniture, but that could not be avoided under the circumstances. oh well. We lived on the beach and had huge windows everywhere. I like to read. We would hang out together and bask. He liked to stretch out on the couch in the sun. He has a drinking water source, but will gladly drink tasty bottled water from a cup, especially after eating. I treat him to his favorite foods whenever I can (crawdads, fertilized eggs, snails). Because he is large we can play some food related games that gives him some foraging entertainment. I fill his 6x4 foot tub with warm water. I get him outdoors when I can. I am patient and gentle, he tolerates me.

I have 3 tristis they are 7 years old, they are smallish like ackies. They like to watch me while hiding so I made it easy for them. I see them more often cause they can peek at me I have sat with them in a reallyfastlittlelizard escape-proof space, basking light set up next to me, and read a book while they walk all over me and explore this squishy rock (me) in their territory. Tristis have razor claws! To avoid bleeding tuck all your clothes in very well! They don’t come out of their enclosure much, there is a lot of preparation to make it safe to do it so I don’t have to restrain them. My little ones do not like to be looked down on in their enclosure. If you can raise up or make a taller enclosure next time you might see it more often. I do have an enclosure on the ground. They use the highest point often. One of my tristis is very forward, never runs/hides when I enter the room, it always pounces on the food as soon as its offered. The other 2 still flee when I enter the room 2/3 of the time. They do eat while I am there, but not very often. They are and always have been very shy. (I would be too if I were as small!) When the room is dark they can’t see me because of the reflection of their basking spot on the glass, and I get to watch them run around sometimes. They keep all hours of the day and night.

So that’s my advice. Be kind, pretend you are not the dominant creature, and just maybe he will hang out with you.
-H-

Hi again,
I forgot to ask, what canyon is it you take Scooter to? Are you still in So. Cal.? - Nessie's Mom

Yes ma'am still here!

The locals call it Holy Jim canyon, but I don't think thats the official name on the map.

Cheers, -H-