Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I am looking into getting a baby ornate nile monitor. I am willing to spend a lot of time with it, and treat it as part of the family - if it is tameable at all. I me definitely prepared to do the work required, but not if it is a hopeless task. I basically want an animal who is not afraid or agressive, but can be kept as a house pet. I have heard a lot about nasty niles, but an add on the classifieds (about a seemingly dog tame specimen) mede me wonder. Any experiences/opinions would be cherished.

Thanks,

Alexander

i would buy one that is already tame and leave the babys alone but thats just me.
from Alex

The thing with niles from what mine have done and several folks I have conversed with is that let say you have a "calm" nile. That's the hard part. Once calm then the minute you give it a break from the handling, say 2 weeks, it is wild again and you have to start all over again. And when they are large and wild you tend to let them be themselves. It is nice to have a calm nile but be prepared to let it be its normal self, if not buy a monitor that better suites your wants, i.e. being"tame". Or do like the other post said and buy the one off the classifieds and remember to continue to work with it constantly and be ready for any surprises.
LATER

If it is not tame will you still keep it? If not then do not bother getting it.

If you want a docile animal should you first look at the most agressive species or should you look into a more suitable typically calm animal and proceed from there to get a tame one? I am not a gambler but to me the odds are better when your working with a known to be calm animal.

Just because an animal is tame in this set up over here with this person that has raised them after I buy him move him in to new surroundings should I expect him to remain tame?

The list can go on forever but I think those are good enough to sum up what I am trying to get across.

a dog!

n/p

My Ornate is nice to me, and know's who I am just by looking at me. He knows my smell, and recognizes the way I act around him. But as soon as somewon like my girlfriend walks in he leaps off his log and hides. - maybe she's just ugly. j/k!

Thank you all for your responses, they have certainly given me food for thought. I appreciate that none of you gave me any "you flaming idiot"-replies, as I got plenty of when i was getting into retics. I do understand that some are concerned about recommending such a large animal as a "pet" - way too meny are being neglected and mistreated because of human neglect and ignorance. As with all my animals - if I get one, am am going to know what I am getting into beforehand, and look after it for the rest of its life, no matter how its temper turns out to be.

PS - that picture broke my hesrt - gorgeous!

Alexander

If you have no experience with monitors, and you are looking for a "pet", a Nile Monitor is NOT a wise choice. Working with a juvenile is absolutely no guarantee of ending up with a "tame" adult. At best they are nervous and flighty, at worst they are downright confrontational. Yes there are probably tame Niles out there but it requires a massive commitment to what will become a massive animal. If you are set on a monitor, consider a Savannah, Dumerils, or one of the smaller Ridge-tails.

Good luck

It happens. I had a tame Nile once. I find that the ornates (very different animals from the true Niles) are a lot more trusting and tolerant of humans than the true Niles -- but that does not mean that any individual can be tamed. I also find that the ornates tend to be bullies with respect to other lizards, even other ornates.

In my experience, handling the animal is the wrong way to go about taming it. Forced handling stresses the lizard and makes it associate you with bad things, so it just fears you more. Just let it get used to you on its own terms. When you feed it, it will start to associate you with good things, and become bolder around you. Eventually, you might be able to touch it without it running away. Start with this. When it is comfortable with your touch, you can try to gently lift it. If it squirms or trie to run away, do not restrain it, it will only undo what you had done. In time, you may end up with a tame monitor, or maybe not.

Forget about ever having a calm ornate monitor when it is young. Young monitors of all sorts are for the most part squirmy, flighty, and untrusting -- they think you are going to eat them and for good reason as at that stage in their lives everything larger than them would be trying to eat them. Almost every monitor I have ever had melowed out a lot when it grew into maturity. This may mean you will need to wait a year or two before you see any real progress with your monitor.

Best of luck,

Luke

If you start them young and handle them alot it can be easily done. I have one close to 7 feet that is quite tame.