Reptile & Amphibian Forums

On one side we have V. Salvadorri (aka the savage tail-whipper) lol
And on the other side we have V. Komodoensis (aka ravaning jaws) *snikker*

Who shall have more possibilities to win a bag of monitor chow (consisting of bunnies, rats, eggs, chicks, mice, etc)? XD XP
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2.2.0 RES (Bowser, Angela, Leo, April)
1.0.0 V. Albigularis (Godzilla)
1.0.0 Z. Quadrilineatus (Yago)
1.0.0 Python Regius (Kaa)
1.0.0 Cat (Garfield)

The komodo is designed to eat anything from small animals to water bufalos and have eaten people. Remember that 50% of whats eaten by komodos are smaller komodos, in 2 seconds you would have a komodo swallowing a croc monitor, not even a contest. The only way this outcome would change is if the croc monitor was in the trees already and getting away.

Hi SHvar, I know what the books say, but as a keeper and breeder of this species, I am not sure that they are such bird and treetop feeders.

There is no doubt that smaller individuals will spend lots of time in trees, But like most other monitors, larger individuals most likely spend much of their time on the ground and sheltering in trees. I also get the feeling that Lacies are far more bird feeders then salvadorri. Even our large adult lacies will attempt to take a flying bird. That is, leap in midair to catch a bird flying by, only to bang off the walls and fall to the ground. Also, lacies have particular behaviors in consuming eggs. Once you see one do this, you quickly understand, that eggs are a large part of their behavior. On the otherhand, Croc monitors did not exhibit any particular behavior towards birds and nests and eggs. In fact, even our largest Croc monitor was afraid of birds(any size) and would only eat them after they were dead.

Our croc monitors did exhibit strong behaviors in consuming large mammals and did not fear large mammals at all. But then neither did the lacies. I do fully understand, that prey preference is not species linked(with varanids), but more microhabitat linked. As in, each population will key on a particular common prey item in their area. I would imagine, smaller croc monitors consume about what other indo monitors in the same habitat consume. This is despite, what picture people paint. Lastly, from some experience and deciphering construction(the build of a croc monitor) they just may be varanid consumers. As in the kingsnake of varanids. FR

Salvadorri are not tail whippers, not at all. The king of tail whipping are Albigs, they will knock your dingler in the dirt.

But tail whipping would not help against a KD, KD beats all other varanids, reason, teeth and juice. That comparison is kinda like putting Mike Tyson(in his prime) in with Oscar De La Hoya. Oscar is a really great boxer, but lacks size and guns to compete with something like MIKE. Thats the story with any varanid vs. KD

Althought, if we were facing off like size monitors, That is, a four footer vs. a four footer, the tri-colored monitor may surprise all of you. Nastist friggin things of four legs. But then a large Albig, with very thick skin, may just crush its foe with those powerful jaws. HUMOR and cheers, FR

Ive been tail whipped from several albigs 9 inches long to Sobek, they can stun you pretty bad. In fact once every few weeks I get a warning from Sobek, shes shows little to no warning, and SLAP, takes one look at you like "You had enough?" then continues on about her business as if you arent even there. Usually from you just being where she doesnt want you to be at that point in time.

I have the welts to prove the albig tail whip right now. Went to clean out my males room, he nailed me from behind just above the knee. Ten minutes later I go to clean up a mess in my usually sweet females enclosure and she got me right in the shoulder. Guess it just wasnt my day.

PS Female is usually sweetest lizard I have ever owned but since she got hooked up (bred) with our male last week she has turned very grouchy.

Ive seen some examples of female monitors that were nervous, flighty, etc and when the male was gone she acted friendly, etc.

We have had her for along time now and she has always been very docile and dare I say sweet. We introduced the male to her because I was sure she was cycling and they were together for a week and they did their thing many times until it got to the point that she was no longer willing and started hiding from him and even tail whipped him a few times so I seperated them. She is still very pissy right now and she is digging like crazy in the nest we set up for her. Just leaving her alone now and watching for eggs.

Oh and the male whipping well its what he does lol.

I've never even heard of any cases of this being observed with captive crocodile monitors. In my experiences, they would curl their tails up like watchsprings, much like that of the V. prasinus complex, instead of tail whipping. What I have seen when they are agitated/alarmed, is that they'll huff and puff, and stand their ground, but tail whipping is a behavior that I have never seen.

I guess the common misunderstanding would be that because of their extremely long tail(much like a bull-whip), they would have the perfect tail to whip with... maybe even 'crack the whip'...hahaha...

Perhaps you are thinking of V. salvator? and not V. salvadorii? I've experienced several large water monitors which were violent tail-whippers, my pair of V. s. togianus as a matter of fact..

Cheers
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Treemonitors.com

Both lacies and croc monitors do curl their tails, and both will indeed tail whip you, but there is a differences between stinging, what they do and wacked so hard you dingler hits the dirt(as mentioned above). Cheers FR

"dingler hits the dirt"

Nice way to say it. I can add to that as I have been whipped/cracked/stung by my croc monitors tail. They can whip they just dont do it often. It stings you a pretty good one too.

My niles, and albigs are more like a baseball bat. It should be called a tail whack with them not a whip. it is a different kind of ouch. Typically a repeated one too.

I have been whipped on several occasions by my Salvadori. The biggest one got my right below the eye and left a nice welt. Because of the length of their tails, they have very good range, and apparently are also very accurate as I learned. Just more of a stinging type whip.

-Jeff

I recieved a good tail whack from one of Jody's crocs while I was temporarily caring for it. It was a large animal and he caught me square across the middle of the back. I was stunned for about a minute and had the breath knocked out of me. The welt remained for 3 days.

They do use their tails and after I had been round 20 US zoos photographing them I was convinced that they deliberately go for the eyes.
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Mampam Conservation

Hi Daniel,
If you're temporarily blinded by a tail lashings - it can then seek cover or rip your face off - what you can see, you can't fight with!

Cheers,
markb

That all monitor keepers are closet masochists... *L* Only monitor keepers could actually get tail whipped/whacked on a regular basis and still laugh about it 2 days later while the welt is just starting to stop stinging...
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Lucien

1.1 Columbian Redtail Boa (BCI)(Sutekh and Isis)
3.5.3 Leopard geckos (2.0 Blizzards (Caine and Goliath), 0.1 Tangerine Albino (Tequila Sunrise ...Tiki for short), 1.0 Rainwater Albino (Mycah), 0.4 Poss. Het. Albino (Annika, Lace, Rain and Aris) and 2.1 dbl. het blizzard x tang albino (Malice, Malfeas, and Mystic))
0.1 Savannah Monitor (Kiros)
13 rats
2 Dogs (Loki and Storm)
3 cats (Ashe, Sahara and Hercules)
6 Fish (4 Red Danios, 1 Cardinal Fish, and 1 Tiger Barb)
8 Ramshorn snails
"And a Partridge in a Pear Tree!"