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I've been doing research for quite awhile now on monitors and I'm trying to decide which monitor I'd be happiest with. As far as size and looks go, I'm looking for one that'll get about 3-4ft, has that kinda of arrow shaped head (as opposed to the more blunt and bulky head like that of a black throat of a savannah), and that has a medium sized body mass (not super skinny like most tree monitors.) As for as habitat goes for constructing an enclosure, I don't really have a preference, desert, forest, doesn't really matter to me. Now I know monitors can in no way became a "tame" animal, but I would like some recommendations on species that seem to tolerate handling better, like if I just wanted to take him/her out and let them the crawl around me on the couch or whatever and won't be all flighty and what not. some of the species I've takin a bit of an interest in are the peach throat, the mangrove, and the black roughneck. Any information regarding experiences with these guys would be great! And if you have info on another monitor that you think would be good for me then even better! Thanks for any advice!

Hi Kyle

Have you considered an Argentinian tegu? Not a monitor, but it may suit your wants/needs better than the wild caught Indonesian monitor species on your list. Black and white Argentinian tegus are captive bred (bonus one) and are a little less energetic than a monitor (bonus two). Monitors may occasionally want to sit on your lap on the sofa, but most of the time they'd rather be exploring somewhere else and will act like a toddler that wants to be put down so they can use their own feet. They are also more inclined to be okay with being picked up if they initiate it than when you reach in to grab them.

Yeah tegus were definitely my alternate if I couldn't find a monitor species. I'm just trying to explore my options before I pick something because I know that I'm going to be with it for awhile. Honestly I'm just looking for any kind of lizard that meets those criteria and I know there are a good number of monitors that fit into that size cateogory, just wasn't all to sure about temperament. I was also looking at rhino iguanas, I hear they calm down pretty nicely.

What about ackies? Seem to be the right size - and from what I've heard will be pretty calm and enjoy/tolerate sitting in your lap for a time.
I know tegus will, too. A b/w is my next lizard, sometime this summer. But I've read ackies are among the best for personality.
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NorCalAl
On the Ridge
0.1 Super Pastel Ball (Bumba), 1.0 Chuckwalla (Sauron), 1.0 Desert Tortoise (Cartman), 0.1 Ferret (Felon), 2.1 Canine (Iris, Baxter, Banger), 1.0 Feline (Sam), 1.0 Eclectus (Merlin)
Not enough computers, cameras, or time!

Ackies were another lizard on my mind. I used to think that they were a lot smaller than I now know they are, like only a little over a foot, but I'm seeing that they can get up to 2ft, maybe even a little more. Definitely gonna be one of my top choices.

Ackies are pretty cool little monitors. If I remember correctly, there was an article on them in REPTILES magazine within the last six months or so.

Yeah there was I do remember reading that. I'll have to go back and reread it.

Hey there, Kyle. If you are looking for a "calm" lizard, you definitely don't want a monitor. Healthy monitors don't sit still in your lap, they don't just hang with you. It simply doesn't work like that. Even 'LTC' monitors that are accustomed to human interaction and come out of their enclosures won't kick back and chill with you -- not healthy monitors. It's not in their nature to do that.

They will romp around, exploring wherever they please, never on your terms. This can be very off-putting for someone who isn't experienced with normal, healthy monitor behavior. And when you try to grab at them or catch them, they will resist. Resistance means fleeing, tail whipping, biting, and crapping on you. The types that you described, in particular, are notorious for this nervous behavior. And even if you settled for interaction from outside their enclosure, chances are you would almost never see them.

Mind you, this is all based on the premise that the monitor(s) in question are healthy and being kept well. Almost all the monitors you see on forums or YouTube or wherever else are kept in substandard conditions and simply do not act as they would otherwise. Any time you see or hear of this, you have to assume the keeper has no idea what they're doing, even though they will tell you differently.

Tegus really aren't much different. Go watch one of those Animal Planet shows with the gator-removal guys who have to remove feral tegus in Florida. See if you'll still entertain the idea of keeping one of those healthy and in your home.

Right now, you're going through the same thing hundreds of thousands of would-be monitor keepers experience every year. Some people are bound to get all upset about this and swear they own the exception to the rule, but they don't. I'm certain anyone experienced with the proper keeping of monitors would back me up on this.

Darn. I was dreading this message because I had a feeling that this is the answer that I would get. Well since it seems monitors aren't the right choice for me maybe I'll strike them off as a pet and wait until after I get a lizard as a pet and then go back to monitors when I want to start my "Observe the Beauty" collection. Can you give me any ideas of decently sized lizards that would make good pets? I hear blue tongued skinks make decent ones and don't require something maybe a little bigger than a 40 gal breeder.

Did bearded dragons not cross your mind? I know, I know. They don't look quite as awesome as monitors do, they're just the 'boring' go-to of the reptile pet trade, blah blah blah... But you have to understand they are in that position for a good reason.

You can't make a pet out of a wild predator. No matter how cool it looks, no matter how badly you want to hold it, it's never going to happen. You can't force it to be something that it's not. Ultimately, you'll end up unsatisfied, and the lizard will end up dead...

I wish I had a dragon -- a huge, beastly fire-breathing dragon. I'd want to raise it up, have epic adventures, and we could grow old together. We could be best friends forever. HOWEVER, if dragons existed, and if I bought one, I would a great fool to expect anything other than what would inevitably happen. It would actually scare all those false hopes out of me, it would undoubtedly incinerate me with its fire breath, and I would ultimately wish that I had never friggin bought it.

That, in essence, is what hundred of thousands of reptile noobs go through every year. That is exactly the allure of the $20 savannah monitor hatchlings, all the cute tegu babies with the green heads, the green iguanas at Petco.

So now that your suspicions have been validated, please don't be that guy. Please, ffs... Hopefully you understand. Again, I say to you; do yourself a favor, and just get the bearded dragon.

Yeah I had beardeds before when i was real little. Some friend gave em too us when they were kinda old, like 10 years i think. they lived for like another 5. they were cool and all but a bit to lazy for my liking. I may have been a bit exaggerated when i said a "lazy lizard to chill with" I'm more so interested in one that if I let walk around the room or whatever, it won't dart across the room into a wall if i make a small movement. I definitely all for making it feel as though it's in the wild and stuff, but asking about maybe one that doesn't mind human presence. I might still be in the same boat here but do you know any that are like that?

The only species that strike me as filling that discription are like the shingleback skink(rather spendy in the us) and maybe some of the helodermids(rather venomous in the us) You could always try one of those tame Tokay geckos I've read about..... And while I do really like the roughnecks they aren't good as one's first monitor as
they are somewhat flighty and a bit tricky in acclimating at times.
guy