Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hey guys, I just have a question or two about taming my mangrove. When I just got him, and before I had switched to a hands-off taming technique, I picked him up to handle him and take him to the bathtub. While in the cage he's incredibly flighty and would scramble around, but as soon as I picked him up, he was calm and flicked his tongue curiously. After spending at least an hour of everyday, usually more, this summer staying up in his room he's gotten a great deal better. He's comfortable, if a little flighty, walking around with me across the room and sometimes outside the cage if he's basking. What i'm wondering, is if it would be fine to take him out so I can let him swim in the bathtub if the sessions end with a positive, calm note. It would probably involve catching him. I don't want to rush the taming process, and I just want your thoughts. Thanks!

First, hands off, is normally temporary. That is, while they are adjusting to captivity and unhealthy.

A healthy monitor is bullet proof. You should not have to worry about upsetting them. That becomes a game of the animal training you. So common with dogs.

The best way to tame monitors is reward training. Similar to all the trained animal shows out there(the sea worlds etc)

Reward training builds a bond between you and the animal AS PARTNERS. Taming an animal by forced holding, is actually subduing the animals and is not about taming, its about the animal tolerating being held.

Reward training is to reward the animal for an action. You can use verbal commands(its just sound) or whistles. or just a reward. Depends what you want out of training.

In reality, your monitor already knows the your act of feeding, the door opening, the sounds and a bucket of feeding container.

Monitors are great candidates for this type of training as they have an incredible feeding response. Best wishes

Thanks so much for the info man, I researched a little about that when training my dogs,(although my husky still likes to screw with me) but it never occurred to me to use it for monitors. My guy's definitely healthy, just skittish.

Start slowly, like getting it use to eating off tongs, they a gloved hand, then to the door, then out the door, up your leg, etc etc etc. and have it eat while your holding it. Then anything you want. Train it to come to you while hiding in different rooms, etc. Best wishes

He doesn't have much of a feeding response though, he'll run away when I open the door and be too scared to eat.

Hi, I would think you haven`t allowed time for the monitor to become fully acclimated to the enclosure because of the forced handling, unless they feel completely safe in there they won`t feel safe with you invading that space.
As Frank R. has already stated, your best "weapons" are food, time and patience.... No guarantees, many times it works, sometimes not, I think for the most part you get out what you put in.

Thank you, but the handling was only a couple times and it was a year ago. Since then he's gotten much better.

If you have had the monitor over a year, then it should have an incredible feeding response.

Show a pic of your cage and temps. This may really help. Best wishes

What I meant by that so no one gets confused is that even if I put the food in his hide or tunnel, he'll wait for me to leave, or sometimes leave it for a couple hours before eating it, while I've seen other monitors scramble out of hiding for food.

Cool side temp: 26 Celsius
Basking spot temp: 56 Celsius
Humidity: 80%

I hope the image comes in somewhere, if not, here's the URL:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/101826449@N03/9754382231/lightbox/

Dimensions: 90 x 45 x 90 cm

The enclosure has approximately 15 cm of substrate which consists of firm dirt that holds it's shape well for tunnels(which he has a network of) with sphagnum moss layered on top. The moss and dirt is a little uneven, with more dirt at the back and more moss at the front, due to his digging. He has branches for climbing and a water area in which he can completely submerge himself. He had until recently a basking temperature of 70 Celsius but I fixed that. Thanks for any help!

Your completely missing the point, your letting the monitor train you and you not training it.

first, as a keeper, you need to make a simple decision, is the monitor healthy. Or is it not?

If its not healthy, and then find out whats wrong with it and fix it.

If it is healthy, then do not treat it like a sick fragile monitor. Monitors are tuff as nails and strong. Its very hard to kill a healthy monitor. Or even harm it. They are strong and bullet proof.

Back to training. In order to train any animal, they must be hungry. As food is your connection. There are many ways to go about this. Just feed it less until it chases you down for food. Always make it so it knows your the source of food. Do not leave food in the cage. Only feed it with you present. At first, in its normal spot, then make it work, then more and more. It is very simple and easy. Remember, its repetition that trains, not one large food item, many small ones.

If you are insecure, the animal knows it and trains you. In order to change its behavior, YOU HAVE TO TAKE CHARGE.

Simple as that, is it healthy, if so, treat it that way. Cheers