# Monitor progress



## blakehose (Oct 23, 2010)

Hi all,

Well it's always nice to see some positive progress in your animals - and this little Sandie is coming along well. I've had him for a few months - he started off very nervous as all small monitors tend to, but is now coming along in leaps and bounds.
It will run right up almost to my shoulder, and eat from my hand without hesitation, but it was hard to get those shots whilst pre-occupuied. They are great little animals, and this one is particularly good looking, though this picture washes out all of it's colour.

Sorry about the terrible quality - It was hard alternating between food, monitor and camera! 




Enjoy,

Blake


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## 1issie (Oct 23, 2010)

Awwwww cute!!!


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## James..94 (Oct 23, 2010)

Congrats on the progress blakehose


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## reptilian1924 (Oct 23, 2010)

He shaw looks so cute wish he was mine, may l ask if he his a Varanus Gouldii Gouldii or Varanus Gouldii Flavirufus, l myself love the Flavirufus desert phase Sand Monitors.


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## blakehose (Oct 23, 2010)

reptilian1933 said:


> He shaw looks so cute wish he was mine, may l ask if he his a Varanus Gouldii Gouldii or Varanus Gouldii Flavirufus, l myself love the Flavirufus desert phase Sand Monitors.



Well i'm unsure of sex - though we call it a 'he' - 'he' is Varanus Gouldii Flavirufus - A Desert Sand Monitor. Why not another picture while i'm at it.


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## Tit4n (Oct 23, 2010)

He is absolutely gorjas ! 

Very healthy looking may i add


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## lizardman59 (Oct 23, 2010)

he looks brilliant


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## Varanus1 (Oct 23, 2010)

blakehose said:


> It will run right up almost to my shoulder, and eat from my hand without hesitation, but it was hard to get those shots whilst pre-occupuied. They are great little animals, and this one is particularly good looking, though this picture washes out all of it's colour.
> Blake


 
Gorgeous little Sandie, but do be careful - the "running up the shoulder" technique can be a very painful one for you if he mistakes any bit of flesh he sees with food - and I'm speaking from a personal experience here


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## blakehose (Oct 23, 2010)

Tit4n said:


> He is absolutely gorjas !
> 
> Very healthy looking may i add



The picture was taken after he had polished off a pinky rat - so he is looking quite 'round' 



Varanus1 said:


> Gorgeous little Sandie, but do be careful - the "running up the shoulder" technique can be a very painful one for you if he mistakes any bit of flesh he sees with food - and I'm speaking from a personal experience here



Haha yes he does sometimes become overly enthusiastic at feed time - though he is only allowed to do this when I have a full sleeve top on  I will always give monitors the respect they deserve, their weaponary is second to none!


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## blakehose (Oct 23, 2010)

Kenshin said:


> i love sandies id love to keep them but renting sucks and moving a large indoor enclosure and 60kg of sand is to much of a pain in the **** when its time to move
> 
> what have you got in stall for his accomidation as he matures? flavi's are awsome much more colourfull then gouldii plus smaller to boot




Yeah it isn't great fun trying to move their houses eh? For now he is in a 6x2x2 and when I feel it is time for an upgrade I will probably build him a 7x2x3. This line of Sandies is actually quite small - the parents of this fella only sitting around 40cm svl. 

This one came from Matt Bonnett bloodlines and has amazing colours, I just need to capture them!!


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## Snakeluvver2 (Oct 25, 2010)

Great work! My mitchell's is at that stage now I was so happy when it fed frm my hands 
How big is your little fella...nothing suss haha


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## blakehose (Oct 25, 2010)

Jannico said:


> Great work! My mitchell's is at that stage now I was so happy when it fed frm my hands
> How big is your little fella...nothing suss haha



There is nothing little about it  ha - I honestly haven't even bothered trying to measure him, he is still not even close to the stage of letting me make the moves. At a guess, I would say a svl of around 20cm max.


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## Karly (Oct 25, 2010)

He's looking awesome Blake! Enjoy this stage while it lasts.... soon you'll be wearing full body armour to let him run up your arm otherwise you'll end up like me coming in to work every morning with scratches up my arms. I swear my workmates think I'm suicidal... lol


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## blakehose (Oct 25, 2010)

Karly said:


> He's looking awesome Blake! Enjoy this stage while it lasts.... soon you'll be wearing full body armour to let him run up your arm otherwise you'll end up like me coming in to work every morning with scratches up my arms. I swear my workmates think I'm suicidal... lol


 
It is certainly nice whilst he is still small and cute - but I am seeing progress in his physiology aswell as mentally. This morning when I was feeding him he tore his food to absolute shreds....


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## pythrulz (Oct 25, 2010)

Great looking little sandie yes its nice to see progress in our pets


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## blakehose (Nov 4, 2010)

Looking round and proud after a big feed of rat - Sorry about the quality. Without handling it is hard to get nice lighting.




Blake.


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## jordanmulder (Nov 4, 2010)

blakehose said:


> Looking round and proud after a big feed of rat - Sorry about the quality. Without handling it is hard to get nice lighting.
> View attachment 170848
> View attachment 170849
> 
> ...


very nice sandy you got there, he looks proud of himself


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## AllThingsReptile (Nov 4, 2010)

blakehose said:


> Looking round and proud after a big feed of rat - Sorry about the quality. Without handling it is hard to get nice lighting.
> View attachment 170848
> View attachment 170849
> 
> ...


you need to stop putting yourself down they're actually good pics
very nice little guy (little....for the moment )


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## Eddie2257 (Nov 4, 2010)

is that the biggest he will get?


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## Kristy_07 (Nov 4, 2010)

I like your pics, blakehose! Good use of ambient lighting  Lovely sandie, too!


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## blakehose (Nov 4, 2010)

Eddie2257 said:


> is that the biggest he will get?


 
Definitely not - it will more than double it's length and probably weigh 10 times as much as it does now. He is only a bub..

Thanks for the comments. Kristy.... yeah... use of the ambient lighting. That's what it is.... haha.


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## Karly (Nov 4, 2010)

He's looking good Blake! How's he handling now?


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## blakehose (Nov 4, 2010)

Karly said:


> He's looking good Blake! How's he handling now?


 
Thanks Karly  I still haven't started handling him yet as I don't feel he is quite ready, though his confidence is growing. You know what it's like with monitors - patience, patience, patience! And eventually success 

How is your gang going? Has the Mertens calmed down yet?

Blake.


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