Dragons vs. Monitors

[nevtalath]

Hi all,
Just wondering what your favourite is and why?
Thought it would be a good discussion topic.

I can't say anything bad against monitors but i do love my beardies! so placid and easy to care for when they're set up.

 

[AllThingsReptile]

for me...... monitors!! there bigger and cooler
but dragons are small and placid sooooo.....
also i dont have a monitor......(YET)

 

[PhilK]

Monitors all the way for me.. I had some central netted dragons and now I have ackies, and while both are great personality lizards I find the monitors to be that much better. They seem "intelligent" due to their extremely inquisitive nature. If a roach ran by my dragons and they didn't get it, then it was gone forever hiding in amongst the rocks... my monitors will spend ages sniffing out hiding roaches and getting them out of seemingly impossible crevices.

I hope to expand my monitor collection by heaps, but I don't really want another dragon!

 

[Tristan]

i have a bearded dragon atm but am planning to get a ridge tailed monitor, i think i like the monitors for there size and as philk said the inquisitive nature i just think i have like a boy hood thing of "oh they are cool" like dragons are cool but not monitor COOL

 

[TWENTY B]

Dragons for me are much better to "play" with.
you can easily handle them, not worry about being bitten or scratched much.
But i hated the daily feeding of fresh vegies, and the millions of crickets they can eat.
UV is a must, and usually 35 hot spot

Monitors are much less "cuddly" pets
They take time to be good handlers, some never do.
even the most tame monitor has some wickid claws and will scratch the crap out of you without even meaning it
a bit from something small like an ackie is extreemly painfull, a bit from a lacie will send you to hospital
But there's no need for daily vegies, in fact, no vegies at all.
they can still eat millions of insects, but you don't need to .
They are happy to eat Roo or chicken mince, chicken knecks, day old chicks or whole chickens, mice or rats, etc
100% roo mince cat food is actually very cheap. can be bought at woolies or aldi for $3.50
Unlike dragons, there is never a dull moment with small monitors, once they heat up it action all day

As much as i enjoyed playing with my beardies they were costing me a fortune in insects and i just didn't have time to give them veg every morning. and eventually sold them
I love my monitors, they are more enjoying than the beardies even when not handling them.
my ackies are great fun to handle even with the claws
and although the sandies are still not big fans of being handled, they are getting better with time. and they (9 monitors) are much cheaper to keep then my 4 beardies were

i doubt i will ever get dragons again.
I already have plans for 5 more species of monitor

 

[XKiller]

There is a verry fine line between them, altho i will allways favour on the varanid side because there so smart inqusitive and just amazing in all aspects without to much detail

but i only keep and have kept one species of Dragons, altho it seems to be alot easyer to 'tame' a dragon the time u spend with a monitor is nothing compared to what they give u back amazing creatures.
just my oppinion

 

[Tristan]

you guys are making me want to get a monitor even more now lol

 

[jordanmulder]

just a quick question now you are on the subject at what age should I start handling my ackies more? thanks
just interested

 

[herptrader]

For me definitely monitors unless you really feel the need to handle your animals.

As many have said monitors do tend to settle with age but there are no guarantees. Some species will settle more reliably than others. (I find most accies are settled right out of the egg for example ;-)

There is a steeper learning curve with monitors and generally they will need more room. I made a wise choice having accies as my first monitor.

I think it is their activity and intelligence that does it for me. There is also their forked tongues and the fact that you know they are looking at you and sizing you up.... all of the time.

 

[SLACkra]

I've never owned a bearded dragon or any other type of dragon but I have to agree with monitors being lots of fun. I have a young gilleni so there's no handling there. But hes completely confident to run around his enclosure. Also hes so inquisitive, If I slide across the lid on his tank he'll often run up to my arm and have a sniff/check me out. So far he just freaks out and runs the other way. I'm definitely tempted to either get more gilleni or get a couple accies.

Andrew

 

[sesa-sayin]

for your cat/roo mince support Aldi rather than Wollies, they are much cheaper, and do heaps to reduce the cost of living.....at present a 5 pack at Aldi is @.85, at Coles $3.85......more than 30 small/med monitors here over at least 10 species...4 KRM, 4 types of V. scallaris. not all the small rock monitors will take dead food, but for those which do, you can really pack thr powders into them....very imp for KRMs, and they will take mince.. Storrs and Kimberleys and Primordius wont touch mince

 

[sesa-sayin]

sorry Aldi is $ 2.85, not .85....please pardon my mistake...b

 

[jordanmulder]

e'hem no one has answered my question yet

 

[Snakeluvver2]

E'hem start your own thread Jordan....
I used to keep beardies when I was little then I was off snakes for about 10 years.
Just got a Tristis Orientalis.
Its probably the coolest thing out.
So monitors hands down.
They are inquisitive, intelligent, eating machines.
Love watching them hunt.
Defiantly getting more this season!

 

[jordanmulder]

or c'mon just a quick side question though ok I know I should'nt hijack threads .....

 

[cris]

Monitors are much more intelligent creatures, but dragons are pretty cool too. Unfortunately lots of the more interesting dragons are tricky to look after and not very common in captivity.

just a quick question now you are on the subject at what age should I start handling my ackies more? thanks
just interested

Never is an easy answer, otherwise once they let you.

 

[mjb.2010]

monitors are way more active, ive got a one month old lacie, and he just wants to run all round in the tank all day, but where as bearded dragons and other dragons aren't very interesting.

 

[nevtalath]

wow i can't believe how many responses already!
I think monitors have won hands down!
Sounds like they might be next on my list
Partner will be happy bout that

 

[Chris1]

beardies all the way, would love a couple of mangrove monitors but cant provide the enclosure space they deserve.

 

[branca]

monitors are sik but dragons have more of a personality