monitor questions...

[nocturnal_pulse]

heya all....
i am just wondering what peoples thoughts were on keeping monitors...i am interested in getting a lacie, but thought go smaller first like a ridge tailed or similar...also is it possible to handle like you would a python...and are they easy to keep..??
your thoughts....
cheers...

 

[seanjbkorbett]

Hey man.some of the bigger monitors, laceys,goulds,spencers etc make hardy captives,but handeling isnt as easy as some pythons,due to their claws (if u manage to get them tame to handle that is,wich takes alot of patience and interaction with your monitor,with out stressing it)..awsome animals tho..the most interesting of reptiles to keep i rekon...awsome pets to observe and watch,they got so much charachter and they are so smart ,i love them...they are not hard to keep,as long as u have the right temperature for basking spots(wich should be around 35-45 degrees,.),enough room for them and of corse they eat a shizzle load!!so alot of food.. ahah..dont know much about smaller monitors sorry....
cheers.
seano

 

[sweetangel]

i keep ackies, you can pick them up, never bitten, will climb all over you. but this is not the same for all.
all my 4 are fine to handle, even coming out of the cage on their own and up my arm.

as for ur basking temps..... i would make it muuuuch hotter. try any where from 50 to 80 degrees, mine being around 54, but they appreciate it hotter. they like to to give them a burst of energy run around they come back to warm up.

i think ackies are the most amendable to handling but they are very small. but great fun to watch

 

[coree2009]

yes

i think goannas and monitors are the beter lizard out there. but there pigs if you got deep pockets then yea go for it az for lacies and all the big stuff iv got a spencers goanna and hez great to handle but he carries on like a dick weneva i pick him up but like every1 sez they take time ALOT. but they are great if you are going to go big get a spencers and see how you go they are great.

 

[PhilK]

My basking spot is 80 degrees. They LOVE it hot.

Ackies are great - I just got a pair of hatchies and I can't wait for them to get tamer... I hope they do. They're terrified of me at the moment.

 

[seanjbkorbett]

My basking spot is 80 degrees. They LOVE it hot.

Ackies are great - I just got a pair of hatchies and I can't wait for them to get tamer... I hope they do. They're terrified of me at the moment.

well for my lacey his basking spot gets about 45-55 degrees and he'll lie directly under his basking light for a bit maybe 20mins or less then he'll move away from it and lie close to it but not under it!...interesting tho...so maybe its a ackie thing..

 

[daniel1234]

i think goannas and monitors are the beter lizard out there. but there pigs if you got deep pockets then yea go for it az for lacies and all the big stuff iv got a spencers goanna and hez great to handle but he carries on like a dick weneva i pick him up but like every1 sez they take time ALOT. but they are great if you are going to go big get a spencers and see how you go they are great.

The bigger ones are def on my list at some point. Coree do you keep them outside? I was wondering if you can do stuff like that in SA, I know some do it with beardies, and I guess goulds would work as they're local.

 

[seanjbkorbett]

The bigger ones are def on my list at some point. Coree do you keep them outside? I was wondering if you can do stuff like that in SA, I know some do it with beardies, and I guess goulds would work as they're local.

yeah! i lived in adelaide for about 3yrs.i had a sand monitor! he was kept in a outside enclosure,he did fine.exccept in winter tiime i never saw him

 

[Mrs I]

Go the ackies, great personalities my male is great, everytime i open the enclosure to feed them he comes out to say hello.

He even went in for show and tell with 10 yr olds! I held him of course they just ooeedd and arrghhed.

My babies are very skittish still i think cause they are so small.

 

[daniel1234]

yeah! i lived in adelaide for about 3yrs.i had a sand monitor! he was kept in a outside enclosure,he did fine.exccept in winter tiime i never saw him

Yeh well one would expect that. I mentioned beardies because they are not local here. So could I set up a Lacey pit out the back

 

[seanjbkorbett]

Yeh well one would expect that. I mentioned beardies because they are not local here. So could I set up a Lacey pit out the back

yeah u find the Eastern Bearded dragons all over adelaide!!.but yeh the inland beardies,oh okay kool ... ahaha i know u do find lacies in south asutralia but a bit further up near renmark!..but i honestly wouldnt know about keeping laceys outdoors in Adelaide!..