Water Dragons or Monitors?

[TahneeMaree]

I am looking at getting either a Water Dragon or one of the types of Monitors (water, mangrove, sand etc) as a pet. However I can only have one, not both To help me decide I was wondering if I could be directed to some good information on these Lizards, like enclosure needed, adult size, how long they live for in captivity and what the care requirements are...

I would also like peoples oppinions of which of these tend to make better pets, how well they tolerate handling, temprement, etc

 

[James..94]

Go with water dragons

 

[peterjohnson64]

Personally Tahnee, I think you have picked the worst lizards to choose as a pet. Even as a person who keeps water dragons and breeds lots of them I don't recommend them as a pet. Theya re not an easy animal to tame up and they are very active lizards that do far better outside.

And then with Monitors (especially large ones) they can be a massive handful.

Of the options you have given I would certainly recommend the Water Dragons. And adult would either need an outdoor enclosure or a 6 foot indoor one. The monitors would need more.

Get yourself a hold of John Weigel's Care of Australia REptiles in Captivity. It is a $20 book that will outline the care requirements of most reptiles.

 

[Noongato]

I want to know what the size equivalent of a water dragon in a monitor. I want something decent size in a monitor but not too big to rip my fingers/hands off

 

[TahneeMaree]

I'm after a decent sized lizard, I can handle animals with sassy/strong attitudes and can easily organise an out-doors/large enclosure.
But I would not even think of purchasing an animal that I knowingly cannot keep while maintaining a good standard of living for the animal, that's just cruel.

I like the Water Dragons and the smaller species of Monitors, but if anyone has any suggestions of other Lizards it would be greatly appreciated.

 

[peterjohnson64]

If you are happy ot keep them outside they are a spectacular lizard with a lot of character. They just wont let you handle them but they will happily run up your leg to grab a cricket. And you can end up with a colony of say 1 male and 3 females.

 

[JasonL]

Can't go past a Spencers, good size, good attitude, and blunt nails

 

[TahneeMaree]

What kind of Lizards are reasonably handleable?
I'm willing to go for smallish Lizards if they are better pets...

 

[herptrader]

Beardies are probably the best from a handling perspective.

That said I just love the monitors. Even some of the bigger ones can be tame.. particularly the Spencers monitors but there are no guarantees. ... an angry monitor can do a lot of damage!

What kind of Lizards are reasonably handleable?
I'm willing to go for smallish Lizards if they are better pets...

 

[shonny]

Ewd

Tahnee EWD are great but are alot more skitish and have nice sharp claws and big teeth that hurt like hell if they bite ( I would rather get bitten by my 12 foot coastal then my EWD) Here is a pic of our guy ... Also I have put up a pic of a Central Beardie Dragon as they are the best Lizard o keep i reckon. Good luck with ur decision.

Eastern Water Dragon


Him Again


Our Beardie

 

[TahneeMaree]

That said I just love the monitors. Even some of the bigger ones can be tame.. particularly the Spencers monitors but there are no guarantees. ... an angry monitor can do a lot of damage!

I do try not to make my pets angry >_> if they are I just walk away and leave them be, my year old snake Amber is rather tempramental, but she has never bitten.
Are Monitors claws humanely trimmable? Not right down to the skin, but just bluntened?
Do they have large teeth? or are they more like a pythons teeth?

 

[Dave]

Have a search for a member of this sites thread about the damage his sandy did to his thumb. (I'll try and find it)

I do try not to make my pets angry >_> if they are I just walk away and leave them be, my year old snake Amber is rather tempramental, but she has never bitten.
Are Monitors claws humanely trimmable? Not right down to the skin, but just bluntened?
Do they have large teeth? or are they more like a pythons teeth?

 

[JasonL]

I
Do they have large teeth? or are they more like a pythons teeth?

More like tiger sharks, don't be too concerned by their claws, they only cause bad flesh wounds, not horrific.

 

[TahneeMaree]

Okie dokes, so are they like majorly agressive and will attack you for no reason at all? or do they work on the "leave me alone if you think I'm pissy or not wanting to be touched, but it's ok to handle me if I'm hunky dory happy" basis? Taking that I'll be getting a hatchling, IF I decide to get a monitor...

 

[Dave]

Here is the thread.
http://www.aussiepythons.com/forum/general-herps/bitten-by-one-of-my-desert-sand-monitors-99859

 

[TahneeMaree]

Can anyone, off the top of thier head, remember the small species of monitor? the ones that only get about 28-30 inches?

 

[Vixen]

There's a few small ones you might consider, pygmy mulgas, ackies, brevies, black headed etc.

I'll be getting black heads myself hopefully this year, I feel like venturing into monitors but want something different to ackies which are probably the most common kept.

 

[cris]

There are a number of smaller ones, look on this link under Odatria, most of these species are availble but some arnt very common.

http://www.monitor-lizards.net/species/