Newbie here. Mainly interested in monitor lizards.

[Choogly]

Hello all. I'm a 23 year old grad student who hopes to own a monitor someday.

It will likely be several years before it I will be able to provide for one, so in the meantime I've been doing lots of research into the care requirements and behavior of these lizards.

So far, I am most interested in Savannahs, Black Throats (I have been told that the african monitors would suit me best), Water Monitors, Argus Monitors, and I enjoy the fantasy of having a tame Nile. Monitor tame, though even in my inexperienced state I feel that the "tameness" debate can be a little silly at times. I'd be happy to talk about the further.

I've been researching these guys for a couple months now, and I've loved reptiles for as long as I can remember. Right now I'm in the grips of an obsession and I'm learning everything I can.

[chairman]

Welcome. There are a couple monitor keepers here. Personally, I'd recommend a Varanus acanthurus (ackie) as a first monitor. They're compact monitors that will get you going in the right direction. They're also typically unaware that they're small, exhibiting the behavior of their much larger cousins.

[Choogly]

Heh, I'm well aware of ackies. I may consider them in the future, but I'm not particularly attracted to them. I like the idea of bigger, somewhat calmer monitors. The speed and energy of ackies seems extremely high.

At the same time, I like the idea of having something like a 6x6x3 and making a proportionally massive enclosure for an ackie or two. Give 'em plenty of room to dig and climb and explore and whatnot.

[chairman]

Healthy monitors are equally as active as ackies. Calm monitors are typically either cold, sick, or freezing as a defensive measure. Ackies just seem more active because their smaller size makes it easier to provide proper care.

I have a 5 year old V. exanthematicus and keeping him has been quite rewarding; however, while he's fine around me because I can read him, if allowed outside his cage then he'd terrorize anything that he a)thinks he can eat and b)can catch.

[jpsteele80]

Just remember that larger monitors like water's and black throats need a minimum of an 8x4x6 cage when full grown. And if you have never had a monitor before i wouldn't recommend getting an argus, they have the craziest feeding response i have ever seen in any animal and they don't grow out of it.

[Choogly]

I don't think it seems reasonable to suggest that all monitors have the exact same energy level, though I take your point that they are all highly active reptiles.

[Choogly]

Ah, if I got a larger monitor I would want to keep it in a 10x6x5 at a minimum. I'd be more comfortable using the 8 ft enclosure for a sac or a medium sized monitor.

And heh, Argues are pretty funny like that. I don't think I'd get one as my first monitor, they're crazy intense.