keeping a nile tame

[reptile171]

How could i keep a nile monitor tame through his lilfe?

[Bartman]

constant interaction, daily, and even that might not keep them calm. Personally i havnt seen a very tame nile...there just ferocious :)

[tHeGiNo]

Hey, do you have the nile monitor yet? If not, forget about it and get an ackie. If so, return it and get an ackie.

[reptile171]

I dont treat animals like that....just return them?No i love my nile.....he bit the crap out of me today.Its still bleading.

[JeffT]

I dont think constant interaction is the answer, that would stress the animal out to the max. Bottom line, I think for an animal that will be of that size its up to HIM to decided if he will be tame or not.

[Bartman]

i disagree with that, from what i have heard...then again im not sure if its good for niles but i know if you want to calm down monitors, like sav's, interaction is key. He will eventually see you to be no threat, but maybe your right since these niles are quite aggresive. I would still try to interact with him from time to time, imo.

[Sunrunner]

I have a tame Nile what I personally do is make sure at least once a day I interact with him, i started with just a slow touch some times when he was eating i would just rest me hand at the base of his tail nothing intrusive, but that turned into a rub then I could lift him ect...
It is work and you have to maintain consistencey if you find it is stressing him out to much try again the next day and so on hope this helps I have had a few monitors and have used this method it seems to work well there is a post as well from Steve that I thought was really good read that too...
http://www.ssnakess.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=37191

This is only MY opinion and not a professional opinion just something that has worked for me hope it helps :) This nile came to me already not to bad to deal with as well but I have had others that were just psyco.
Kim

[Dom]

My oppinions on niles..

They seem to tame down as adults.. the older they get the more they seem to be easilly aproachable.. all large niles i have seen .. over 4 feet .. were pretty good..

As for your little one .. my oppion is LEAVE him alone .. don't try to tame him down now.. he is probably stressed to shits.. he bit u .. so u are hadnling him .. he is living on paper towel wich is totally unknow to him and u want to let him free roam in your room .... man .. That nil is not gonna last..

My suggestion is LEAVE him alone and minimize interations as little as possible..

[exanthematicus]

Do more research. I know it is hard for a 13-year-old, but you chose to be responsible when you got it. Good luck!:D

[monitor boy]

ok i have tamed down a bunch of niles like the one sun runner has was mine about a year ago and my new its just working wit them about 3-4 times a week and i think it helps to let him soak in the bathtub about 2 times a week it seems to help for me and always scoop them never from above

[exanthematicus]

He won't try to swim?

[Gregg M]

Niles are not the easiest to "tame" down especially when they are young...... You have to consider their lifestyle in the wild....... They are very flighty and their instincts get the better of them or and of us in captivity........ They spend their whole life running from predators and running from mommy crocs after they steal their eggs....... To them you are a predator......... Some niles never calm down....... I have seen some big nasty niles......... More nasty than calm.......... I feel interaction is the key to "taming" them down......... But do not be suprised if it stays aggressive it whole life in captivity.......

[reptile171]

Towles are easier to clean, whats wrong with a clean tank? I was asking about the room issue....ASKING!!

[crocdoc]

You were asking about your setup and I was answering.

What's wrong with a clean tank is that it is entirely foreign to your monitor. What's good and convenient for you isn't necessarily good for the monitor. In the wild they dig. Dig for food, dig to make holes to live in, dig to make holes to control their body temperature and moisture levels.

If you want something that's clean and easy to keep, stay away from monitors for they get big and messy.

What are you using for hide spots in your tank? What sort of lid does your tank have? Size of the tank is the least of your worries when the monitor is still a baby, for it is going to outgrow whatever you put it in soon enough, anyway. What's in the tank and how it is set up is more important at this stage.

[reptiguy123]

Can't argue with that.