a big boy indeed....pic

[treevaranus]

Is this the biggest V. salvator you've ever seen, or what??? 8+'(missing a piece of tail) and around 100lbs..

I was fortunate that this bloke was dog tame, otherwise, I'd be leaving the enclosure with one less hand/face

Cheers.. anyone have any other big pics of BIG monitors....

take care,

bob

[thunder]

wow. is he yours? if so, how old? what's his enclosure like?

[mbayless]

Hi,
I have seen bigger, but not by much! See Giant Lizards ~1990 or so and a pic of Robert Sprackland with "Puff" a huge fat dragon whom I personally saw eat a goat by himself! = Varanus slobicus.

Its cool to see and be sat upon by such large varanids - makes us feel rather small doesn't it...
cheers,
markb

[treevaranus]

Nope, he's not mine... He was supposedly over 10 years in age... He is no longer living today... I was fortunate to take some pics of him while he was alive... He was purchased by a local reptile attraction, and only lived 10 days in their care..hospitable conditions.

Here's a pic to show the size of his head..what a beast...


take care,

bob

[thunder]

it is very sad that such a wonderful animal died due to the poor husbandry of someone just wanting to make money off of him. how often do we see a monitor that big who is so tame? what a waste. good thing you got to see him, that must have been a cool experience.

[reptiguy123]

I think that pet stores that are looking for money should not sell varanids but rather leave it up to breeders to distribute them to whom they find "worthy" enough. Too many monitors are killed due to poor husbandry.

It seems like that monitor and puff the magic dragon (he he I couldn't resist:D) are pretty close to komodo dragons when it comes to girth. Very impressive!:)

[beanersmysav]

makes me jealous ive never met a lizard that big or that tame for that matter, and if your hands anywhere near the size of mine that heads got to be a good foot id assume?

[dean_h00]

I hope i can get mine to be such a large/proud lizard:)

[crocdoc]

Originally posted by mbayless
...and a pic of Robert Sprackland with "Puff" a huge fat dragon whom I personally saw eat a goat by himself! ...
cheers,
markb

Robert ate a whole goat by himself? haha, just kidding.

Bob, that was a sterling effort on their part to kill a monitor that size in just ten days. Monitors are tough lizards and even under pretty appalling conditions will linger for ages. What on earth were they doing that knocked it off in ten days?