handling monitors?

[kap10cavy]

I just don't get all the facination with wanting to hold a monitor. It's a lizard people, If I want to hold something, I will find my wife (she's soft)or a teddy bear.
The only times I handle any of my scaley friends is when I do cage cleaning or maintenance or the dreaded vet visit.
Please someone, tell me why a monitor must be held and turned into a puppy.

Scott

[SnakeyeZ]

Who said you had to handle it at all?, Just curious....I hardly handle mine.

[kap10cavy]

I don't know, I keep seeing post on various sites asking about taming and handling.
I handle my argus more than the others because I have to.
If I go to spot clean or change the water, he is all over me, rooting down my shirt and in my pockets looking for something to eat.
Ever have a monitor run up your pants leg while you have company?
Lets just say, I was glad I had my good undies on. hahaha

Scott

[V.hb]

I never hold my monitors..... I don't feel its really nessecary. I actually dont really handle any of my reptiles other than when I have to. I also don't see the fun in being ripped to shreds by them. hahahaha. I like to watch them, they tend to act more normal then. :)

[lonewulf]

well in the begining I wanted to hold 'em every single second of the day .. but now I find myself watching them more and more and seeing how the react and interact .. my big girl Lenni ( Savannah Monitor ) whether I hold her or not she is sweet as pie and Boomer ( My other sav) is pissy .. love them both but I can understand the want to hold them it is just a little hard for first timers to realize that Monitors are to watch not to cuddle lol

too me some time and I am still very new to montors

[crocdoc]

I keep my monitors in my home. Having to deal with lace monitors on a daily basis (particularly for cleaning) in a relatively confined space can be very dangerous if they aren't somewhat tractable. It is also less stressful for both monitor and keeper if the animal doesn't go through the full range of defensive or aggressive behaviours everytime the enclosure door is open. Consequently my monitors are relatively easy to deal with. In fact, they are so accustomed to me that they do most of their mating on my loungeroom floor and I frequently have to step over them 'in the act' to get beer from the fridge while I am watching television.

Having said all of that, I have done little to make them like that - they've become that way because they are in a high traffic area and have had to deal with the constant contact which that entails. Nor are they puppy dogs and think they would make terrible 'pets'.

http://www.pbase.com/crocdoc/image/39062813.jpg

http://www.pbase.com/crocdoc/image/39061468.jpg

[JimmyRenex]

It's easy to understand why people want to handle them. I think that besides the fact that it is absolutely neccesary to handle them sometimes ( general maintenace, vet visits ect.) it is quite natural to want to interact with your "pet". And like it or not, they are pets! You feed and care for them the same way you would for a cat or dog. A good reptile owner knows that reptiles don't love or care for us, they tolerate us. Some monitors grow very large so handling them when they are still small makes sense so you can manage them safely when they become large. Although most monitors never really become calm with handling, it is important for the owner to understand the nature of this beast and be able to handle them should a situation arise where it is necessary. There is also a certain pride and thrill for the new monitor owner, in being able to handle this prehistoric looking dragon. The experienced owner knows that handling is for his satisfaction only, and not the reptiles. As for the monitor newbie owner, I think asking questions about handling is the only way they can learn about what they should and shouldn't do. I personally handle my Water monitor every few weeks and try to give him as little grief as possible. I am one of the lucky ones cause my little guy tolerates me well. I will continue to handle him all his life as I am one those people who loves to interact personally with all my animals. Keep in mind, I have been handling reps for over 23 years and realize (with monitors) that you can only go as far as they will let you. The commitment to care for these animals is a big one. It feels nice to be able to recieve satisfaction for all your work, weather it be watching them from afar, or actually handling them as well.
Thats just my two cents..................

Jimmy

[markuss]

I agree with that jimmy i hold my black throat every second day bc he is still a little guy (25") so that way he will get use to me and not to be as sensitive they will learn not to shy away to much if you do handle them a bit and i do this so that way when he gets bigger if i need to move him for what ever reason i can with out hopefully getting the belt from the lizard bc its going to hurt. I am makeing a big cage for him but i dont plan on keeping him in it all the time they are nosy and liek to adventure around so i plan on leting him out of the cage and run around the house so i hold him so i dont have godzilla running around.

[crocdoc]

markuss, from your other posts it sounds like your blackthroat isn't ready to be handled yet. You've only had it a couple of weeks and you should leave it alone for a long while. Handling it every second day will not get it 'tame', it will only get it more frightened of you. That's why it runs from you whenever you enter the room. Here's what you said in another thread:

"mine just comes out to eat or drink or bask and then goes back to his hideing hole and like mark said they are sensitive so that would be why he runs and hide when i enter the room its all starting to make sence."

If I were you, I'd leave it alone. It will get used to you because it will see you feeding it and cleaning its cage. Eventually, it will probably approach you out of curiousity and then you can start interacting with it. Until then, if I were you I'd leave it be and not force handle it.

[markuss]

ok thank you ill try that, that would make sence if you sit and think about it. :)

[robb]

All my reptiles are 'display' pets, with two exceptions. One of our female Sav. grew up in a cage in the kitchen so she sees/saw my girl all the time and 'seems' to crave a certain amount of attention from us. I guess it comes from her getting fed table scraps (when appriate) and despratly trying to play in the water when dishes where being done. They mythical cat or puppy dog tame you hear about, has come about with out us 'handling' her every day. All the other monitors stay in there cage unless it's during maintaince. The savs tolerate us, the others would rather rip our faces off :).

The other exception in my male speckled hognose. He gets handled. No reason really he's very tolerent and intrested so when i clean his cage he hangs out with me for awhile.

It always bugs me when people come over and they want you to take out a big boid so they can hold it around their shoulders, or other herpers telling me "well if you handle your JCP it'll calm down" I have no reason to 'calm it down' he's happy in his glass box (as much as primiative snakes can be happy).

[bistrobob85]

As for me, all of my animals are puppy tame and i barely take them out when someone asks... I manipulate my monitor every once in a while but i think when it doesnt whant to be bothered, its something i should respect.

Hey Crocdoc, are both your v.varius belliis?? Your lace monitors are defenetly the nicest monitors i've ever seen... They are dreamlike!! It's sad that over here they are completly out of price and also totally unavailable... My compliments...

phil.

[chuck911jeep]

Héhé Phil...Do you mean belli phase? No they are not belly phase... Yes it's right, they are totally unavailable in the area.... :D unless you have really good friend like Steeve Blain. Thank's again Steeve!
http://www.printroom.com/_vti_bin/ViewImage.dll?shopperid=PV3A9KJ6G0HQ9GSADGHVA6S64Q 3QE0BB&userid=chuck911jeep&album_id=166747&image_id=9&effect=

[bistrobob85]

totally out of prize, then :p

[kap10cavy]

Hmmm....... How much gas would it take for my jon boat to go to Australia?
Dave, if you see some craze, sunburnt American snooping around your house with big bags and a boat paddle, it's not me out to steal your lizards.

Scott

[crocdoc]

Originally posted by bistrobob85
Hey Crocdoc, are both your v.varius belliis?? Your lace monitors are defenetly the nicest monitors i've ever seen... They are dreamlike!! It's sad that over here they are completly out of price and also totally unavailable... My compliments...

phil.

Thanks, Phil! Neither are bells phase, but they are particularly colourful, especially the male. Believe it or not, that photo above doesn't do either of them justice, as the yellow was bleached out by the flash of the camera and both animals were pretty dusty and dirty at the time.

http://www.pbase.com/crocdoc/image/40335424.jpg