New Savannah Monitor owner

[Foley]

So I just got my six month old monitor and he's doing pretty well I think. I have been feeding him ground beef so far. (had him for about a day now I bought it of some one on craigslist) every time I try to go and grab him he hisses and whips at me but I try not to move away or flinch so he thinks that doesn't work so he will stop doing it to me. After he gets a nice warm bath and swim he's pretty good, I hold him and let him. What are some tips to get him out of hissing and whipping? Also what are Some good taming techniques to use? I've seen some good ones on YouTube but I know you guys might have more and some better ones.

[infernalis]

First things first....

No more ground beef, you really need to feed whole prey items, meaning complete organisms.

Good foods are: Roaches, Crickets, Mice, earthworms, crayfish, raw whole shrimp, minnows, slugs, snails and/or assorted bugs (insects)

Secondly, there is no "taming" a monitor lizard, if you want a pleasurable experience, you will need to earn it's trust, Once the animal trusts you, and no longer perceives you as a possible threat, it will warm up to you all on it's own.

However, some of them never really trust people. I hope you are prepared for that scenario, because if it never decides to be your friend, it may well become an observation animal only.

Thirdly, please disregard almost everything you have ever seen on youtube, 99% of those people have no clue, and those "tame" animals you see are actually sick, obese and on their way to the grave.

The best place to start is to read my web site, I have outlined a lot of the basic information you need for a successful experience.

Congratulations on your new friend, If you do things right, you will have such a rewarding and exciting experience.

Monitor lizards are highly intelligent, they are very exciting to work with, and really not that hard to care for once you get everything set up.

So let's get you started out.. the web site is Savannah Monitors (http://www.savannahmonitor.co/) (handy link)

My youtube channel is Infernalis' channel - YouTube (http://www.youtube.com/user/Infernalis1?feature=mhee)

Other monitor keepers will certainly be chiming in too.

[DiscoPat]

My youtube channel is Infernalis' channel - YouTube (http://www.youtube.com/user/Infernalis1?feature=mhee)


Watch the Building Trust videos. If you use them as a guide it will help get your monitor to trust you.

About how big is he now, and what size enclosure is he in?

[varanus_mad]

Best thing for hissing and whipping time patience and food.

Quite frankly if he wasnt hissing and whipping id be worried.

[infernalis]

Quite frankly if he wasnt hissing and whipping id be worried.

Apparently I'm not the only one that smiles ear to ear when monitors get feisty?.

Tired, flaccid, waddle when they walk, "tame" monitors are not healthy monitors.

[jarich]

Hows your monitor doing Foley?