Monitor's Toe Talons

dinosaurdammit · 12-16-12, 10:34 PM

I have seen several people who trim their monitors nails. Why do they do this? I am wondering at the amount of people who cut/trim their lizards nails but with mine, its like his are not the curved sharp as razor nails. He digs ALL the time and climbs and runs and acts a fool so his nails are very well "sanded". Which is correct? My monitors buffed nails or people having to actually trim them? I dont think monitors go up to a Joe and ask in the wild to trim their nails.

How much do monitors dig? Mine is always digging. He will dig a good burrow. Dig until the burrow isnt much of a burrow anymore and basically digs a new burrow anymore. I think thats why his nails are not as talon like as others. If this is not correct how would i correct it?

infernalis · 12-16-12, 10:37 PM

I do not trim nails. Never have, never will.

Overgrown nails are just another sign of negligent keeping.

While we are on the subject, it annoys me that so many people think that trimming nails, pooping in the water and force handling into a bathtub are all "normal" lizard care????

dinosaurdammit · 12-16-12, 10:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by infernalis

I do not trim nails. Never have, never will.

Overgrown nails are just another sign of negligent keeping.

So my monitors buffed nails are for all intensive purposes "normal"

MrBosc · 12-17-12, 05:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by infernalis

I do not trim nails. Never have, never will.

Overgrown nails are just another sign of negligent keeping.

While we are on the subject, it annoys me that so many people think that trimming nails, pooping in the water and force handling into a bathtub are all "normal" lizard care????

Could you extend what you meant by "pooping in water" as mine does this all of the time. I assumed this was normal behavior for them?

dinosaurdammit · 12-17-12, 08:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MrBosc

Could you extend what you meant by "pooping in water" as mine does this all of the time. I assumed this was normal behavior for them?

maybe he means forcing the lizard to poop in the bath? Idk :/

Mine will actually by himself walk (its more like a sprint) UP the stairs and get into the bath by him self. He likes to dunk his head under and look around under water tongue flicking about. We have a special bath mat that we drape over the side of the tub so he can get in and out when ever he pleases. Once I was taking a shower and my husband had him out for his hour walk about and I heard a loud commotion beside me and there he was, clamoring to get into the bath. Maybe because its something different to do? I sometimes dont understand why he does some things other than it might be "interesting" or even maybe "fun" for a lizard.

MrBosc · 12-17-12, 11:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dinosaurdammit

maybe he means forcing the lizard to poop in the bath? Idk :/

Mine will actually by himself walk (its more like a sprint) UP the stairs and get into the bath by him self. He likes to dunk his head under and look around under water tongue flicking about. We have a special bath mat that we drape over the side of the tub so he can get in and out when ever he pleases. Once I was taking a shower and my husband had him out for his hour walk about and I heard a loud commotion beside me and there he was, clamoring to get into the bath. Maybe because its something different to do? I sometimes dont understand why he does some things other than it might be "interesting" or even maybe "fun" for a lizard.

Lol that is so kool how you can just let yours roam around the house and how he gets in the bath =] That must have been a weird experience for him to come into the bath while you was in there as well lol, wouldn't want him in there on a bad day or they'd be plenty of places to bite that would hurt :P

dinosaurdammit · 12-17-12, 11:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MrBosc

Lol that is so kool how you can just let yours roam around the house and how he gets in the bath =] That must have been a weird experience for him to come into the bath while you was in there as well lol, wouldn't want him in there on a bad day or they'd be plenty of places to bite that would hurt :P

He is so energetic we have decided once a day to let him have an hour of supervised free roam. He likes to get under the sofa and ambush your feet, he attacks, death rolls and takes off your sock then disappears back under the sofa only to run back to his cage and hoard a sock under a rock or in a burrow. :/ About 5 pairs of socks have met this fate.

infernalis · 12-17-12, 09:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MrBosc

Could you extend what you meant by "pooping in water" as mine does this all of the time. I assumed this was normal behavior for them?

Perhaps it's learned behaviour, but mine poop on the ground inside their cage. in nearly a year of ownership, I have had turds in my water bowl exactly twice.

We have had discussions here on this subject in the past, and the general consensus is that this behaviour is supposed to mean that something is wrong with the cage humidity if they are pooping in the water bowl.

Chomper used to poop in his water every day, I too thought it was normal at the time, but since I did a complete turnaround with my husbandry, I have not been seeing this happen like it used to.

MrBosc · 12-17-12, 11:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by infernalis

Perhaps it's learned behaviour, but mine poop on the ground inside their cage. in nearly a year of ownership, I have had turds in my water bowl exactly twice.

We have had discussions here on this subject in the past, and the general consensus is that this behaviour is supposed to mean that something is wrong with the cage humidity if they are pooping in the water bowl.

Chomper used to poop in his water every day, I too thought it was normal at the time, but since I did a complete turnaround with my husbandry, I have not been seeing this happen like it used to.

In that case it would also be hard for me to determine this, because the substrate swap around was done only a week or two ago it may have been that he was doing it before because the humidity levels where always low with the wood chippings substrate and it has now become a habbit even though the humidity is now correct.

infernalis · 12-16-12, 10:41 PM

yes, your monitor is wearing down the claws normally

BarelyBreathing · 12-16-12, 10:49 PM

Wayne's correct. In a proper enclosure they will wear them down themselves.

jarich · 12-17-12, 10:09 AM

I didnt realize that was what most others thought. Mine does both in and out of its water bowl, though probably does more in the water than out of it. I have a hard time thinking it would be tied to humidity issues though as my enclosure sits at a pretty even 75%. Are there other reasons that this might be the case?

infernalis · 12-17-12, 10:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jarich

I didnt realize that was what most others thought. Mine does both in and out of its water bowl, though probably does more in the water than out of it. I have a hard time thinking it would be tied to humidity issues though as my enclosure sits at a pretty even 75%. Are there other reasons that this might be the case?

I wish I knew, every day I see new things that are educating us all.

Wish I spoke Boscanese, I would ask so many questions....

dinosaurdammit · 12-17-12, 11:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by infernalis

I wish I knew, every day I see new things that are educating us all.

Wish I spoke Boscanese, I would ask so many questions....

if i could speak monitor I'd ask why mine attacks my socks. He hates socks. He attacks and then carries it away and hoards socks. It is really bizarre.

War Machine · 12-17-12, 11:25 AM

Wayne I believe passing stool in the water, are signs of dehydration, I've never had either albig poo in the water.

My first setup for water dragons pooped in water, I don't blame them, it was a cooking machine. Now I setup my new dragons like monitors, and they have yet to poop in the water, and they eat like monitors... Lol