80 pound water monitor

[SCReptiles]

I would venture to guess that less then 1% of the world’s population has picked up an 80 pound monitor. What do you think? Ha ha

[bistrobob85]

I guess that i'm in the % of people that would love to deal with such a huge and ( apparently ) tame water monitor!!! Very nice looking, also!

phil.

[Ptindy]

That is truly awesome.

Mike

[SCReptiles]

far from tame brother, if you didn't know what you were doing, you wouldn't come out of that cage.

[bistrobob85]

Well on the first pic he's placed like he could have torn your face off your head with his mouth anytime... If he wasn't VERY tame, i would NEVER have such a situation get even close to happen and i bet you wouldn't have either!!! The monitor must have been either tame or cold or you're very lucky!

[SCReptiles]

Originally posted by bistrobob85
The monitor must have been either tame or cold or you're very lucky!

and you must not know squat about handling large reptiles. Its all about placement and timing. You approach slowly, work gently and you can take most whereever you want them. Jump in that cage and immediately grab that guy and he rips a chunk out of you. Take your time and work him, you work him.

[BoidsUnlimited]

How old is that guy?

Any exact/close measurments?

[Steeve B]

Beautiful really big monitors are awesome! However every time such a photo is displayed, theirs plenty of peoples running at the pet shop to buy one, sure these peoples are well intentioned, but without experience theirs no way they can understand the involvement of keeping a large monitor. Got to go the phone’s ringing, must be an other guy wanting a salvator! Sorry no exception I don’t sell nil’s and salvator’s.

[Double J]

That is an incredible animal. It is comforting to know that there ARE people that can properly care for and house their large monitors. It is a nice change from the dorks who walk around my city with their emaciated savannah monitors on their shoulders on days where the temperature is barely 60 degrees.
That said, this pic also reminds me why I keep small herps like dart frogs and day geckos Though I'll stick to my small stuff, I am glad to know that people do exist that have the brains and experience to keep these animals thriving.
Thanks for the pic.

[BoidsUnlimited]

Steeve what is your motive in posting your dismay on Salvators?

Although I understand what your saying, I'm sure most of us here are well knowledged enough to not go out and "impulse" such an animal.

I am buying a Nile or a Water now only after owning Savannas, from adult to babys, and reading up on just about every book / site there is. It has been about 2-3 years since I first discovered the awesome size and sheer beauty of the large monitors such as Niles and Waters, and I am deciding to get one now, after those long 2-3 years.

I expect to have my baby Ornate or Salvator within the next 2 weeks, and I cannot WAIT!

[Steeve B]

I have nothing against any large monitors, like you aim fascinated by them, however my post goes beyond you and the good keepers on this forum, its about how the monitor trade is directly affected by what peoples see. For example every time a large monitor is shown I get many phone calls asking for my largest nil or water, croc and believe it or not some even ask me to get them komodo's, because they’ve seen a guy holding one and tot it was cool, how this affects me you ask? Well I try to educate and be nice to every one, but most simply hang up and call someone else. Now lets see what happens in real life, the pet shop owner gets a demand for a water monitor, he then ask his supplier, the supplier turns around and calls his exporter and ask him to add 50+ waters to his next shipment, you have to understand that waters go for 20-40$ea and for dealers to make money they need numbers. So I guess you see the picture now

I really have no problem with large reptiles, we just need to advise peoples when we display them, this is my way to say Hey think about it! Its not always dandy as the photo shows.

Good luck with your ornate they are my favorits

[ectotherm]

Steeve's dismay is the same held by most other long-term, and experienced keepers.

Keep in mind, what I have to say is not directed at you in particular, but as a blanket statement, I'm completely confident in making it.

98% of individuals that obtain potentially large varanids (I say this because they are often purchased as juveniles) are neither experienced, nor will they be long-term keepers. Most of the animals purchased will be dead within a year. Most of those that survive year one, will not live to see year three. Overwhelmingly, they are kept in inadequate conditions, with poor husbandry. Enclosures that are far too small, wrong temps, wrong humidity, poor hygiene.

I'm sure everyone here is hoping that you are fully aware of what you signed up for - they want you to succeed. But the track record indicates that most don't and won't. Odds are, you will not have your niloticus ornatus or salvaltor in five years.

For openess sake, I don't consider myself as an experienced, long-term keeper either.

That salvator in the pic won the lizard lottery. I'm guessing it's around six years old.

[Ontario_herper]

If the lizard isn't "tame" then why jump in there with it? Is it the thrill of not knowing if you'll "come out of that cage"? I guess I just don't see the point. But maybe I'm missing something here?

[SCReptiles]

Dang, these pics sparked more of a thread then I expected.

How old is that guy?

Any exact/close measurments?

I have no idea on age. He is surely on the upper end of the life expectancy. He was bought as an adult and came in pretty shape. He had massage skin damage on the back, still some scars there today. I always assumed they were injuries from another male during the courtship battle. He tape at about 7’4 and has probably a 6” chunk missing off the tip of his tale. Last time we scaled him, he was little over 80 pounds, I would say he is more now…very heavy to pick up. He is on display. Anyone that wants to see him head to Jungle adventures in Bristol, VA.

Beautiful really big monitors are awesome! However every time such a photo is displayed, theirs plenty of peoples running at the pet shop to buy one, sure these peoples are well intentioned, but without experience theirs no way they can understand the involvement of keeping a large monitor. Got to go the phone’s ringing, must be an other guy wanting a salvator! Sorry no exception I don’t sell nil’s and salvator’s.

well, keep in mind, this is an exaggerated specimen. Most will not obtain this size, no matter how well they are kept. Most will stay at a workable size. I don’t think there is a much to fear from big monitors as there is large pythons. I would have no moral dilemma selling a water to a legal age customer.

If the lizard isn't "tame" then why jump in there with it? Is it the thrill of not knowing if you'll "come out of that cage"? I guess I just don't see the point. But maybe I'm missing something here?

Brother, if you are going to be in this industry, you have to be willing to put your hands on them. What do you do when they need a shot? When they need to be de-ticked? I jumped in there cause it was necessary. I had not seen the animal in months and I wanted to check its progression and look for parasites or infections. And do I enjoy the excitement of working a potentially lethal animal? Oh you bet your *** I do. Its what I live for!!! I was a little hard on bob last night, sorry about that. I was a little tired and I have a pet peeve about people questioning me without any facts. I know the animals, I have since it was shipped in. I know wither or not the animal is tame, bob, has never seen it…but wants to tell me it’s temperament. If you will notice, you can not see my left hand, that is because it is holding his harness and keeping his mouth away from my face.

[SCReptiles]

And for the record, I am not the only handler addicted to the adrenaline, in fact, don’t even think I am the top of the field. =)