Handling

[EMAC1990]

Hey everyone, hope all is well with you and your reptiles. I have some questions about handling and interacting with monitors that I am sure have been touched on before, but I want to hear some current opinions. The first is really 'what is meant by force handling?'.

My Melinus is still very cautious of me and it is difficult to tong feed at this time, though she tolerates my presence around the enclosure, even right up next to the glass provided the door is closed. Yesterday and today, I took her out for a little while. I made sure to wait until she was out in the open and I approached her very slowly. She flees at my first scoop but after I take her out, she seems fairly comfortable, even more so today than yesterday. She does not like to be grabbed from the top and will again flee if it becomes necessary to do this, but in general she seems very interested in exploring the area despite little sprints here and there when she is spooked. She is comfortable climbing on my body and over my hands as I trade them. At some points she even allows me to gently rub under her throat completely unrestrained. I want to mention that her eyes are not closed, she is not petrified and seems to be maybe a little concerned, but more so interested in the new atmosphere.

Many of you believe that this sort of handling is inappropriate, and I may even agree. This was really somewhat of an experiment, but as of right now, I am not sold on the idea that it was a terrible experience for her. I placed her back in the enclosure and she immediately came against the window to get out again. Are there two schools of thought on this? I am not ignorant of animal behaviors and the general husbandry of these particular animals. I certainly understand how pulling an animal from its hide or burrow could be detrimental to their feeling of security, but Daniel Bennett even discusses handling Savannahs and slowly taming them down "The trick with taming the lizard is to condition it to not respond to handling as a threat. Start off by leaving the animal alone in its well-equipped enclosure until it feels secure enough to emerge of its own accord in your presence. This may take a few weeks or months but if the animal is being housed properly it will eventually emerge from hiding long enough to be lifted out without requiring any excavation. Use a pair of thick gloves to begin with, so that the lizard can try biting and (hopefully) learn that it has no effect (Bennett, Thakoordyal 68).

Daniel Bennet, R. T. (2003). The Savannah Monitor: The Truth about Varanus exanthematicus. Glossop, England: Viper Press.