Monitor Training

[Pirarucu]

Originally Posted by Gungirl

Maybe I don't know enough about monitors to debate this but I just don't see it benefiting the monitor at all. Does it benefit the owner? Yes but not the animal..

Locking an active and intelligent animal in a box? Excercise and mental stimulation sound like benefits to me.
I should say this is just what occurs to me as logic. More experienced keepers please chime in by all means. Reticulated Pythons come from rainforests, a much more overall humid place than a Sand Monitor comes from, and the same thing happens when you leave them in a dry environment. I let mine go exploring regardless, as do many keepers. None have seen any problems to my knowledge

[Gungirl]

I never suggested to lock them in a box now did I ? I have no problems with people letting them roam for short periods of time outside of the cage. I do have a problem wrapping my head around the idea of prolonged time out of the proper environment. If the cage was set up and maintained properly exercise and mental stimulation can both be achieved inside the cage.

The thing is people take an animal that needs a lot of room and places them in a small space.. give it a bigger proper viv and you will solve many of these issues. I do not keep this type of animal and never will. I would not want to give it less than a 20'x20' building. I know I am a bit extreme on the size and some people will say they never need that much room but I also wouldn't keep a horse unless I could give it several acres to run on where as some people keep them on a 1/4 acre..

[Pirarucu]

Originally Posted by Gungirl

I never suggested to lock them in a box now did I ? I have no problems with people letting them roam for short periods of time outside of the cage. I do have a problem wrapping my head around the idea of prolonged time out of the proper environment. If the cage was set up and maintained properly exercise and mental stimulation can both be achieved inside the cage.

The thing is people take an animal that needs a lot of room and places them in a small space.. give it a bigger proper viv and you will solve many of these issues. I do not keep this type of animal and never will. I would not want to give it less than a 20'x20' building. I know I am a bit extreme on the size and some people will say they never need that much room but I also wouldn't keep a horse unless I could give it several acres to run on where as some people keep them on a 1/4 acre..

I'm just saying as long as they can choose to return to the cage when they want, and aren't shut out, I don't see a problem. I know they will remember where it is, they are plenty smart enough for that. I know an instance where a friend's croc monitor got out of its cage and very nearly escaped through an open window upstairs before being caught. It was put on a six month lockdown in its cage, and the instant the owner let it out, it made straight for the same upstairs window.
As far as cage size, I'm with you. I like giving animals as much space as they will use. With monitors, that means every inch they're given.

[dinosaurdammit]

Originally Posted by Pirarucu

I'm just saying as long as they can choose to return to the cage when they want, and aren't shut out, I don't see a problem. I know they will remember where it is, they are plenty smart enough for that. I know an instance where a friend's croc monitor got out of its cage and very nearly escaped through an open window upstairs before being caught. It was put on a six month lockdown in its cage, and the instant the owner let it out, it made straight for the same upstairs window.
As far as cage size, I'm with you. I like giving animals as much space as they will use. With monitors, that means every inch they're given.

when he is done he goes back and opens his door and just goes in and i lock the door- he lets me know when he wants out but his free roam is limited to one hour and the "tricks" are enrichment for him, he seems to get something out of it.

[infernalis]

Originally Posted by Gungirl

I never suggested to lock them in a box now did I ? I have no problems with people letting them roam for short periods of time outside of the cage. I do have a problem wrapping my head around the idea of prolonged time out of the proper environment. If the cage was set up and maintained properly exercise and mental stimulation can both be achieved inside the cage.

The thing is people take an animal that needs a lot of room and places them in a small space.. give it a bigger proper viv and you will solve many of these issues. I do not keep this type of animal and never will. I would not want to give it less than a 20'x20' building. I know I am a bit extreme on the size and some people will say they never need that much room but I also wouldn't keep a horse unless I could give it several acres to run on where as some people keep them on a 1/4 acre..

I really like the way you think.

Every passing day I find myself feeling guilty for confining Littlefoot and Cera in that 8x4x4 and if it kills me, they will have much, much more as soon as I sort out some details.

Now as far as letting them out, intervals of an hour or two every few days or so is not really going to shave off any lifespan, It's 24/7 poor husbandry that kills.

[jarich]

I agree that bigger is better when you are talking about monitor cages, though I think the same could be said for any reptile. It was interesting to read Dr Indiviglio's observation about the difference in muscle tone between captive and wild pythons and how that applies to this discussion.

However, I do not think that time spent outside the enclosure is just for the keepers sake. Enrichment is a big issue with monitors, in my opinion. These are super smart reptiles, with perhaps only crocodilians being smarter. Put into any size cage they will get bored. A 20x20 would still make them bored lizards. Giving them time to come out and interact with a novel environment is important; especially if they have the chance, like in DDs case, to go back into their enclosures when they want. Of course its not good to have them out for long periods of time, but that doesnt seem to be the case here.

I have never tried training mine to do anything, so cant speak to the ease of that subject. However, I think its great that you work with yours DD. Im sure the monitor gains a lot from the enrichment.

[varanus_mad]

Monitors know how to be monitors they know where there home is and when there body tells them they need a certain set of conditions,

In this instance that monitor is telling her i need heat, humidity, by going back to his cage.

The thing is they have a range of conditions available to them and make use of extremes, from the very humid to the very dry.

Out of interest have you noticed him closing of his burrows?

A behaviour normally associated with flavis but id be interested to know if that chap does it.

it is a really weird cross to my mind gouldii need more heat and drier conditions than argus's and argus's are from what is essentially a giant tropical rainforest...