Display reptile...that can be handled?

[coyotethug]

You can create a display animal out of anything if you spend the time and money on a nice enclosure and decorate it well. That being said many of the larger reptiles will destroy their cages on a regular basis which makes it hard for you to keep it display worthy.

I have made great desert vivariums for leopard geckos and sand boas which look like zoo exhibits. Also rainforests for chameleons and dart frogs are easy but you can not handle them. I am looking to set up an emerald tree boa paludarium soon, with darts and a large water area with schools of small fish. They are not handleable however, I have scars to prove it.

My suggestion is find a reptile you want to keep and build a display setup for it. Any can potentially be set up this way, generally you enclosure will have to be many times larger than minimum to pull it off.

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[A. gigas]

Nothing was wrong with it. I got it as a wc baby, if I had to guess it was only a few months old when caught, and it didn't become tame overnight. It took a lot of work. I use the phrase "tame as a dog" loosely because I know that no reptile is tame as a dog. If you read the other posts I put, I clearly mentioned that no reptile will enjoy being handled, but you can get them to tolerate it.


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How was its enclosure set up, and what are you meaning by "tame"? I ask because I have seen many captive crocodile monitors, and while plenty were tractable and not overly aggressive, not one of them would ever allow itself to be held or petted, except the unhealthy ones..
Regardless, the fact remains that monitors are quite vulnerable to stress, especially the smaller, arboreal species. They certainly are not good choices when one of your criteria is that they need to be a handling animal..

 

[Aw3s0m3]

How was its enclosure set up, and what are you meaning by "tame"? I ask because I have seen many captive crocodile monitors, and while plenty were tractable and not overly aggressive, not one of them would ever allow itself to be held or petted, except the unhealthy ones..
Regardless, the fact remains that monitors are quite vulnerable to stress, especially the smaller, arboreal species. They certainly are not good choices when one of your criteria is that they need to be a handling animal..

It started off in just a 36"Wx12"Dx24"H cage that I built and as it grew, I built bigger and bigger until eventually it was in a 12'Wx4'Dx8'H enclosure with plenty of climbing branches and basking and hiding spots. By tame, I actually meant tame, like I could walk up to it to pet it and it wouldn't move and when I open the door, it would just calmly walk out and I could just pick it up and it would just chill on my shoulder. It took a LONG time though to get it like that. Like I said, it was just a baby when I got it and I started off by putting my hand in and letting him approach me. It first would just lick my hand then walk away, later it would actually climb on top of my hand then climb off and eventually it would climb on my hand then climb up my arm. This took about 1-1/2 years for it to eventually let me just pick it up and not care.

 

[snakeguy101]

Have you considered Oreocryptophis porphyraceus coxi? They are similar to corn snakes as far as size and handling goes but with stunning colors. If you are up for a bit more maintenance then a Gonyosoma oxycephalum might work. They are prone to parasites so get a CBB one. Otherwise they are pretty straight forward. Sailfin dragons, frilled dragons, uromastyx, and bearded dragons all do great as displays too and can be handled easily.

I could go on and on with a number of species that would work. I think you need to narrow it down. What type of set up do you want? Tropical, dessert, savanna, riparian, etc? What size do you want them to max out at? How much time do you want to put into care? These are all things that need to be considered.

 

[Pazzoman]

Hey everyone im looking at the the suggestions i should elaborate a little more then since thier are a variety of reps.

Tank will most likely the dimesions of 24x18x18 or 24X18X24 debating on it...as i would like the exo terra but only if the price is right at tomorrows expo...then in september (next expo) will have the tank at least ready for the reptile.

The theme doesnt really matter to ke now...because im still unsure of what rep lol...

Defintly at tomorrows expo will be looking around for ideas tho.

Thanks!!!


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[Edwardo]

It started off in just a 36"Wx12"Dx24"H cage that I built and as it grew, I built bigger and bigger until eventually it was in a 12'Wx4'Dx8'H enclosure with plenty of climbing branches and basking and hiding spots. By tame, I actually meant tame, like I could walk up to it to pet it and it wouldn't move and when I open the door, it would just calmly walk out and I could just pick it up and it would just chill on my shoulder. It took a LONG time though to get it like that. Like I said, it was just a baby when I got it and I started off by putting my hand in and letting him approach me. It first would just lick my hand then walk away, later it would actually climb on top of my hand then climb off and eventually it would climb on my hand then climb up my arm. This took about 1-1/2 years for it to eventually let me just pick it up and not care.

Walk up to it and just pet it, just sitting on your shoulder,
These dont sound like normal behaviors and reactions that a healthy young monitor would show,
especially if it was being kept at normal operating temperatures.

 

[jmichailiuk]

Monitors are usually nasty mean guys any size their bites are big and they run away pretty fast haven't seen a tame one yet you can hold them but its a matter of Time for it bite off some fingers


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[crayfishguy]

Hey everyone im looking at the the suggestions i should elaborate a little more then since thier are a variety of reps.

Tank will most likely the dimesions of 24x18x18 or 24X18X24 debating on it...as i would like the exo terra but only if the price is right at tomorrows expo...then in september (next expo) will have the tank at least ready for the reptile.

The theme doesnt really matter to ke now...because im still unsure of what rep lol...

Defintly at tomorrows expo will be looking around for ideas tho.

Thanks!!!


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What about a leachianus gecko? Nocturnal, but they often sleep out in the open..

 

[Aw3s0m3]

Walk up to it and just pet it, just sitting on your shoulder,
These dont sound like normal behaviors and reactions that a healthy young monitor would show,
especially if it was being kept at normal operating temperatures.

I don't know what to tell you then. It was healthy as can be. It had annual check ups with a reputable reptile vet, ate like a freakin horse and I never had a problem with it after the first 1-1/2 years.


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[bassfisher91]

Ball pythons are definitely the go to nowadays. There's balls pretty much at every booth at every show. I've never personally dealt with bloods but I've heard all sorts of horror stories with them. How did you handle breeding feeders? I had a breeding trio of rats when I was younger to feed my very first retic and I just could NOT handle the smell! I can't imagine having to put up with thousands of those.

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Ball pythons may be everywhere now but when the morphs first started coming out it was a world of its own. $5K-10K for a single snake was not unusual at all and several sold for over $100K. I remember when an average pastel was $1.5K, although they quickly fell in value, as most co-dom morphs do. I haven't checked recently but they can't be much more than a normal now. The feeders were easy once you get into a system where everything is automated. Clean the tubs every four days and you're good to go. The rats don't smell at all compared to the mice. African soft furred rats didn't smell bad either but they are the meanest critters ever.