sav monitor handling

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woofy

Jack Dempsey
MFK Member
May 2, 2007
5,341
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Miami
As u may or may not know i have a baby sav monitor about 6-7" long. Ive had him for months now and he has never bit me. I try to handle him as much as possible but i feel like no mater how much i handle him he acts like if i dont. If i reach my hand to get him he runs away and if i touch him he start hissing like crazy. so far what i usually do is pet him, wait for him to calm down then reach under him and lft him but i have to hold on tight if not zoom hes off. Is there a particular way to handle him? Shoudl i just grab him fast and thats it or should i keep going very slow? once he in my hand what do i do? should he just sit there? halp!:nilly: how do u tame these beasties? i have to start now that his bite might not hurt that bad ;)
 
never a god idea to try and pick herps up quickly, because thats how u get bitten ;)
try bringing your hand in slowly, and stroking it's back, and then slowly try picking it up. And for taming i know that this old lady on youtube had the crazy tame savs that she kept like dogs (free roaming) in her house, but the way she tamed them was like putting them upside down in a bathtub full of water, i don't agree with it but if it works then you can try it i you agree with it.
 
Sorry Jfitz, but that is terrible advice. A Sav that small will consider anything as large as a human a predator, which is why woofy is getting the behaviors she is experiencing.

Woofy what is your need to hold it? There really shouldnt be a reason for you to be grabbing and holding your monitor the way you described. If you wanted a pet to cuddle and pet then a monitor lizards was definatley the wrong way to go. Why not gain its trust first before you lunge your hand in there to pet it or pick it up? Once he associates you as something that is not dangerous then he will tolerate your presence more. You gain its trust by simply observing it and by associating yourself to him as the provider of survival resources, food and water. That should be the extent of it right now until it gets bigger and it associates you as a safe object. If you keep grabbing it and holding it then it will always associate you in a negative way.
 
evilxyardxgnome;2549803; said:
Actually its best to start when they are small but to start slowly. If you wait until they are older and you never handle them they will be more aggressive and afraid of you.
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Eh, you're you herpies person.
I am just going on my personal experience.

Btw, Woof, how many critter do you have? lol With your posts it seems like you have a zoo :D
 
evilxyardxgnome;2549803; said:
Actually its best to start when they are small but to start slowly. If you wait until they are older and you never handle them they will be more aggressive and afraid of you.
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If you start too early (baby hatchling stage) they will never lose the fear and will always associate you as a danger. Trust me I have seen my fair share of flighty monitors.

We also have to look at the species of animal she is working with, Savannah monitors are all wild collected. The only thing they can associate with humans is fear: why? Because when they were transported to the US they were mishandeled when they were captured they were mishandeled, when they went to the pet store they were mishandeled, so now eventhough Woofy has the best of intentions, the animal is now going to associate her with danger.

I dont think this is the type of message woofy wants to relay to her captive. So for this particular example its best to leave this animal alone.

If were talking about ackies then this would be a different story, they are captive bred and the first thing they see from the egg is a human, they get treated beautifully because they are a high end animal, and will never consider humans as a threat. Its messed up but thats the way it is.
 
varanio;2549684; said:
Sorry Jfitz, but that is terrible advice. A Sav that small will consider anything as large as a human a predator, which is why woofy is getting the behaviors she is experiencing.

Woofy what is your need to hold it? There really shouldnt be a reason for you to be grabbing and holding your monitor the way you described. If you wanted a pet to cuddle and pet then a monitor lizards was definatley the wrong way to go. Why not gain its trust first before you lunge your hand in there to pet it or pick it up? Once he associates you as something that is not dangerous then he will tolerate your presence more. You gain its trust by simply observing it and by associating yourself to him as the provider of survival resources, food and water. That should be the extent of it right now until it gets bigger and it associates you as a safe object. If you keep grabbing it and holding it then it will always associate you in a negative way.
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sorry if im posting bad advice, just saying what i saw and that i didnt agree with it.
 
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