The best day ever!

[fishy12]

i would be so scared he would sneak up on me and kill me before i knew wht happend.

 

[MyFishEatYourFish]

Oh, we'll most definately continue to interact with him, just not at the level the previous owner was. In the guys care, this monitor had no habitat...he roamed the guys bedroom, urinating and deficating where it saw fit. The previous owners idea of habitat was a large, flat rock, sat in front of a space heater.

He'd let him lay in bed with him, drink from the same water glass (often times letting it drink iced tea) and he'd let his very young daughter lay in the floor with it, grabbing its head, etc.

He'll be intereacted with daily, just not carried around and thought of as a Pomeranian.

good to hear. sounds like her could use some uvb. it might be a good idea to touch his head alot just so if he ever got injured he would trust you that much more.
what did you end up trading for him?

 

[coura]

Oh, we'll most definately continue to interact with him, just not at the level the previous owner was. In the guys care, this monitor had no habitat...he roamed the guys bedroom, urinating and deficating where it saw fit. The previous owners idea of habitat was a large, flat rock, sat in front of a space heater.

He'd let him lay in bed with him, drink from the same water glass (often times letting it drink iced tea) and he'd let his very young daughter lay in the floor with it, grabbing its head, etc.

He'll be intereacted with daily, just not carried around and thought of as a Pomeranian.

Oh my...Im not saying that he would purposely hurt her but this lizard has defenetly the power to do some pretty serious damage to a young child, wich doesant know how to interpretate the lizard body language, and with claws the size and as sharp as a eagle´s even some normal walking move could like wond herSo good you took it out of its hands Even with normal dogs and others pets all the care in the world can be litle when kids are involved and this aint no kids pet. In my opinion should always be a barrier seperating this guys space from people space Use good sence, a pair of thick gloves and toons of respect for this guy, and enjoy what you have I would love to have one of this

 

[coura]

i would be so scared he would sneak up on me and kill me before i knew wht happend.

He wouldnt do that because they dont eat people What he would most likely do is giving you a "evel stare" to show you that your bugging him, start to puff up and if you dont go away he would try to lash you with its tail or even bite. Another case would be if he smelled food on your fingers or cloding and that would be bad

 

[coura]

good to hear. sounds like her could use some uvb. it might be a good idea to touch his head alot just so if he ever got injured he would trust you that much more.
what did you end up trading for him?

Well actualy I dont think toching its head would be that great of a good idea This guys are inpredictable and most lizards dont like it. Also toching its head would mean dominance and it can be viewed like a chalange to respond to. It would be better to start with the fingers and limbs and see how it responds. Also dont forget most monitors prefer to be leaven alone. Dont pushing their fellings, calling them for food, and letting them be its one way to get them used to people. Once it starts to acossiating people with good stuff the fun will really begin

 

[AW2EOD]

You can rub his entire body, without him making a fuss. He doesn't much like having his tail touched, but you can grab his feet, to inspect and trim his claws and he doesn't mind. Just an FYI, I will NOT be trimming his claws...this is what the previous owner did.

The previous owner went as far and rubbing his chin and even hand feeding him small pieces of chicken livers, which I am not going to do. The reason for his obesity is because of the very horrible diet he was on.

 

[MyFishEatYourFish]

true coura, monitors are solitary creatures that do prefer to be left alone, but they are smart and adapt to social interaction with humans. unpredictability is a problem with all reptiles and will only be worsened if he is treated like hes expected to bite. touching their head is not seen as a threat until its forsful or unrelenting, just like most animals. touching his head for him is not like eye contact with a dog, he will trust it until there's a reason not to. i know the two lizards are very different but there are some similarities in all monitors. when i got my sav 3 months he would hiss, whip, bite and even lunge at me to try and bite. from handling him all the time and touching him all the time i can touch him anywhere and he will crawl right onto my lap and push his head into my hand to get me to scratch him, like a cat. this guy demands respect but that doesn't mean you need to be scared of him nor does it mean he can't be a pet.

monitors are definitely the kings of glare. when mine is basking and doesn't want to be muffed with he will burn a whole through my eyes with his stare. i love it though cause he looks into my eyes when he does it and not at the hand that is reaching for him.

don't take this as "how do you know what youre talking about?", i'm just curious. do you have any monitors coura?

 

[MyFishEatYourFish]

whats wrong with rubbing his chin if he likes it? my sav loves his cheaks rubbed. and other than the possibility of being bitten or associating your hand with food, whats wrong with hand feeding on occasion?

 

[coura]

whats wrong with rubbing his chin if he likes it? my sav loves his cheaks rubbed. and other than the possibility of being bitten or associating your hand with food, whats wrong with hand feeding on occasion?

I wouldnt use hand feeding, everywere says its not a got idea I think we both agree the risk of being bitten and associating the hand with food its already bad enougth Safety comes first

 

[coura]

true coura, monitors are solitary creatures that do prefer to be left alone, but they are smart and adapt to social interaction with humans. unpredictability is a problem with all reptiles and will only be worsened if he is treated like hes expected to bite

Im not saying it should treat the lizard like a tiger but hell that is a animal that must be respected considering the kind of waponery it has on its mouth. This is still for all means a wild monitor that was raised by humans, You cant expect him to become like totaly tame It has to be a limbo. On other hand unpredictability is defenetly bigger on this guys simply because they are so smart. Once I get my igs out of their cages I know i can trust them but I dont know if I would trust one of this guys All animals can bite, but this have the potencial to do serious damage. On the other hand handling can have a oposite efect turning the animals wilder because they dont like it. But if the lizard "likes" it, interacion can be given and its desirable. But it has to be allways present the knowlege that this a predator lizard from a harsh evoirement and should be treated with the upmost respect as well as reading its body language. On the other hand this guys are great for training and he should teach him a few simple tricks for both safety.

. touching their head is not seen as a threat until its forsful or unrelenting, just like most animals. touching his head for him is not like eye contact with a dog, he will trust it until there's a reason not to.

Both can be seen as chalange, but really depends on the lizard. Some adult male igs dont like both eye contact or toching their heads. My big girl doesant like it either The thing here is that in case the lizard doesant likes it, he only has a fracsion of a secont to take the hand of in case he decides to bite. Untill otherwise its proven this is still a questionable temperament one. He still has to find its likes and dislikes wich will apear as its personality unfolds. Maybe the head is to be toched or maybe its of limits. The lizard will tell.

i know the two lizards are very different but there are some similarities in all monitors. when i got my sav 3 months he would hiss, whip, bite and even lunge at me to try and bite. from handling him all the time and touching him all the time i can touch him anywhere and he will crawl right onto my lap and push his head into my hand to get me to scratch him, like a cat. this guy demands respect but that doesn't mean you need to be scared of him nor does it mean he can't be a pet.
Rigth but dont forget the kind of power it has, that on its own means that it has to be respected. I also think a litle healty amount of fear aint bad either, that will keep him safe. Good jugement is also important. Dont forget thouse 2 animals personality is diferent. Even with savs some aparently remain beasts from hell (even if I never saw a agressive one)

monitors are definitely the kings of glare. when mine is basking and doesn't want to be muffed with he will burn a whole through my eyes with his stare. i love it though cause he looks into my eyes when he does it and not at the hand that is reaching for him.

don't take this as "how do you know what youre talking about?", i'm just curious. do you have any monitors coura?
I dont have monitors, my big lizard thing its iguanas (also my mom doesant like the fact that they hand snake like tongues, go figure) I do however look foward into getting me some ackies in the future. Back to topic, but I do have monitor contact. One of my best friends (now its studing in spain) has a true cb female sav that is completly tame. Now I kind of look at her because she´s living at he´s mom´s place after he´s room mates decided they no longer wanted a lizard pooping on the bathroom floor so he bring her back, and I come over several times a mouth to see how she is doing. Its family has several times kind of asked me if i dont want her but I refused, its a nice home and electricity aint cheap Aside from her I several times adivised people with monitors, mainly savs but also niles (notice that here its rare for people to have things like ackies and trees)