best beginner monitor/tegu

[emmet10]

I now there is no such thing but I am curious

[emmet10]

Anybody please

[Skiploder]

I now there is no such thing but I am curious

You're right, there is no such thing.

There are varanids that are smaller and more handleable than other monitors. There a monitors that have slightly less demanding husbandry requirements than others........

But there are no beginner monitors.

[emmet10]

thanks

[emmet10]

anybody else

[slayer]

Ackies are a good choice for a first time varanid keeper.

[emmet10]

those are so cool

[mumps]

This all depends if you are new to monitors/tegus, or new to reptiles in general.

If you are new to reptiles in general, I couldn't recommend any species to start with.

If you've kept other species, especially larger snakes or lizards, then the options start to open up. Depends on what you like.

Chris

[Michelle.C]

I'd have to agree with the other posters. If you are new to reptiles, there is no good beginner Monitor/Tegu.

Grab a Bearded Dragon and keep it alive and healthy for a year or so and then move to the next step and get a manageable Monitor/Tegu. While Bearded Dragons are not a comparison in caring requirements/attitude, they do require specialized lighting and a varied diet.

If you have experience, I'd either say a Timor or Ackie would be alright. Although most are flighty and dislike being handled, they are small. However, that being said, their requirements are not small. They are expensive to house, heat, light and feed. They require lots of room and enrichment for you to have a happy animal.

For Tegus, an Argentine Black and White is really the only choice to start off with. Reds get too large (and they are shyer) and Blues are downright expensive. Colombian Tegus are considered more aggressive and wouldn't be a good choice.

Argentine Tegus can be very food aggressive though and their teeth are massive. I can only imagine what an adult bite would look/feel like. Teenage (Juvie) Tegus are known for being jerks too. So at around a year old, you'll possibly have a quite large animal that is in a bad mood and thinks it's starving to death. Not to mention, they grow extremely fast. You won't even believe how quickly they grow.

Either way, I'd put in tons of research before deciding. Don't just visit forums, read care sheets, watch videos on youtube to get a good idea on size and attitude, read articles, etc. Prepare yourself for the huge responsibility you are thinking of taking on. Good luck!

[emmet10]

Thanks going to hold of on a monitor or tegu for now