Monitor Questions and Such

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by varnoid

even though you excluded them savannahs are by far the best starter monitor they are cheap readily avalable and once they are a little bigger they get fat and lazy .... do not get a nile no matter what they are not beginners at all they get way to big and are way to agressive

---

First off, it is savanna, not Savannah. Savannah is a city in Georgia. Savanna is the grassland from which this lizard gets its common name. If a savanna is fat and lazy you're doing it wrong. They should be active and alert lizards. Captive savanna monitors are typically kept in improper caging with inadequate heat and fed an improper diet. If fed and housed properly (i.e. they have a large cage, adequate heat, and plenty of room to dig) they aren't fat or lazy. The OP mentioned a desire to feed rodents. If that is the case stay away from savanna monitors. Savs fed a primarily rodent diet don't fare well in captivity.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by ArgentumVesica

Exactly why i dont want them. They get way to fat and lazy. i want something that will always be energetic.

---

Keep them properly and they will be surprisingly active.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by purplemuffin

The more I learn about monitors, the more I learn that to be quite honest, there really is no 'starter' monitor. Ackies are considered starters because they are small. Though they are fun and energetic. But their care is just as intense as any other monitor.

The easiest monitor you can get is one that's captive bred (another reason why people say go with Ackies) because you have less of a chance of getting an already dying animal.

---

I agree and I'll elaborate below. Ackies are always the monitor I recommend for a new monitor keeper.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by drama x

This is a false statement IMO. My first monitor was an Ornate Nile Montior and he is great, he isnt agressive at all and eats like a garbage disposale. Nile Montiors are good, begginer or not. You still need to take proper precautions tho before purchasing one, keep in mind they eat like crazy, you will be spending alot of money on food, you will need a big enclosure when they get older, and just remember to hold them alot and they will be fine, mine isnt agressive at all.

Dont exclude a nile montior from your decision.

FYI they arnt lazy either, mine is VERY energetic.

---

I disagree with you for various reasons. First of all, a first time owner should shy away from anything that is going to attain the size of the niles and ornates. Would you recommend a retic or anaconda for a first time snake owner? (I hope not.) The larger animals require not only more specialized caging, but also a bit of skill if you don't want to be another bonehead that makes the news because their animal bit them and they ended up in the ER. Or even worse, the animal escaped because the inexperienced keeper didn't know what to expect when constructing a cage for their pet.)
Now for the important part:
Niles and ornates are not the same lizard. Though ornates are sometimes called ornate Nile monitors, they are different. It is not surprising that your ornate was not as defensive as most Nile monitors. Niles (Varanus niloticus) are more slender and generally longer. They're also quite a bit more defensive in most cases. Ornates (Varanus ornatus) are stockier and behave in a manner more similar to black throat monitors. Of the two, ornate monitors generally tolerate human interaction better than Nile monitors. Thought they're easy to tell apart, most of the "ornates" I have seen online are actually Niles that are more colorful instead of the actual ornate monitor. Easiest way to tell is look at the tongues. Niles have dark colored tongues. Ornates have pink tongues. There are also differences with the banding pattern, but there is quite a bit of variation in that. I digress. Back to the original question.
Neither Niles or ornates are good beginner pets. They require large cages, room to dig and large pools to soak.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Melody

Savannahs are by far one of the worst monitors to start with. Yes they are very cheap and available but they are farm bred or wild caught and usually very unhealthly. Theyre care is so much more than people think and the monitors are "fat and lazy" because they are suffering. A healthy sav is not fat and should be active. Trust me, months back I used to think they were easy because i was getting all the wrong info!
Perfect example, I just rescued a baby Savannah yesterday that is very skinny, dehydrated and listless and was being fed only pinkies. I am trying my best to make him healthy again by giving him a proper setup and the correct diet, i just hope im not too late. This is exactly why they are NOT NOT NOT good starters. They are wonderful monitors if given the proper care and the owner is willing to comitt to the right care, but most people cant and wont. Its sad but true

---

Quite right. Savs should not have a diet high in rodents. That isn't too difficult when small, but unless you are producing your own worms, roaches, grasshoppers, etc. adults are difficult to feed properly.

I'm tired of typing so here's my soap box moment.

Most people that keep monitors shouldn't. They seem to get into the amazing group of lizards for the wrong reasons (e.g., they want a giant lizard that can "hunt" live rodents thrown into their cage). In reality this group requires a bit more care than most other commonly encountered lizards. Prices are a bit backwards as well with the worst pet monitors being some of the easiest to acquire. Monitors require large cages that allow for climbing, digging, swimming, or some combination of these. If you want to know what monitor MAY be the best for you ("may" because other factors will definitely play a role) perhaps it will be best to know how much room you plan to give to the lizard. If you're limited to a 6x3 foot area, then most of the commonly found monitors won't do well in that space.

In my opinion there is no better starting monitor than an ackie. The basis for my opinion comes from the relative easy care for ackies compared to the other monitors. They need at least a cage with a 4'x2' base. They should be allowed to dig and have a heat gradient that allows them to get warm but also some escape from the heat during the day. Mine have a basking spot that is over 130 degrees F with the cool end of the cage measuring in the upper 70s during the day. Ackies go after their prey with the same tenacity as the larger lizards so you're not missing anything there. The main difference is in the size of the prey. Ackies are more tolerant of keeper error compared to some of the other monitors and "accidents" won't land you in the ER if the lizard is an ackie. The same can't be said for the larger lizards. If you're set on a monitor, an ackie is a great first step. You can get your feet wet with a lizard that is relatively easier to care for but keep all the benefits of the larger monitors.