Monitor lizards - Who is right for them?

I have other herps but no monitors. My research from reading caresheets to watching videos from expert keepers who specializes in Varanis suggested that they are as a whole not good pets for beginners or those who lack the resources to care for them properly.

My point is this: there is a popular pet Youtuber named Taylor Dean who keeps numerous pets in her 2 or 3 bedroom apartment shared with her boyfriend. She has a LOT of animals ranging from several ball pythons and other snakes, 2-3 hedgehogs, lots of fish in several tanks as big as a 125 gallon, bearded dragon, leopard gecko, blue tongue skink, 2 cats, a crab.... The list goes on. She stated that to date, she still keeps some of her pets in her closet due to lack of space. A few months ago, she thought she purchased a white throat monitor because allegedly her pregnant friend wanted one, they were going to share custody with her housing it in her apartment and provide care 100% etc... She impulse bought the lizard with no proper enclosure ready for him. After the purchase, she went on vacation, came back and posted a vid about her new pet.

Almost immediately many commented that it was a black throat monitor. She had no idea she was caring for the wrong species for at least a month that has a different set of care requirements.

Then she supposedly tried to re home it to a rescue because she does not believe in keeping wild caught animals, even though her fish tanks are filled with them.

Recently, she announced that she is keeping the monitor lizard because the lizard took to her. She stated the reason being is her local rescue would be keeping him the same way so why not her so she can spoil him. She has no experience working with monitors.

I have never heard of a monitor this size kept indoors, much less in an apartment crowded with other pets. Can someone with experience confirm if this is true? Can a large monitor lizard live happily or at least have most of not all needs met being cared for this way? Can a baby who appeared tame remain tame as an adult? Are her other pets safe around this lizard if she lets it roam loose in the apartment?

That name and desciption of the animals and apartment sounded familar, so i checked out Youtube and yeah, I've seen a few of her videos. I think I got halfway through a second one and quit. Wasn't impressed.

Anyway, I know VERY little about monitors, next to nothing really. But that sounds like a recipe for disaster to me with the minute amount of knowledge of monitors that I have.

I'm sure others will chime in. I like this thread and I'm curious to see where it goes...

A monitor in an apartment.

:O

If she keeps it I foresee an eviction and a very large bill for cleaning and repairs to the apartment afterward.

Situations like this one are why landlords have no-pet policies.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by bcr229

A monitor in an apartment.

:O

If she keeps it I foresee an eviction and a very large bill for cleaning and repairs to the apartment afterward.

Situations like this one are why landlords have no-pet policies.

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...and paint an ugly picture of our hobby, making it harder on the rest of us.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Cheesenugget

She impulse bought the lizard

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Enough said.

I have kept Nile and savanna monitors in the past, and can tell you that a Nile monitor would not be a safe option in such a small crowded space, and they don't even get as large as a black throat. I allowed mine to free roam an entire house, and kept my other animals in a seperate closed off room, since most monitors will eat nearly anything. I also kept my bedroom closed at night, as I did not trust him around me when I was asleep... They are intelligent and can form bonds with keepers, but are also an insatiable predator and can never be fully trusted.

Sounds like she's an attention hound to me, and using her animals to get some of that attention. First strike.

NO, she is NOT thinking about the welfare of the monitor, nor giving it the best care available. The rescue would've kept him in a small area for awhile until they found someone better able to give him the care he deserved. That's what rescues do, especially as many are short of space. That isn't an excuse for her to keep him in the same conditions. This is her again soliciting attention by pretending benevolence. Gross. Strike two.


She is promoting negligent behavior. I'm sure many people that follow her on YouTube have no idea the size a Black Throat can achieve, nor the danger they pose, nor the costs of their proper care. She is promoting the idea that it's okay to get an animal when you are in no way prepared or educated for it. People could end up hurt, and animals will end up dead or abandoned (see the invasive tegu in Florida). Annnnnd this is where fear, restriction, and laws comes from. Ignorance IS NOT bliss. Huge strike three and she's out in my book.



In my mind, this is the same debate as the one around large constrictors. How do you ensure that a person is prepared to give the care a large predator needs, not only for the safety of the person but also for the safety and well being of the animal? Do you impose permits? Sanctions?

If we as a community could step up, come together, and work out a plan before the government steps in, how cool would that be? Its a bit of a pipe dream - we do live in a market society, after all. But it's an interesting thought. If the reptile community could police itself to a certain extent, we might see less of this, and more of the good stuff.

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Originally Posted by ladywhipple02

If we as a community could step up, come together, and work out a plan before the government steps in, how cool would that be? Its a bit of a pipe dream - we do live in a market society, after all. But it's an interesting thought. If the reptile community could police itself to a certain extent, we might see less of this, and more of the good stuff.

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this would require people like Brian to publicly condemn Taylor Dean and remove his collabs with her. they're not going to do that; there'$ $o much at $take.

it would be nice for us to be able to speak louder than these people, but as long as 12 y/o keep watching their channels and making them money we're just going to remain background noise to them.

i've watched a handful of her videos and i couldn't shake the negative feelings about her channel. i'm glad to know my gut was right.

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Originally Posted by tttaylorrr

this would require people like Brian to publicly condemn Taylor Dean and remove his collabs with her. they're not going to do that.

it would be nice for us to be able to speak louder than these people, but as long as 12 y/o keep watching their channels and making them money we're just going to remain background noise to them.

i've watched a handful of her videos and i couldn't shake the negative feelings about her channel. i'm glad to know my gut was right.

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Thus the pipe dream comment ;) I'm in complete agreement with you. It would require an agreement from A LOT of different people, and money talks very loudly. The downfall of BHB is a perfect example of how loudly. Unfortunately, these people who are soliciting attention now are going to be the ones who end up ruining the hobby for us all.

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Originally Posted by ladywhipple02

Thus the pipe dream comment ;) I'm in complete agreement with you. It would require an agreement from A LOT of different people, and money talks very loudly. The downfall of BHB is a perfect example of how loudly.

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like when i think of Brian and his channel, i remind myself "don't let perfect be the enemy of good." Brian isn't perfect, but he has the resources to back up everything he does and provide for the animals.

Taylor Dean is buying up new animals for selfish reasons. period. keeping a monitor in an apartment and blatantly broadcasting it is just ridiculous. i can't believe no one bigger has called her out yet.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by bcr229

A monitor in an apartment.

:O

If she keeps it I foresee an eviction and a very large bill for cleaning and repairs to the apartment afterward.

Situations like this one are why landlords have no-pet policies.

---

I had the same reaction.

When I was young (like, 7), and said I wanted a lizard as a pet, my dad said no because at the time im sure he knew I wasn't old enough to take care of one on my own, and I was mostly ok with that. Well, my moms boyfriend at the time wasn't, and of course wanting to be impressive, bought a Savannah Monitor.

Sounds like an AMAZING idea, amiright? Pretty sure at the time I was hoping for a beardie.

The thing was a baby when he bought it, of course. "It wont get that big, dont worry about it". It lived in a glass tank, actually decently well set up when I think back on it. Needless to say, though, it wasn't a good purchase. It was aggressive as all hell (had to keep one finger out of the glove so it had something to grab when he needed to be moved), I always felt guilty about feeding it live, and as all monitors do, it grew. Of course, none of this was the lizards fault, I have no doubt that the man kept it in not so great conditions, probably was rough when handling it, and im sure the lie feedings didnt help at all with the aggression. My mom eventually got too scared of the animal eating her cat, and forced him to give it away.

Eventually, 2 years ago, I found out the second owners improperly cared for it and it died. Poor thing...

Needless to say, monitor lizards are NOT meant for confined space, or at least one that wont take up a decent portion, if not permanent portion, of your room. As stated above, most are free roam for this reason.

Would I keep a monitor again? I would LOVE to. But being 18 currently, with no house of my own, I don't plan to until well in the future, if ever. The way that this girl is keeping them currently is extremely irresponsible, and yes, it could be extremely dangerous to other animals. They are extremely intelligent, and though it may have bonded with her, they are veracious hunters, and will honestly use that intelligence to grab any animal they find to be to their liking.

Amazing animals, but not for someone to just randomly grab and place in their home without research. Sadly, I had to witness that myself.

when i think of keeping big lizards i think of Dave Durham and his YT channel. if you haven't checked him out yet, please do. he has a lot of land and BIG lizards, and i think he usually allows some of his lizards to free-roam the yard when the season is right. he has built huge enclosures and pens for his pets and obviously has the resources to care for them all.

this is the video that made me love his channel; it's just so cute listening to this old man dote on an iguana lol. :)

EDIT: Dave Durham owns a black-throat. maybe we should point him over to her channel and see what he thinks...

First of all just want to add some things, its a bit mixed up she bought what she thought was a black throated monitor and didn't realize until a month later and she posted a video on and people saw it and corrected her. But what she currently owns is a rough necked monitor.

She also thinks it bonded to her, because it will be calm and let her pet its head like a dog or something, when correct me if im wrong. Dont rough necked monitors freeze up as a self defense? I dont think its acting tame its acting scared. But she thinks its all okay and happy with her.

Well - generally yes - Monitor lizards are not for people who beginners to keeping reptiles.

But there are some species which are considered good "beginner" monitors. Generally those species are best kept by some one who has a modest amount of experience which keeping such lizards aa bearded dragons, and leopard geckos.

Smaller monitors such as the Ackie or Ridge-tailed monitors are considered one of the best "beginner" species of monitors.
1. They are very hardy, tough monitors
2. They tend to stay fairly small - usually about 20-24 inches for a large male, females are slightly smaller.
3. They tend to be fairly easy to feed (mostly live insects) and keep (desert/semi arid type habitat, with a very hot basking spot (131 F/55 C or higher), cool night time temps should be above 75F/23.9 C. As adults can be kept in a 4 feet/120 cm x2 feet/60 cm x2 feet/60cm vivarium. Juveniles can start out in a 40 gallon breeder vivarium.