Traded for a blackthroat and have some questions

Ok, As some of you may know I got a baby savannah that was not in good shape at all. After seeing that there was nothing I could do for the poor guy I took him back to the pet store which has an exotic vet. I figure he could do more for him than I could. Well the guy at the store said he would do an even swap for a blackthroat thats about 2 feet long ( give or take ). The reason he did this is because this guy has a nasty attitude. Right now I have him in a big cage that seems to be plenty of room for him. Now keep in mind I just got him today but everytime I come in the room to look at him if he is out he runs right for the hide. I want to do this perfect so I haven't messed with him more than need be but when should I start to handle him? When I do now he starts to wiggle and hiss which I can understand. Also when should I offer him food? And the last question. Do you think he will tame down if I start to handle him more offen?

Blackthroats generally will calm down..Is he WC??

Black throats get pretty darn big so I would say after a week or so start to hold your hand in the cage until he is calm enough to come up and examine your hand. You don't want to snag at them. They come to you when they are comfortable enough. I would try and feed him. He will likely take some sort of food. You want to put the food on a plate and leave it in there. You won't want him to associate your hands with food. I feed with tongs sometimes but I usually just drop the mice in and let him "find" them on his own. Good luck

Thanks, Yeah I would bet the he is wild caught. Robyn said that probably wouldn't calm down since I got him so late? You mean you would try to feed him tomorrow? Don't want to feed him to early but also I want to make him comfortable. Thanks again and I need all the imput I can get because I didn't really go up there to get him but for what he made to be such a great deal I couldn't let myself pass it up.

Monitors will usually eat anytime as long as they have a proper basking spot. Wish you luck

i take it you have read the care sheet on pro exotics web site. and anyone who says an animal wont be able to calm down is a quiter. hahaha. i have worked with numerious reptiles and there has been no lost cases.

after 2 weeks i would put on a nice pair of leather gloves and just hold him and dont let go till he calms down. black throats are awesome you got a great trade if it proves to be healthy. just make sure there is a hot spot that is about 120 deg. and then night time temps dont drop below about 82.

at 2 feet from head to tail he could easily eat a hole mouse. if he dosent eat a f/t, it will not hurt to drop a live large mouse in there. i feed my savannaha a live every now and then. if for nothing else a little excersize whial he chases him down.

matt fisher

we need pics. and mutipal updates.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by fish21

after 2 weeks i would put on a nice pair of leather gloves and just hold him and dont let go till he calms down.

---

that is DEFINITELY a no no. that is not at all how you tame ANY monitor.

you have to gain their trust and let them be the ones to come to you. try offering food from your open palm (using leather gloves ofcourse) and let him sniff your hand and examine it until he feel comfortable around you.

you dont want to force handle him. that doesnt accomplish anything. i have a good link on "taming". here it is. http://forums.kingsnake.com/view.php?id=1110696,1110696

Do you think tomorrow would be to early to try to feed him? I figure for the first 10-14 days i'll just do routine cleaning and let him get used to the everyday sounds and smells of the house and kinda go from there.

i fed my ackie the first day. it cant hurt to see if he'll eat. he's not a ball python and waiting 10-14 before feeding is not good.

i have had verry good luck handling monitors like that. my savannaha is calm as could be now i can reach in and just pick him right up not struggle at all. and balckthroats are basically the same as savannahas. there are many different methods. try and see what works for you.

the link marshal gave you is a great read. but keep in mind every species of monitor have different personalites. akies have a verry different temperment than black throats.
matt fisher

lol, I didn't mean 10-14 days before feeding I meant before trying to handle him. Thanks for all the insight and i'll just go by trial and error and pray for the best.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by mr~python

that is DEFINITELY a no no. that is not at all how you tame ANY monitor.

you have to gain their trust and let them be the ones to come to you. try offering food from your open palm (using leather gloves ofcourse) and let him sniff your hand and examine it until he feel comfortable around you.

you dont want to force handle him. that doesnt accomplish anything. i have a good link on "taming". here it is. http://forums.kingsnake.com/view.php?id=1110696,1110696

---

That's a good link Marshall gave you, I used to force handle my sav at first for the first 2-3 months I had him and basically it wasn't getting anywhere - he'd run like hell if I just poked my face round the door of the room he was in - and if I opened the viv door he'd scramble for cover quick (large human predator about to get me!). I wish I'd done it this way to start with when I first got him but I never heard of that way then. Mine's at the stage now where he could care less if I enter the room while he's out basking, and if he's at the front of his viv and I open it up he doesn't run. He flicks my hand with his tongue and will let me pet behind his ears - a different lizard to what I first had ;)

fish, your sav probably is so "tame" now because he's lost hope really. you've held onto him until he stopped struggling. that is not taming at all and not good for the monitors psychy(sp?).

monitors are not "tame" at all. they just tolerate you and allow you to handle them. "tame" for monitors is not charging at you and biting you every time your near it.

MY monitor needs some med applies on a rub mark she had when I got her. How badly do you think this handling will set her back from utilizing the handable NOT tame method? It is almost healed up, but I have been having to catch and restrain her to put the med on her boo-boo. I want to get a larger viv too, so I will be looking into that. Could I move her into the new viv(when I get it) and then start the new method? She will bask on her branch if I am sitting near the tank(3 feet away) and will watch me come clsoer, but if I reach in for anything, she will run. She has seemed to realize that I put clean water in and will immediately got to it to climb in and play. One good thing?
Thanks so much for the link! I just read the entire thing, and I will save it too. I want to have a happy monitor that isn't scared of me. And the grab and restrain method isn't working so well(necessary for the med though).
Hopefully I will get her settled like that!
Wolfy

dont worry about grabing and restraining them if its necessary. thats just part of keeping monitors. sometime restraining them is needed, but it DEFINITELY shouldnt be done if theres no reason for it.

her not running from you and allowing you too sit next to her cage is a good thing. i would also get a frozen pinkie or small mouse even (depending on how big she is) and put it in the palm of you hand and place your hand on the other side of the cage and just keep it there until your arm gets tired or until she comes to investigate or eat. thats a good way of them gaining trust.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by wolfy-hound

MY monitor needs some med applies on a rub mark she had when I got her. How badly do you think this handling will set her back from utilizing the handable NOT tame method? It is almost healed up, but I have been having to catch and restrain her to put the med on her boo-boo. I want to get a larger viv too, so I will be looking into that. Could I move her into the new viv(when I get it) and then start the new method? She will bask on her branch if I am sitting near the tank(3 feet away) and will watch me come clsoer, but if I reach in for anything, she will run. She has seemed to realize that I put clean water in and will immediately got to it to climb in and play. One good thing?
Thanks so much for the link! I just read the entire thing, and I will save it too. I want to have a happy monitor that isn't scared of me. And the grab and restrain method isn't working so well(necessary for the med though).
Hopefully I will get her settled like that!
Wolfy

---

What is the rub mark? Often monitors will heal better on their own if it's nothing much - I was reading on another monitor site about neosporin being not good for reptiles (or any petroleum based medication) - but of course you may not be using this anyway. I'd literally just read that thread before coming here so that's why my feeble mind can still remember it :)

My monitor's at the stage now (and remember I started off with the "force handle daily" routine) where I can go into his viv and he doesn't worry about what I do there. If he's laying on his tiled bit at the front he'll just sit there while I open the door and have his head scratched and won't move away. He loves his water too - don't they make a mess though! LOL!

Do I smell a thread hijacker? J/K I'm going to try to give him some crickets today and see if he bites. I'll let you know.

Charity actually sometimes really goes after crickets, sometimes she ignores them, so even if he doesn't go after them right away, don't give up on them. She LOVES earthworms.(Nightcralers, whatever is large and juicy) and earthworms are great for sprinking the calcium powder if you want to supplement.
I am indeed using triple antibiotic gel, but it is almost healed.
Wolfy(sorry about the hijack)

my ackie does WILD for crickets. if hes basking while im shaking them i the dusting bag he'll come to the side of the glass and start running around. he chases them SO fast and he can catch them out of mid air. its amazing.