Thinking of buying

I'm thinking of getting a tegus or monitor during the Rocky Mountain Reptile Expoi in Aug. Would a 80gal high be good for a young teg or monitor? And what kind should I get I cant decide.

Hmm... there usually aren't that many monitors to choose from at the RMRE. They like to focus on snakes and geckos.

However, if I were to get one or the other I would personally go with a Sav. I've always loved those guys.

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Originally Posted by Argentra

Hmm... there usually aren't that many monitors to choose from at the RMRE. They like to focus on snakes and geckos.

However, if I were to get one or the other I would personally go with a Sav. I've always loved those guys.

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DONT BUY FROM A SHOW AND DONT BUY A SAV!!!!
Ok first off shows usually have random animals ( I mean a bunch of differnt animals and you will prolly choose from what they have their) Second do ALOT of reasearch I strongly suggest you get and save up for a Ackie! For monitors/tegus they SHOULD NOT be keeped in aquariums they should have homemade cages!
Plus if you get a sav do you have room for a 8X4X5 cage? ( bare minimum) Savs also get 3-4ft and some can get 5ft....
Do you also have the money to feed these lizards baby monitors need to be feed everyday ( only 6 times a week ) and when they get bigger need to be feed BIGER prey items! ( depending on monitor is the secdual you will feed on (secies) )
Do you have experience with monitors/tegus? If that do you have any lizard experience at all? Monitors are not a ohh how cute lizard that will be your friends you will be lucky if your monitor turns out "nice" ( nice is not biteing you not tail whiping you) Monitors are no beardies need lots of respect and not your everyday lizard... Plus they need lots of space and some are hard to keep,maintain.....
any questions plz PM me... As for my suggestions do some research on ackies and dont buy any MONITOR!!!!! ( yet )

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Originally Posted by bonheki

DONT BUY FROM A SHOW AND DONT BUY A SAV!!!!
Ok first off shows usually have random animals ( I mean a bunch of differnt animals and you will prolly choose from what they have their) Second do ALOT of reasearch I strongly suggest you get and save up for a Ackie! For monitors/tegus they SHOULD NOT be keeped in aquariums they should have homemade cages!
Plus if you get a sav do you have room for a 8X4X5 cage? ( bare minimum) Savs also get 3-4ft and some can get 5ft....
Do you also have the money to feed these lizards baby monitors need to be feed everyday ( only 6 times a week ) and when they get bigger need to be feed BIGER prey items! ( depending on monitor is the secdual you will feed on (secies) )
Do you have experience with monitors/tegus? If that do you have any lizard experience at all? Monitors are not a ohh how cute lizard that will be your friends you will be lucky if your monitor turns out "nice" ( nice is not biteing you not tail whiping you) Monitors are no beardies need lots of respect and not your everyday lizard... Plus they need lots of space and some are hard to keep,maintain.....
any questions plz PM me... As for my suggestions do some research on ackies and dont buy any MONITOR!!!!! ( yet )

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I think your post is a little broad, yes the Sav will need a large enclosure, but not for a year or so. I have my blackthoat housed in an 80 gal right now, and he is perfectly fine in it. ( i do have plans to build another enclosure, but just sayin.)

Do you have cats or dogs? They get fed everyday, so that is not THAT big of a deal, as an adult multiple small rats are perfect for monitors.

If you want that sort of lovey creature that will cuddle, a monitor is maybe not for you, but Tegus, are very friendly, and very playful.

Watch this

http://www.siscoreptiles.com/tegu-attention.php

Ok, looking at your profile, you are 15 years old. This already is a mark against you, because you most likely don't have a job, and will be depending on others to drive you to places, more than likely buy the food and spend money on the vet visits. (I mean it when I say this, not as a jab, but as a fair warning, you WILL have vet visits.)

Like Bonheki suggested, many vendors go to reptile shows, and very few actually breed their own monitors. From the shows I've been too, they are usually in poor health, dehydrated with stuck shed and look to be about on the brink of death. You should research any possible breeders your going to buy from before you purchase any animal. It'd be a shame to spend $300, just to have the animal die from illness.

That said, I also have to agree that you should probably hold off on buying a monitor until you have gained some years of experience dealing with a lizard before you shoot right for the large ones.

Monitors and Tegu's get big, require a lot of space as a minimum, (Almost a room if you ask me), and will cost a lot of money in maintenance. This isn't like buying a beardie dragon or iguana, these are animals that require a lot of dedication, persistence and an experienced hand.

Like I said, if you were older, legally an adult, it would be different. But since legally you aren't, you can't be expected to provide everything for this animal by yourself.

If your parents were okay and knowledgeable about what a huge commitment this animal is, things would be different.

Given the circumstances, I have to advise towards getting neither of those animals.

Monitors are alot of work. Daily feeding. Daily care. Monitors are not for beginning keepers.

It is very important to research before you buy. Savs can get to be up to 6' long and you will need to provide a MINIMUM enclosure the size of 8 foot x 4 foot x 4 foot for it when it is full grown. I would not recommend a sav unless you can properly care for one....or it will end up like 99% of the other savs bought on impulse....DEAD.

Smaller monitors are great though. If you can find a lone ackie, it would be a great first monitor. They are docile, show a great array of behaviors and only get round 24" total length.

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Originally Posted by daniel1983

If you can find a lone ackie, it would be a great first monitor. They are docile, show a great array of behaviors and only get round 24" total length.

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and they come in yellow and red as well!!!! :D:D:D:D:D

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Originally Posted by Patrick Long

Watch this

http://www.siscoreptiles.com/tegu-attention.php

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That was a great video!!!

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Originally Posted by Patrick Long

I think your post is a little broad, yes the Sav will need a large enclosure, but not for a year or so. I have my blackthoat housed in an 80 gal right now, and he is perfectly fine in it. ( i do have plans to build another enclosure, but just sayin.)

Do you have cats or dogs? They get fed everyday, so that is not THAT big of a deal, as an adult multiple small rats are perfect for monitors.

If you want that sort of lovey creature that will cuddle, a monitor is maybe not for you, but Tegus, are very friendly, and very playful.

Watch this

http://www.siscoreptiles.com/tegu-attention.php

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Well as for the dog/cat example you can just buy a big bag of food an your set for a couple of weeks... As for feeding some people dont have cheap sources/good sources ( I know a guy who spends 200$ every 2 weeks on his monitors and he has 3 but his bill could go down 150$$) ( thiers also other people who spend as low as 7$ on a sav a week, and others who spend up to 20$$ for a sav a week all depends on your food source)
I never owned a tegu (or plan on owning) so I cant say anything about them... Also baby monitors ( and adults ) need a veriety of differnt foods .. babys need crickets,worms ( I feed super worms) and mice ( roaches work well ),.. as for adults they need a diet of some birds as well as rats. So people feed quail,chicks,and mice and some people even use thoes big hissers and other big roahes too feed their big monitors... As for cageing a 8X4X5 cage is pretty big not all people have that much space for their animals and others have alot of room! I really dont know your personal situation but just saying anyway....
Just trying to help....

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Originally Posted by littleindiangirl

Ok, looking at your profile, you are 15 years old. This already is a mark against you, because you most likely don't have a job, and will be depending on others to drive you to places, more than likely buy the food and spend money on the vet visits. (I mean it when I say this, not as a jab, but as a fair warning, you WILL have vet visits.)

Like Bonheki suggested, many vendors go to reptile shows, and very few actually breed their own monitors. From the shows I've been too, they are usually in poor health, dehydrated with stuck shed and look to be about on the brink of death. You should research any possible breeders your going to buy from before you purchase any animal. It'd be a shame to spend $300, just to have the animal die from illness.

That said, I also have to agree that you should probably hold off on buying a monitor until you have gained some years of experience dealing with a lizard before you shoot right for the large ones.

Monitors and Tegu's get big, require a lot of space as a minimum, (Almost a room if you ask me), and will cost a lot of money in maintenance. This isn't like buying a beardie dragon or iguana, these are animals that require a lot of dedication, persistence and an experienced hand.

Like I said, if you were older, legally an adult, it would be different. But since legally you aren't, you can't be expected to provide everything for this animal by yourself.

If your parents were okay and knowledgeable about what a huge commitment this animal is, things would be different.

Given the circumstances, I have to advise towards getting neither of those animals.

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Plus more then 50% of monitors a WC, and CBB monitors cost a couple hundred more then wc soo its alot cheaper to buy a wc then a cbb monitor and with out the right care thoes Wc monitors die...
But again all ackies are Cbb because it is illegal to get ackies from where their from ( i forgot where their from sorry lolz)
they stay small arent nearly as mean or agressive as other monitors and are cool!
Plus they dont require big cages....( 4X2.5or biggerX4)

If I was going to buy on impulse do you think I'd be posting this? :rolleyes: Off topic and in wrong forum but I'd rather post here than make another thread. How big of a tank would be good for a beardie?

Hatchling - 10 gallon
Juvie - 20long
Adult - 55 gallon or equivalent.

And they grow fast. :) But they're fun lizards. Just be prepared for the fact that they eat a LOT and need that UVA/UVB bulb.

Oh, and as far as good mid-size lizards go I would also recommend a Schneider's Skink or Plated Lizard.

Would a skink live in a 55?

I love this place :)

Heres some other options
Frilled lizard,beardie,cresties,day gecko, geckos of all sorts, blue tounge skink their all type of cool lizards do some reasearch an you will find something you like!

Blue tongues are great, great lizards. They are very docile and get to a good size for handling. They won't get huge like a sav. They are super easy to feed as well. Check out bluetongueskinks.net if you want to check em out. Geckos are great and their care is pretty simple. They mostly stay pretty small, and seem more fragile to me. Beardies are very cool with tons of personality, but not the cheapest to keep. A 55 gallon will house an adult beardie or Blue Tongue skink. The equipment for necessary for the two is very similar, but Blue tongues are cheaper to feed imo for sure.

Blue Tongues RULE! :D I have always always wanted to own one ever since I worked with a pair at the zoo. They are the gentlest, prettiest, and nicest 'large' lizards I have ever encountered. They prefer their fruits and veggies to the insects(tho they need both), and so are definitely cheaper to feed than a 20+ cricket-a-day Beardie. :) The only thing is that BTS are like ball pythons in that they need more floor space than height, so a tall 55 gallon tank would only be good until you could find something wider than 1'.

Geckos are good pets, especially the leopards and the cresties. They can live in smaller enclosures and don't need as much temp maintenance as snakes or larger lizards. They're cute too.

A Schneider's Skink, not a blue tongue but still a lovely and sweet lizard, would do fine in a 20L tank with a good burrowing substrate. They and plated lizards, are about the same size and eat similar diets.

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Originally Posted by Argentra

Blue Tongues RULE! :D I have always always wanted to own one ever since I worked with a pair at the zoo. They are the gentlest, prettiest, and nicest 'large' lizards I have ever encountered. They prefer their fruits and veggies to the insects(tho they need both), and so are definitely cheaper to feed than a 20+ cricket-a-day Beardie. :) The only thing is that BTS are like ball pythons in that they need more floor space than height, so a tall 55 gallon tank would only be good until you could find something wider than 1'.

Geckos are good pets, especially the leopards and the cresties. They can live in smaller enclosures and don't need as much temp maintenance as snakes or larger lizards. They're cute too.

A Schneider's Skink, not a blue tongue but still a lovely and sweet lizard, would do fine in a 20L tank with a good burrowing substrate. They and plated lizards, are about the same size and eat similar diets.

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I love my BTS. He's super friendly. Can't wait for the weather to warm up so I can take him outside for some real sun. I have mine in a 46 gallon right now, and it's plenty of room for him. I will probably find a "breeder" style tank for him later on for the extra width. As you can see in my avatar, he even climbs on occasion:)

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But again all ackies are Cbb because it is illegal to get ackies from where their from ( i forgot where their from sorry lolz)

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Austrailia

I got a baby sav for 25 bux at the rocky mountain reptile expo

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Originally Posted by Twitch_1993

I got a baby sav for 25 bux at the rocky mountain reptile expo

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AHHHHH why!!???

Your in for it!!!
Prolly.....maybe....
Any questions pm me!

Yeah Ill pm you if I need help

I bought him 2 tanks, one he van live in for a few monthsand the other for 3-4 after that, the temp is @ 90-95 degrees and I bought him a box of 500 crickets from a dealer

All in all it cost me about 85 bux for everything, got free sand lamp, hide dish and heating pad from some dude who really needed to get rid of his stuff.

Pics!?!?!?

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Originally Posted by Twitch_1993

Yeah Ill pm you if I need help

I bought him 2 tanks, one he van live in for a few monthsand the other for 3-4 after that, the temp is @ 90-95 degrees and I bought him a box of 500 crickets from a dealer

All in all it cost me about 85 bux for everything, got free sand lamp, hide dish and heating pad from some dude who really needed to get rid of his stuff.

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Make sure you get that basking spot for him of about 120-130

working on basking spot. Ran out of $$ so couldnt afford rock, ill get it in a few days

and ill post pics up when cam starts workin again.

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Originally Posted by Twitch_1993

working on basking spot. Ran out of $$ so couldnt afford rock, ill get it in a few days

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Meanwhile, you posted almost 48 hours ago with an "help! I don't know what is wrong with my BP" type thread, which you haven't updated. Are you sure you aren't going to need the $$ you just spent on the sav to take your BP to the vet?

So much for defending about this not being an impulse buy because you were posting asking questions now and thinking about buying in August.

ball is doin fine it went down alot she doesnt need a vet the sugar water tip worked wonders

http://i255.photobucket.com/albums/h...r/101_3742.jpg

http://i255.photobucket.com/albums/h...r/101_3743.jpg

http://i255.photobucket.com/albums/h...r/101_3741.jpg

http://i255.photobucket.com/albums/h...r/101_3740.jpg

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Originally Posted by Twitch_1993

working on basking spot. Ran out of $$ so couldnt afford rock, ill get it in a few days

and ill post pics up when cam starts workin again.

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Oh boy you dont want a heat rock you want 2 50 watt flood lights ( or how much flood lights you need to get a 125F basking spot but I think 2 will do... )
Heat pads work ok my sav liked it and soo does my bt ( dont use it for my bt but I put him in a cage with one once and he was digging it! )
But even if you use a heat pad you still want the basking spot.
You should use dirt as substrate if not dirt ''the home depo mix''
works for most people, also a mix of 75%dirt and 25%sand...
All depends on what you monitor likes most you should experiment with thoes for a little while....

Oh and I forgot dont play with him all that much for the first 2 or soo weeks wait till he gets some size on him before handleing him a little more... Take him off sand....
Any pics of the full enclosure?

ok so 75% dirt 25% sand, no heat rock, no handling for a bit 125-130 degree basking spot

At least its doable

Well Thats just the beggining!

Moved him to paper towels 5min ago and the thermometer says 105 next to the light and heat pad cool side is around 80-90ish he seems alot happier thanks, anything else I can do in the span of a day or two? And when do you think Ill safly be able to put him on looser bedding?

Well when he grow a little more you can put him on Dirt... I think you should put him on cypress mulch soon and then when hes around 14 inches or a little bigger move him to dirt.Try to get that basking spot to 120F... Save up for a custom buit cage soon....

Dude I'm making one I have plans and it'll be done by months end
Its gonna be 3ft long and deep and 2 feet wide

I moved him to carpet and upgraded to a 150 watt bulb

Argentine Black & White Tegu, in my personal experience, it's more docile than most monitors, and the rest of tegus, golden, red, and the colombian ( this last one is always jumpy and prone to bite ), the thing is that they get BIG!