Formally Introducing Thyssa The Yellow Tree Monitor....

[qiksilver]

Actually it's more similar to a ball python and a burmese python. Not a butter and a lesser. THese animals are different species entirely. These people are trying to help you, don't be so dismissive.

It turned into this because taxonomy is important. Knowing what you own is good in order to provide proper care.

ALso, although in the same family, melinus is more similar to the mangrove monitors and grows a bit larger than the true tree monitors.

Geez how did introducing my new monitor turn into all this....lol

from all the research I have done it seems almost like the whole...butter and lesser. Some say its the same some say its totally different. Finding valid information in regards to V. reisingeri is like pulling teeth and most of its in different languages. You can find information on V. melinus and in all areas they refer to it as Yellow monitor, yellow tree monitor or quince monitor. I have seen pictures of the two and to me it looks like one is heated and one is cold. Just as Thyssa is when she is out of her cage(a very washed out color)....and when she is in her cage basking(an irridecent almost neon green color).

By all means if I am wrong I would welcome the knowledge as I want to do what is best for the monitor. Some say feed fish...some studies have stated that only pellets and prawns were taken not actual fish. Some even state you can feed some dog food which I would think would definetly be a bad choice as it is filled with so many bi-products.

[BPelizabeth]

Actually it's more similar to a ball python and a burmese python. Not a butter and a lesser. THese animals are different species entirely. These people are trying to help you, don't be so dismissive.

It turned into this because taxonomy is important. Knowing what you own is good in order to provide proper care.

ALso, although in the same family, melinus is more similar to the mangrove monitors and grows a bit larger than the true tree monitors.

Don't mistake my asking questions or doing research as dismissive! That is the furthest from the truth. Its not any different than looking at several care sheets and talking to ppl to find out the best husbandry methods. Bottom line I don't care if she is a one eye'd frog with horns....I liked her. And obviously taxonomy is important to know how to take care of each individual reptile. I think that is apparent in any of my posts. Not to mention I don't know many ppl that would spend that type of money on a reptile and then NOT do their homework on it, leading to the monitor dying. Its not like we just have ooddles of disposable cash here.

What I am asking is what is the difference...show me the information regarding the V. reisingeri species as with all my research (which was pretty much all day yesterday) there is not much out there. Other than of course ppl stating that they are different.

Look I am not trying to come off as a monitor expert.....Im not at all in fact just the opposite. This is my first monitor and nothing I thought I would ever get into. But with that let me say again, I am all about the research on how to take care of every reptile and with that research so far I have found nothing really different other than a few ppl stating that they are. As I also stated if you look at the pics on line....Thyssa looks like both depending on where she is.

[qiksilver]

That's fine, just didn't come off that way in this particular thread.

V reisengeri is in the 'prasinus complex' which are the true tree monitors. These are the lithe, long monitors that you think of as the typical tree monitors.
V melinus is more similar to a small doreanus. These are typically called Quince monitors. They're a bit longer and tend to be generally thicker, I'm sure you know what I mean. The melinus are also a bit less arboreal.

This being said, I find Thyssa to be clearly melinus by pictures although I'm no expert. They'll both required hot basking spots, lots of climbing and higher humidity, but I have heard from keepers that melinus tend to stay lower in the cage and will dig more than the tree monitors.

Here's a quick summary of natural history: http://www.monitor-lizards.net/speci...s/melinus.html

And check out Biawak Volume 4 Number 3 for an account of breeding this species that covers housing and general care.

Don't mistake my asking questions or doing research as dismissive! That is the furthest from the truth. Its not any different than looking at several care sheets and talking to ppl to find out the best husbandry methods. Bottom line I don't care if she is a one eye'd frog with horns....I liked her. And obviously taxonomy is important to know how to take care of each individual reptile. I think that is apparent in any of my posts. Not to mention I don't know many ppl that would spend that type of money on a reptile and then NOT do their homework on it, leading to the monitor dying. Its not like we just have ooddles of disposable cash here.

What I am asking is what is the difference...show me the information regarding the V. reisingeri species as with all my research (which was pretty much all day yesterday) there is not much out there. Other than of course ppl stating that they are different.

Look I am not trying to come off as a monitor expert.....Im not at all in fact just the opposite. This is my first monitor and nothing I thought I would ever get into. But with that let me say again, I am all about the research on how to take care of every reptile and with that research so far I have found nothing really different other than a few ppl stating that they are. As I also stated if you look at the pics on line....Thyssa looks like both depending on where she is.

[BPelizabeth]

yes I have seen this info on V melinus just cannot find any information on V reisengeri so as to do a comparision. If you have a link to the info on V reisengeri I would greatly appreciate it.

[qiksilver]

It's simply an insular form of a previously described group, like beccarii are from Aru and boehmi is from Waigeo, and it's believed the care is reflected as such. This has been the case thus far. There are many accounts of successful keeping and breeding of these prasinus-complex animals.

I believe the first account of this species can be found in Biawak as well, v4#2.

And I made a spelling error previously, it's reisingeri... whoops.

Anyway, good luck, melinus are underappreciated in captivity... and take lots of pictures and post them here. Also, successes and failures in husbandry would be great.

[BPelizabeth]

Thank you for that. I will continue to post pics when I can get them....she is not fond of picture taking....lol. Give me a while to see what works with her and I will try to come up with some do's...and hopefully not many don'ts. Right now she is still so new and getting use to us as we are getting use to her.

[JeffD]

Michelle, Thyssa is so cute. I like that she claimed your living room for a playground...too funny !

sent from my EVO , with Tapatalk

[johnlebel97]

cant wait till my sav get a lil bigger so he can roam the house..

[Skiploder]

That's fine, just didn't come off that way in this particular thread.

V reisengeri is in the 'prasinus complex' which are the true tree monitors. These are the lithe, long monitors that you think of as the typical tree monitors.
V melinus is more similar to a small doreanus. These are typically called Quince monitors. They're a bit longer and tend to be generally thicker, I'm sure you know what I mean. The melinus are also a bit less arboreal.

This being said, I find Thyssa to be clearly melinus by pictures although I'm no expert. They'll both required hot basking spots, lots of climbing and higher humidity, but I have heard from keepers that melinus tend to stay lower in the cage and will dig more than the tree monitors.

Here's a quick summary of natural history: http://www.monitor-lizards.net/speci...s/melinus.html

And check out Biawak Volume 4 Number 3 for an account of breeding this species that covers housing and general care.

I agree Mike, it looks nothing like a reisngeri.

As for it being called quince or a yellow - they've been used interchangeably for years.

As for diet - the advice you've been given regarding going light on the rodents and heavier on the fish, whole prawns, poultry and insects is spot on.

As for husbandry - you're gonna need a hot, hot spot, lotsa room, a nice big water container and the ability to defeat that Arizona dryness........

[BPelizabeth]

So funny you jumped in here as I was going to email you about this. Since I could not find anything on reisngeri I though...hmmmmm....you are probably one of the best ppl I know that would be able to answer my questions. I just didn't want to bug you during the busy season.

Yea Mike and I have been communicating in PM and he has given me some places to do more research on the differences. Plus another website that does more with the monitors. Huge help.

Sooooooooooo once I get this done I will post the differences on here so that ppl can be more aware. It took me forever to find the info I did find and it was sparse at best.

What about the liver? Right now I am mixing her turkey with liver?? And why the bugs...(I seriously hate the bugs)....its not on any of the care sheets I have found other than when they are young.