I need opinions on Nile Monitors.

[californiakingsnake]

I personally dont have ANY experience with large lizards, but its something I am interested in the distant future. I am very interested in the Nile Monitors because I think they are very amazing. But everything I have seen and read talks about how bad there tempers are. Are they really as mean as people make them out to be?

[luluizzi]

Well, I'm by far not an expert, but I took on a pair several years ago and though I would be up to it... WRONG.. It would take a lot of patience and a lot of space and from what I experienced with the pair.. One of them was very aggressive. Do lots of research, and be prepared. This is mainly to make sure you don't bite off more than you can chew.... which is what I did! I had to find them both new homes and was very disappointed by that. Good luck in whatever you decide or discover.

[Skiploder]

I personally dont have ANY experience with large lizards, but its something I am interested in the distant future. I am very interested in the Nile Monitors because I think they are very amazing. But everything I have seen and read talks about how bad there tempers are. Are they really as mean as people make them out to be?

They are not mean and they do not have bad tempers.

They are large intelligent lizards that need an extreme level of care and space that most people cannot even begin to provide.

It's okay to think something is amazing and not have to own it.

[Trackstrong83]

I've never had any experience with Niles, but my buddy has a black throat monitor that is a complete SWEETHEART!! She's probably a good 5 feet and is like a lap dog lol

Idk how they are as a whole, that's the only experience I have with monitors.

[jbean7916]

We have a nile. it cost us around $1500 (materials and super cheap labor) to build a decent enclosure (and I'm still not satisfied with the size). She eats like a horse and is temperamental. Not mean, not aggressive just very picky about when she wants to interact and when she wants to be left alone. She is amazing to watch but with her size, not much for "handling".

I wouldn't recommend it for someone with no large monitor experience. We thought we were ready but realized very quickly we didn't know what we were getting in to.

Here is a pic on one of her "leave me alone" days



And another on a "good" day



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[infernalis]

Like most monitors, it is a huge commitment.

If you are willing to give it your all, then it can be rewarding.

If not, then please pass.

[MMReptiles]

I missed this thread, how sad. The only monitor I currently own is a female nile. I can say from working with many species- niles are not aggressive, nor do they have bad tempers..

Look at where a nile lives in the wild, and look at what it eats, and it's lifestyle. It's a high strung animal who's flighty- with good reason, it has to run from things like crocodiles. Most keepers keep them poorly and in bad/small environments and then will attempt to force handle them- and the nile can't run so will take it's last resort and fight.

Give a nile space, work with it appropriately, gain it's trust, and it's an amazing animal to work with- extremely pretty monitors when well taken care of.

[Capray]

What's it like "interacting" with monitors? If you went into the enclosure of a socialized monitor would it walk over and seek out attention? If you were in the enclosure of an agressive monitor would it hold it's ground, run away or straight up attack?

[MMReptiles]

What's it like "interacting" with monitors? If you went into the enclosure of a socialized monitor would it walk over and seek out attention? If you were in the enclosure of an agressive monitor would it hold it's ground, run away or straight up attack?

Mine will tong feed or eat from a bowel out of my hand. She does seek out attention and interact, even when on the floor she will come seek me out. As for an "aggressive" monitor (such a bad word), it depends on the enclosure. If it's a proper large enclosure, it will avoid you, run, stand it's ground in the back puffed up like DONT COME NEAR ME. If it's small, and the animal feels cornered it will bite of course- it's the basic fight or flight reflex that exists in all animals.

[mumps]

I have a 4 year old V. ornatus at the moment. I acquired him as a CBB hatchling at 3 weeks of age. Having successfully raised trusting Niles and waters in the past, I knew the amount of patience required and the requirement of protocols when working with these animals.

I have no problem going in his enclosure, though I normally just open one of the doors and he'll come rest his head on my arm and look around. These guys are super rewarding to keep but are for the very serious enthusiast only.

Chris