Black Throat Monitor questions

[Dana C]

I currently have three Tegus but want to expand my collection to include a Black Throat.
I just spent the last two hours trying to find out some specific information. Unfortunately, there doesn't seem to be a lot of specific information out there without specifically writing to the authors of papers written about the species.
My questions include'
What is the size difference between males and females?
How long do they grow? (age)
Sexual dimorphism if any?
General ability to become tame?

There is a lot of information about range, diet in captivity, enclosure size, (6' to having their own room) and ultimate size potential. What is missing is average size in captivity, growth rate and all the above.
Can anyone out there help with this. Any information you can share will be very helpful and much appreciated.

[AGoldReptiles]

http://www.proexotics.com/care_ionides.html

[Dana C]

Thanks but I have read the Pro Exotics care sheet before. Unfortunately, it really doesn't answer any of the questions that I posted. Also, since their fire, they no longer keep or sell any large monitors or snakes.

[mumps]

If you're looking for adult information, whoever recommended a 6' cage is out of their mind.

12x6x4 minimum.

Whole food diet; fed every other day. Occasional weekly fasts if signs of obesity appear.

Chris

[kevinb]

I don't much about them but I do know they have the jaw strength to rival an alligator and their jaws can lock and not let go if I remember correctly. So be careful. Besides niles, water and croc monitors black throats are crazy strong and can infict serious wounds to actually removing digits. Again be careful.


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[AGoldReptiles]

Thanks but I have read the Pro Exotics care sheet before. Unfortunately, it really doesn't answer any of the questions that I posted. Also, since their fire, they no longer keep or sell any large monitors or snakes.

There is not much size difference between males and females. Males are generally larger.

Their adult size is stated in the link I provided. 5-6 ft average but I have seen some HUGE ones. They will generally reach 2/3 their adult size in the first year.

There is no sexual sexual dimorphism

They can become very tractable but can also be terrors. Either way they are not lap pets.

PE does still have there Varanid projects, as they were kept in a separate facility than the one that was unfortunately lost in the fire.

Hope this helps, if your looking for a all inclusive caresheet your not going to find much better than the PE one. If you wanting to put the effort in PM me and I can point you in the right direction to some sites with TONS of info. You just have to put in the effort and read ( sort) through alot of posts.

[wolfy-hound]

What is the size difference between males and females?
I agree with the above, there's no real difference in size.

How long do they grow? (age)
They tend to grow big very fast when kept properly. 2-3 years SHOULD see your monitor at 'full adult' size, approximately 6 ft. Please understand that "6 feet" is not comparable to a 6 ft iguana, or other slimmer species of lizard. Black throats are HEFTY animals, even when they are not obese, and they are powerful creatures.

Sexual dimorphism if any?
None.

General ability to become tame?
Hmmmm. While I've heard the "MY blackthroat is dog tame" routine... normally it's a monitor kept without a proper basking spot, underfed, etc. There are a few people with fairly "tame" blackthroats. But honestly, IMO, a healthy well adjusted blackthroat would as soon tail whip you in the ear as look at you. I'm extremely pleased that mine don't generally threaten to bite me, although they do remain fond of tail whipping me in the ear every chance they get.

And they're deadly accurate at it too. I'm not certain how they reach 5 feet away with a tail that's only 2 feet long, but somehow I swear they do it.

As far as the growth and such... my Wilson(male) was rescued/given to me at 7 years old. He was about 2 1/2 feet long, fairly thin, and regarded as "very tame!" Of course, asking about his husbandry found that "Room temperature is fine!" and that a single mouse hopper ONCE A WEEK was sufficient food for him.

I'll wait while the monitor keepers stop their eyes from twitching.

Once I had him under a proper basking light, built his diet up to a healthy amount of whole prey, eggs, ground turkey, fresh fish fed to him at least every other day, dirt to dig in, a water bowl he could soak in if he wished... he turned into a complete *bleeep bleep bleeping bleep*. He went from a lethargic stuffed toy to a holy terror, constantly watching and rushing at anything. In two years, instead of being stunted by his early years, he's almost as large as my Moggie now... a respectable 6+/- feet long.

In contrast, my Moggie(female) was bought as "captive-bred" but was almost certainly a WC import. She was about 2 feet long when I bought her, and within a year she had gained to easily 4 feet. Now she's 6+ feet and very heavy, yet not obese(I work hard to make sure they don't get obese).

Over the years, I've built an 8ft x 8ft outdoor pen(Florida weather!) and several indoor cages. I'm about to build a new outdoor enclosure since the old one lasted about 5 years. Blackthroats tend to be destructive of caging, and you should build to cage a chimp. They are extremely strong and extremely determined and single-minded and will pry open seams, tear apart wood and wire and scrape plexiglas until you want to scream at them.

All that said, I really enjoy them as monitors. I appreciate them not as "dog tame" but as wild creatures that tolerate my taking care of them. When I haul their water bin out, wash it clean, carry water to refill it and Moggie promptly takes a giant monitor-reeking dump in it and gives me that "middle-finger look".... I consider it to be just part of owning a giant lizard that would rather eat you to cuddle with you.

[Ihaveworms]

If you're looking for adult information, whoever recommended a 6' cage is out of their mind.

12x6x4 minimum.

Whole food diet; fed every other day. Occasional weekly fasts if signs of obesity appear.

Chris

X2 on this one. I kept 2 adults for 4 years they need a ton of room, feeding them raw chicken and ground turkey can help cut food costs when u get a good deal on them. and Forget about how long the grow the are extremely heavy bodied animals, they can clear 35lbs in 3 years easy. as for temperment spend alot of time with them when they r small is the best advice i can give you.

[Dana C]

There is not much size difference between males and females. Males are generally larger.

Their adult size is stated in the link I provided. 5-6 ft average but I have seen some HUGE ones. They will generally reach 2/3 their adult size in the first year.

There is no sexual sexual dimorphism

They can become very tractable but can also be terrors. Either way they are not lap pets.

PE does still have there Varanid projects, as they were kept in a separate facility than the one that was unfortunately lost in the fire.

Hope this helps, if your looking for a all inclusive caresheet your not going to find much better than the PE one. If you wanting to put the effort in PM me and I can point you in the right direction to some sites with TONS of info. You just have to put in the effort and read ( sort) through alot of posts.

I will PM you a little later. I am very much up to doing the research and do so regularly on all my critters and everything else that interests me. This is going to be a challenge. The girl I will have on Tuesday is a little over a year old and 2.5-3'. She tails whips but doesn't bite according to the current owner.

[Dana C]

I don't much about them but I do know they have the jaw strength to rival an alligator and their jaws can lock and not let go if I remember correctly. So be careful. Besides niles, water and croc monitors black throats are crazy strong and can infict serious wounds to actually removing digits. Again be careful.


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If you don't know a lot about them, why do you have anything to say? I have been doing my research and I have never read that posted by any Black Throat Monitor owner.