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#533326
Nathan221189
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CHOOSING MONITORS....... 
I am new to buying lizards and i want a monitor but i cant decide what one to buy could any help me it’s out of a water monitor and a Nile monitor size doesn’t matter
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11/06/05 11:14am
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#533361
Reptoboy
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Message To: Nathan221189 In reference to Message Id: 533326
CHOOSING MONITORS.......
Knowledge and hands on experience matters when your dealing with varanids, particularly with large ones such as water monitors,niles etc etc.
If you insist on starting the hobby out with monitor lizards i would suggest an akie.
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11/06/05 11:53am
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#533365
Petboy15
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Message To: Reptoboy In reference to Message Id: 533361
CHOOSING MONITORS.......
monitors aren’t really good beginner lizards, especially those 2. If you really want a monitor, geta savannah or ackie, but if this is your first lizard id reccomend a bearded dragon, leopard gecko, or blue tounge skink. HOWEVER, bak to the original question. I’d say Water Monitor because they are a little smaller and less agressive.
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11/06/05 12:01pm
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#533389
Cilliepogona
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Message To: Petboy15 In reference to Message Id: 533365
CHOOSING MONITORS.......
First, if you’ve never had a lizard, get one of those stated above(bearded dragon, leopard gecko, or even a crested gecko, they are fun). If you insist on getting a monitor, an ackie is your best bet for a first monitor, but remember they, like any monitor, will still take lots of time and money. Of the two you mentioned, if you want something that you’d like to be able to handle, a water monitor would be your best bet of the two. And contrary to what was stated above, water monitors are MUCH, MUCH larger than niles. The world record for the longest lizard ever recorded was a water monitor, yes it was even longer than the longest komodo dragon. Water monitors are capable of exceeding 10 feet in length and can reach 80-100 pounds or more, but are on average a little smaller. Niles, even though they are smaller, can reach 8 or 9 feet, but are much lighter than waters. Niles are known for being terrible tail-whippers, and they don’t mind biting at all. Most niles usually never learn to trust you period, and you shouldn’t count on being able to easily handle them, ever. Some water monitors will never trust you either, but I’d bet you’ll have a better chance with one of those. Both niles and waters will need an enclosure over 15 feet long and 7 or more feet wide as an adult, so be prepared to spend a couple thousand dollars on building one or converting a room of your house. Again, if you are new to lizards, don’t get a monitor, especially a large species. Both you and your lizard will pay the price. After you’ve kept a beardie or gecko for a year or two, if you feel like you’re ready, get an ackie. I think you need at least several years’ experience with small lizards before you’re ready for a large monitor.
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11/06/05 12:35pm
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#533695
Solidarity
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Message To: Nathan221189 In reference to Message Id: 533326
CHOOSING MONITORS.......
If 221189 is any indicator of your age, than size probably DOES matter... Unless your parents don’t mind if you use a whole room in your house as an enclosure, or mind if their son grows up for the rest of his life with little nubbys for fingers...
Not at all trying to be rude, but this is an area where you need to start small and work your way up.
Can you afford to spend possibly hundreds of dollars a month to feed your full grown water? A full grown water will prolly INHALE 3 rats a day. Even at 3 bucks a rat, that’s nearly $300 a MONTH! That’s more than my CAR PAYMENT, and I drive a late model v8 sports car!
Start out with something that won’t make you go broke, and that you definitely have room for. If you get a water or a nile, within 6 months you’ll have a 2 ft+ monitor that’ll bite the fool out of you, that’s not the best way to learn how to handle a monitor!
Either way, good luck, and let us knwo what you decide to do!
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11/06/05 05:30pm
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