Monitor Care & Natural History; Zoo & Pet Experiences

[findiviglio]

Hi All,
I’ve had the good fortune of caring for 15-20 monitor species during my zoo career. From the diminutive Storr’s to the massive Water, Lace, Crocodile and Komodo Monitors, all have instilled in me the feeling that they were, somehow, “more complicated” than other reptiles. Indeed, recent studies have confirmed that they are, among lizards, highly advanced. While some are too large for the average household, several moderately-sized and even dwarf varieties are being bred by hobbyists, and all make fascinating and responsive captives.
The following information can be applied to the care of Savannah, Black Tree, Nile, Merten’s and most other monitors.
Read article here Monitor Lizard Care, Natural History and Behavior - An Overview That Reptile Blog
Please also check out my posts on Twitter http://bitly.com/JP27Nj.

Thanks, Frank
My Bio, with photos of animals I’ve been lucky enough to work with That Pet Place welcomes Zoologist/Herpetologist Frank Indiviglio to That Reptile Blog | That Reptile Blog That Reptile Blog
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[TahneeNicole1989]

My husband and i are extremely interested in owning emerald tree monitors in the future once we have more experience with reptiles. Glad too know there is someone on here who knows about them!

[findiviglio]

My husband and i are extremely interested in owning emerald tree monitors in the future once we have more experience with reptiles. Glad too know there is someone on here who knows about them!

Thanks for your note..Fascinating animals; they need space, but a proper cage is feasible due to their small size. We bred them at the Bx Zoo, let me know if you need any info in the future. Good luck and enjoy, Frank

[Striped marsh]

Very interesting, Lace monitors have interested me a lot I always head up to north Victoria and the Northern Territory in search of reptiles, lace monitors seem to be the most common to find

[findiviglio]

Very interesting, Lace monitors have interested me a lot I always head up to north Victoria and the Northern Territory in search of reptiles, lace monitors seem to be the most common to find

Thank you...I'm jealous - lace monitors as "common"! They are so impressive in captivity, can't wait to get to Australia to see them in the wild. Enjoy, Frank

[Lixra]

Thank you...I'm jealous - lace monitors as "common"! They are so impressive in captivity, can't wait to get to Australia to see them in the wild. Enjoy, Frank

The common lace monitors I wish!

On a plus side, the breeder we got our little sulphur water girl off of has just gotten a pair of these! My husband's a professional photographer so he's invited us over to do a photo shoot with them as well with his Beaded lizards, and Black Salvator! I honestly can't wait! But they day this guy gets Mertens is the day I move in with him

[TahneeNicole1989]

Well since you offered, what in your opinion would be a good beginner monitor for us to start out with?

[poison]

Well since you offered, what in your opinion would be a good beginner monitor for us to start out with?

Ackies (ridge tail monitors)

[findiviglio]

Well since you offered, what in your opinion would be a good beginner monitor for us to start out with?

Hi, much depends on your space/finances; I favor Storr's Monitor and other small speciues, as they are more easily accommodated in most homes, but they tend to be very expensive, Best, Frank

[poison]

Though the smaller monitor its self is much more expensive then a $20 sav the care for an ackie is much cheaper then a sav you will blow hundreds of dollars on a proper sav enclosure while you can build a proper ackie enclosure for around $100 maybe less. Feeding a larger lizard isn't cheap either. But if you want a larger monitor i say go for it but do your research