Hey I'm new

[Cap10Squirty]

I'm new here and I'm also relatively new to keeping frogs. I am in pharmacy school and my monitor lizard and African bullfrog are two of my hobbies that keep my head from spinning while trying to earn my Doctor of Pharmacy degree.

I've been surfing this forum for the past month or two and decided it was time to register and join this community.

- Garrett

[Mentat]

Welcome to FF Garrett and good luck in your studies! What monitor do you own? We love pics here so share as you wish !

[Louis Charles Bruckner]

Welcome to the forum,As Carlos said photos are really appreciated and enjoyed we love for you to show off your animals here especially your frogs but other pets are welcome.
There are a lot of good people here so if you have any questions about any aspect of keeping frogs feel free to ask ,
again welcome to the forum!

[Cap10Squirty]

Carlos and Louis,

Thank you for welcoming me! I have an ornate monitor (Varanus ornatus). This species has long been confused with the Nile monitor, and I can see why! Here is a photo of "Crusty" in the corner of her big enclosure(yeah I know what a goofy name).



Here is a thread for my Pyxicephalus adspersus - Karagga

[Mentat]

...I have an ornate monitor (Varanus ornatus). This species has long been confused with the Nile monitor, and I can see why! Here is a photo of "Crusty" in the corner of her big enclosure...

Gorgeous monitor, hope it's tamer than the mean Nile's !

[Cap10Squirty]

Gorgeous monitor, hope it's tamer than the mean Nile's !

The monitor feeds from my hands. Of course I have to spend a minute or two"luring" it too me, but once it realizes that I have no intentions of eating the lizard (haha), it readily takes whole fish and other large items from my hand. If I hide a small bluegill under my hand she will sniff it out and even nudge around and under my hand until finding the food. I wouldn't dare feed it small prey items like dubia roaches or worms from my hands....

Now, I have been bit and monitor bites are not fun. This was not a playful bite, but instead a defensive bulldog bite! I had to retrieve the monitor from behind something (it had severely wedged itself until it was stuck) and to this day I will never again grab it by its tail. Lesson learned.

I have never had a Nile, but this lizard has never outright attacked me. Only defended itself from me when I had not yet learned my boundaries, afterall I'm 6'4" and she's a lowly ground dweller.

[Mentat]

Monitor bite, ouch ! There's a Blue Monitor at local pet shop and it's plain gorgeous... but expensive ! Been lucky and other than a 6 ft. boa bite when a teenager and an encounter with a Man o War during college ; no more serious injuries by animals. Good luck and no more bites !