Calming Down Monitors

Maynard_JK · #1 (**permalink**) 01-06-2006, 09:17 PM

I have a mangrove monitor and now that i have gotten him eating regularly i was just wondering what is the best way to calm him down so i can handle him a bit more. Some people have told me to take him out everyday for short periods of time and it wear gloves. Other people have told me that is the worst thing i could do and instead just let him get used to me and learn that i am not a threat. Can anyone tell me how they calmed down their monitor or some general tips? Thanks

NicoleRussell · #2 (**permalink**) 01-06-2006, 09:27 PM

I think with all lizards it's best to go at the animals pace--to wait until they become comfortable on their own...but many have used the daily ritual with success....it's all about you and the animal and what seems to work better...do you handle him at all now?

Dachande · #3 (**permalink**) 01-14-2006, 06:10 AM

gloves are better for the claws.
get it to see you as a food source first.then after it gets used to you feeding and maintaining the cage it will calm with time.but if you wanted a lizard that will be "tame" you can hang that up.i'm afraid you chose the wrong lizard,let alone wrong monitor.some can stay aggressive all their lives.or it could calm down in a few years.it's unpredictable like that and there is no sure way to get it accustomed to you.just have patience.it could be 5 years before it trusts you.then again it could be next week or next month.
above anything else, let the monitor be a monitor

Pork Chops N' Corn Bread · #4 (**permalink**) 01-14-2006, 06:21 AM

I perfer to use viniger on my fingers or wherever you get bitten the most and they stop biting. If he is squirming then I suggest holding him every day for about 10-15 minutes. This works well for biting as well. It will take him trusting you before he will be calm. I believe most mangroves are skittish as it is so calming him down may take a while

chrispaine · #5 (**permalink**) 01-14-2006, 05:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NicoleRussell

I think with all lizards it's best to go at the animals pace--to wait until they become comfortable on their own...but many have used the daily ritual with success....it's all about you and the animal and what seems to work better...do you handle him at all now?

If you ask anyone with a long past with monitors they will say let them get used to you. If you care about the health of him also this is the way to go. Taking him out everyday will cause alot of stress and that is no good. Let him get used to you. My argus didnt like me at all a few months ago but hes a baby and since I have just left him alone and try to make sure he sees me when I feed him hes getting better.... Now if I hold a pinky with tongs in he air he will tripod and try is hardest to get it. He is geting more and more used to me as the time pass's . I have only had him a few months... we will see how it goes. I hope to have him to the point where I can take him out of the cage and let him explore the room/house and then maybe even outside when its nice and hot out in the summer.

Pork Chops N' Corn Bread · #6 (**permalink**) 01-14-2006, 05:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chrispaine

I hope to have him to the point where I can take him out of the cage and let him explore the room/house and then maybe even outside when its nice and hot out in the summer.

I would be careful about taking him out side. All it takes is some body seeing him out there and reporting a missing cat or your monitor attacking them. Not saying its not a good idea abut you need to be careful because some people are just dumb and hate reptiles. Its imposible that an argus could eat a cat IMO but they will say some off the wall story just because..... Wel for no reason at all

chrispaine · #7 (**permalink**) 01-14-2006, 05:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pork Chops N' Corn Bread

I would be careful about taking him out side. All it takes is some body seeing him out there and reporting a missing cat or your monitor attacking them. Not saying its not a good idea abut you need to be careful because some people are just dumb and hate reptiles. Its imposible that an argus could eat a cat IMO but they will say some off the wall story just because..... Wel for no reason at all

Ya I know what you mean, and that is a very good point... I live in a somewhat undeveloped area and they are only two housed near me.. and I have a wooded lot... so as long as I keep him out of site I should be fine... I might even try to put a leash on him to keep him from running at first but I just have to find somthing that is safe and wont hurt his neck. I hear about all of the bad storys of leash's breaking igg's neck bones.

Dachande · #8 (**permalink**) 01-14-2006, 06:31 PM

i'd just keep it inside.if you want you can monitor proof your bathroom and let it roam in there.but once it hits the ground outside, it'll be gone.all it has to do is get out of sight and find a hole to duck into.
key to getting the moitor used to you,
patience young padawan.give it time and it will not see you as a threat.simple maintenance will have it used to you.
my argus is still aggressive after 22 months in my care.but that's how she just wants to be.
let a monitor be a monitor first.a pet second.

Pork Chops N' Corn Bread · #9 (**permalink**) 01-14-2006, 06:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dachande

i'd just keep it inside.if you want you can monitor proof your bathroom and let it roam in there.but once it hits the ground outside, it'll be gone.all it has to do is get out of sight and find a hole to duck into.
key to getting the moitor used to you,
patience young padawan.give it time and it will not see you as a threat.simple maintenance will have it used to you.
my argus is still aggressive after 22 months in my care.but that's how she just wants to be.
let a monitor be a monitor first.a pet second.

I have got Tess to where when I put my hand in her cage she will walk up and smell me with her tounge. It is so cute, I got her to trust me that much by hand feeding her crickets and rodents. She is still a bit squirmy now but she is getting a lot better. I know when she is getting stressed or angry because I can feel her heart beating on my hand. I have taken her outside befor and just blocked off the end of my drive way so she couldn't get out. We have a 3'+ retaining wall by the drive way so she could never escape. When we move I am going to set up an outside enclosure that has a cement slab and fence surrounding it. We are moving onto a 300' by 300' lot so I will be able to give her a nice summer time retreat in the real sun, no basking bulbs for her. I really hope all goes as planned and I can have her be really calm by the summer also. We have loads of grass hoppers there and she loves those.

Dachande · #10 (**permalink**) 01-15-2006, 05:24 AM

no slab.it will tear it's feet up.eventually it will dig to the bottom.just put a 8inch-block wall down 2ft in the ground and 3ft above.then it can still dig inside the enclosure,but not get out.take 6ft rebar to reinforce the fencing.
i'm not sure how to go about enclosing the top.but it's best to do so.
Robert Faust explains the necessities of an aoutdoor enclosure in his book on nile monitors.orange book with a nile on the cover.definetly get that if you really want an outdoor ensclosure.the 3ft wall is a must.then you don't spook them as easy when approaching and most dogs, cats, etc can't see in it.

Pork Chops N' Corn Bread · #11 (**permalink**) 01-15-2006, 05:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dachande

no slab.it will tear it's feet up.eventually it will dig to the bottom.just put a 8inch-block wall down 2ft in the ground and 3ft above.then it can still dig inside the enclosure,but not get out.take 6ft rebar to reinforce the fencing.
i'm not sure how to go about enclosing the top.but it's best to do so.
Robert Faust explains the necessities of an aoutdoor enclosure in his book on nile monitors.orange book with a nile on the cover.definetly get that if you really want an outdoor ensclosure.the 3ft wall is a must.then you don't spook them as easy when approaching and most dogs, cats, etc can't see in it.

I don't know what I am going to do for sure. I am looking at adding a shed that she can go into in the winter with heat and lights.

Dachande · #12 (**permalink**) 01-15-2006, 05:35 AM

an outdoor enclosure isn't a necessity.it's if you reeally want to.if you can build a cage with minimum 9ftL x 4.5ftW x5ftH and have atleast 1-1/2-2ft of soil in it then your set.
only outdoor set up i use is reptariums for dragons because of the UV thing.monitors don't need it, so halogen floods are what they get.
only juvenile dragons get special bulbs for uv.adults just get outside in the warmer months and halogens the rest unless brumating.

Maynard_JK · #13 (**permalink**) 01-28-2006, 09:40 PM

I totally forgot about this thread thats why i have not replied. I mostly just let him be. I do sometimes maybe once a week take him out for 5 minutes but he squirms and if he were ever to touch the ground out of my hands he would bolt. He is so fast. He does know me as a food source, whenever he sees the tongs he jumps up onto his little log and opens his mouth wide before he even sees the food. When i first got him he would run around his cage as soon as he saw me but now i have to open the tank and stick my hand in before he does that. Whats teh best method for handling him when i do take him out.

Dachande · #14 (**permalink**) 01-28-2006, 09:53 PM

make sure to support his body.
with agressive monitors i grab by thebase of tail and shoulders. with those not so aggressive and flighty, i let them rest on my forearm and keep them close to my chest.

bcfos1 · #15 (**permalink**) 01-28-2006, 10:12 PM

Being that I have no monitors I am not sure how to go about getting one use to interacting with you. I do have a friend with a nile and it is a big baby, but he worked with it for years and endured a lot of scratches and some bites. He said he didn't force anything on it and allowed it to grow accustomed to him (still got scratches and bites from that though).. I do know however they are very interesting creatures and fast as all get out when they get loose. I have thought about getting a black throat but talked myself out of it due to cage size requirements (Thanks for the advice Nicole). But as progression goes when I have the space and time required I will get one. I just can't see doing it now due to my herp room being stuffed to the brim and my time being very limited.

Dachande · #16 (**permalink**) 01-28-2006, 10:56 PM

bcfos1- you could always look into dwarf monitors. most average around 2' to 2 1/2'

i used to have a nile and feel the same way. your friend was right to let it get used to him on it's own time. that's how it was for me. and i was able to take a 2' nile to the reptile show on my shoulders with a harness on it.

bcfos1 · #17 (**permalink**) 01-29-2006, 12:16 AM

When time allows for it I will look into all possibilities. But I don't have much time for what I currently keep so a new addition is out of the question for now.

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