Savannah Monitor Video.

Ophiophilia · #1 (**permalink**) 04-03-2008, 02:13 AM

What are your thoughts on this guy...

MIGHT HELP IF I ADDED THE LINK

YouTube - The Savannah Bosc Monitor Myths Dispelled

DRZRider · #2 (**permalink**) 04-03-2008, 03:04 AM

I did not watch it. There are a couple of people like that kid on youtube. I won't wast my time. I try to learn from people that have kept monitors for many years and have hatched numerous clutches.

Ed

Ophiophilia · #3 (**permalink**) 04-03-2008, 03:12 AM

He seems to have this solid thought that "If you want it tame, you can make it tame"

I have a hard time believing the animal will agree

razeraze · #4 (**permalink**) 04-03-2008, 05:44 PM

I used to have a picture of a sav hanging from a kids wrist. I have a tame sav; but that does not mean should he decide to bite me, I would be surprised. Idiots like that kid encourage people to believe savs are pets and enjoy cuddling. They can be taught, but are far from social or domesticated animals. Heck even domesticated animals get euthanized for attitude.

A waste of video space as far as I am concerned. The only reason I posted a video of my sav coming when called was because some one told me I couldn't teach the sav to do it. I did not post it because I want people to think savs are cuddly pets. The same thing with the santa hat. Someone photoshopped a santa hat on a monitor, so I put one on my sav for a picture. It was not an attempt to encourage people to buy savs for their gentleness. That is how people get bit and give up their savs. I adopted my sav for 5 dollars because the pet store labeled him aggressive and someone brought him back to the store.

Ophiophilia · #5 (**permalink**) 04-03-2008, 07:17 PM

Thanks Raze, I was hoping for your input.

I just really didn't like the fact that he'd recommend a Sav as a pet to a 14 year old cause they'll be cuddle tame.

If anything, I'd suggest a Arg. Tegu or an Ackie monitor.
-sigh- Some people never learn.

razeraze · #6 (**permalink**) 04-04-2008, 04:28 PM

The thing is you have to be ready to be bitten or whipped. When I first got into monitors I was using conditioning to try and keep my salvator from puking at the site of me and fleeing. It took a long time to figure her out. My savannah was easy because he would take food from us and not run, so I could teach him to come when called or tri-pod. Food is an awesome motivator. I was sucked into buying a water monitor because they are marketed as tame monitors. I received a rude awakening. How ever I cared more about her health than her attitude, so I constantly looked for things that kept her calm. I found a filtered large water source was her favorite place and where she would not vomit and take off if I was in the cage. So I started petting her in her water. From then on she never vomited again. Many times she would poke her head up and swim away from me or just watch me petting her. How ever people who make these videos get monitors very young, never have high stressed monitors like I have, or their monitors die early deaths from one reason or another.
This is a subject that I take very seriously. When I told people I was teaching my monitor to come when called they told me to buy a dog. Truthfully that is terrible advice because many people can not work with dogs. Every year thousands are euthanized for bad attitudes or food aggression. It is a dog people, sometimes they get protective of food or a little bitey. GET OVER IT.

The bottom line is love the animal for what ever it is, be prepared to get bit or attacked, and never let that discourage you from finding ways to make interaction less stressful and less dangerous. Horses kick, Savs bite, goats ram, and cats scratch. It may never happen, it may always happen, but this should have been thought about before taking in the animal. Take proper precautions and try to find positive ways of getting the animal to trust you. Whether it be a large pond with white cascading noise to block out the noises of an apartment, or food being used to associate calling. Just don't go over board and let people kiss the reptiles or lay on them, because someday a disease or good bite may come of it.

nicolenadia · #7 (**permalink**) 04-04-2008, 04:45 PM

"The bottom line is love the animal for what ever it is, be prepared to get bit or attacked, and never let that discourage you from finding ways to make interaction less stressful and less dangerous. Horses kick, Savs bite, goats ram, and cats scratch. It may never happen, it may always happen, but this should have been thought about before taking in the animal. Take proper precautions and try to find positive ways of getting the animal to trust you. Whether it be a large pond with white cascading noise to block out the noises of an apartment, or food being used to associate calling. Just don't go over board and let people kiss the reptiles or lay on them, because someday a disease or good bite may come of it."

I totally agree! The lady on You Tube who sleeps with her Savs, oy vay....thats going way too far. My guy is very tame, but it was a lot of work and conditioning. I wouldn't even say its "tame". Hes conditioned. After handling every day since he was a baby and daily feedings, he has be conditoned and learned by repetition. I don't think that everyone is either patient enough to do so, or knows how to properly handle one inorder to condition it. I also would never reccomend to a 14 year old first time reptile owner, to get a sav.

I do believe that wth proper handling and repetition, it is possible to have a fairly "tame" sav, but I know that mine could potentially bite me and I wont blame him if he does.

Its like with dogs. If you provoke a dog enough, kick it around or neglect it...and it bites you, you have no right to say its their fault. A bite is a defense mechinism. I know dogs and savs have nothing in common, but the point is, most animals with teeth, do have the potential, to bite with or without reason.

razeraze · #8 (**permalink**) 04-04-2008, 05:06 PM

The person who sleeps with her savs is a pain. She just ripped me a new one for my video because I do not practice the irresponsibility she does.
YouTube - classic conditioning
After a few months of hand feeding our sav, my fiance Rachel picked him up and cradled him. He started nuzzling her with his nose. Now if I had read more on monitor behavior and not human behavior (or domesticated animal behavior) I would have not thought this was harmless. How ever in my ignorance and my fiance's, we took this as an odd but harmless behavior. Then he bit her. Now that I have a few years of watching monitors I know many times they nuzzle their food before test biting it. Here is another incident like that.
Transcript: Sharon Stone vs. the Komodo Dragon - TIME

Things happen even with "tame" monitors if they smell something that smells like food they tend to bite. And our skin smells and feels like food. Heck my blackthroat is pretty calm but if you are alone with him and he wants to scent mark he will lash out at you.

spix14 · #9 (**permalink**) 04-04-2008, 05:12 PM

As an aside, I do believe the lady with the savs had one of them die on her not too long ago. This was AFTER the one that drowned. So that doesn't say much for her husbandry skills, however "tame" they might be.

nicolenadia · #10 (**permalink**) 04-04-2008, 05:18 PM

Drowned? I didn't know that. I always wondered where her savs were getting their heat from....like if she has basking spots set up around the house. I saw the video of her in bed with them and my jaw dropped....I just don't know why anyone would sleep with an reptile that could cause you to get stiches, no matter how tame it is....for their safety and yours. If my monitor bit me in the right area, I would need stiches, no doubt.....he is not to be messed with. While I will carry him around, I only do this at night when he is less active, and its usually to get him to the tub for a swim.
Many times I've reached in to get his water bowl and he will snap at the bowl as I pull it away....luckily not my hand.

razeraze · #11 (**permalink**) 04-04-2008, 05:22 PM

Nicolenadia those are the things we need to stress to new keepers looking for a sav or iguana. Though your sav can be quite gentle, bites at water bowls or fingers happen. I find no problem with working with reptiles and trying to make life easier doing so. But if it is dangerous for the keeper or others, or the animal is stressed and not keeping food down like my water monitor, it is just not worth it to push for a "tame" reptile.

Ophiophilia · #12 (**permalink**) 04-04-2008, 05:49 PM

All the "taming" aside... I highly doubt a 14 year old would commit to the somewhat advanced care of a Savannah.
The proper enclosure, diet and heating/lighting.

Being a 14 year old only lol4 years ago... My parents would always be pushing me to clean my ferrets cause I was always preoccupied with something else... I think everyone has been at this stage atleast once in their life.

razeraze · #13 (**permalink**) 04-04-2008, 09:23 PM

You are correct few 14 year olds are capable of keeping a sav properly. How ever I see savs up for adoption all the time because of their attitude mostly. You think if these keepers were such bosc whisperers they would adopt their animals like I do instead of constantly getting babies and replacing them if they die.
I know a guy who used to inspire me until I went to his house. He taught an alligator to sit and stay and do all kinds of little tricks. I was very impressed. Then after that alligator died, he adopted a few more to try and keep doing shows and educating the public about these wonderful reptiles. When I went to his house I saw 3 alligators and fell in love. I asked how he was going to house all 3, he said he was going to find out which one responded to training the best, and give the other 2 back to the keeper he got them from. My jaw almost hit the floor. Here was a guy who prides himself on taking in abandoned reptiles, but if they do not work out for his show he gives them back

Needless to say he is no longer a role model for me. I also spoke to the guy he gets his crocs from. Another reptile conditioning trainer. They worked out basically the same deal. The croc guy would pick a docile croc and send it to the guy up here for shows. The problem is all the un-docile crocs do not get seen by the public. This way people don't fear them or respect them, and coincidentally when they buy a reptile they get a rude awakening because they do not get to cherry pick their reptiles like this guy.

leoares27 · #14 (**permalink**) 04-04-2008, 09:50 PM

did anyone look at his other vids? He feeds live rats/mice....
i had to log in and comment!

razeraze · #15 (**permalink**) 04-04-2008, 11:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by leoares27

did anyone look at his other vids? He feeds live rats/mice....
i had to log in and comment!

I feel you will never win with idiots on you tube, so I do not comment unless I know the keeper or people in the video.

Ophiophilia · #16 (**permalink**) 04-05-2008, 02:18 AM

Raze is right.... They're retardedness over powers anything. Pretty much the majority of them that I've talked to "Know what they're doing" (like this guy) and the other majority just do it cause they think it's neat to place two animals in a cage and watch them fight to survive.

I've seen very few people on youtube that actually know what they're doing though. There's some hope out there.

leoares27 · #17 (**permalink**) 04-05-2008, 04:54 AM

I know it was pointless, but it made me feel a little bit better to basically tell him he was an idiot lol

oh, and did anyone see one comment, it said something to the effect of him being the next steve irwin. I was like...WHAT?? Are these people stupid?! How could anyone compare this jokester to Steve?

spix14 · #18 (**permalink**) 04-05-2008, 05:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by leoares27

I know it was pointless, but it made me feel a little bit better to basically tell him he was an idiot lol
oh, and did anyone see one comment, it said something to the effect of him being the next steve irwin. I was like...WHAT?? Are these people stupid?! How could anyone compare this jokester to Steve?

Evidently anyone with a big lizard or snake is "the next steve irwin". Hogwash. He was one of a kind.

mhartmann · #19 (**permalink**) 04-05-2008, 05:33 AM

YouTube - Brekky in Bed
so, who wants to call CPS? Anybody?

crocdoc · #20 (**permalink**) 04-05-2008, 05:52 AM

I tried posting this earlier, but the post seemed to disappear into the ether. If it appears twice, my apologies.

You're better off sending these people PMs about their husbandry rather than posting comments on their youtube channels - they'll just delete them, anyway, or attract a lot of ire from their fanbase. The guy in the first video is just a mislead newbie. I sent him a PM telling him that a 75 gallon tank is way too small for three savannah monitors and he expressed surprise rather than anger, but that's not going to make him change his ways, anyway. The people that watch the videos know less than he does, so I told him he was doing them a disservice by presenting substandard husbandry as being 'acceptable'. He loves the popularity that youtube gives him and is mostly just interested in getting as many subscribers as possible, so he's not about to change anything.

There's no point in trying to convince kaffir2/dunceswithsavs of anything - they're too far gone and appear to be quickly running out of monitors, anyway.

Razeraze, my male lace monitor comes when I call him - but it's more my hand clap than his name that he's conditioned to. I made sure the reward was delayed - he doesn't get fed until he comes over, I lift him into the enclosure, get the food from the kitchen and then feed him from the other side of the enclosure. Otherwise he'd associate the hand clap with the food and he'd end up running over for a big bite. Instead, he runs over and then looks at the enclosure to be let in, for he knows what the next step is. This video is a compilation of a few feedings, but you can see him running to the camera when I clap my hands in one of the scenes.

Feeding Frenzy

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