Thinking of getting a monitor

[Drazzy]

As title says thinking of getting a small or just off medium sized monitor, with a good temperament.

Maybe a ridge tail ?

Also as I have read a few articles floating around the web; saying you can clickr train a monitor using acceptable mediums.

What are your thoughts and or any recommendations on (within context described above) monitor.

 

[bfg23]

i have 2 ackies, 1 is a bit shy, the other is always out and about. wonderful temperament, they know when the lid opens they are getting fed so they run to the hotspot and jump at the tongs when i feed them, very amusing.

on the other hand i have a spencers monitor which is much more aggressive and stubborn and will hiss and whip if i put my hand in the tank.

 

[Brigsy]

How do small monitors go in fish tanks(5x2x2) do they hold the heat well enough in cold climates or would a timber enclosure be better?

 

[bfg23]

all they really need is a hot basking spot.
all of mine are in old fish tanks just as long as they have a hotspot to warm up under they will be fine.
cold nights i put heat mats under where they sleep.

 

[Drazzy]

how big do ackies get ? i got a tank that is 7 foot long 2 foot high 2 food deep

 

[TWENTY B]

upto 60cm, 5x2 is plenty for2 or 3 ackies.

wsom 1st monitor, but don't really like to be handled

 

[sweetangel]

get ackies!
they get about 60cm long and can live in a 4x2x2 enclosure
i have 2 as a duble storey
mine are super chilled i have 4 and some will just walk straight out onto my hand
they are super awesome.
http://www.aussiepythons.com/forum/exotics-other-reptiles/ackies-pics-duw-103977

 

[footsoulja]

i just got a little gillens monitor on thursday, (thanks nephrurus) and it is an awesome little monitor, its great to watch, always out and about its enclosure, im definately hooked on the gillens.

jamie.

 

[TWENTY B]

litlemonitors are eapsoffun, hope my goulds wil be ascoolwhen i finally get some.

 

[Drazzy]

Sounds like ackies is the plan..

is it better to have 1 or 2 ??

I read they determine their sex as they age ?? this true or a load ??

 

[Frozenmouse]

monitors are very intelligent for a reptile and very amusing unless you have heaps of room i would recomend accies or gillens,

 

[sweetangel]

its really hard to sex ackies. one indication is that males have a few spine/spurs at the bas of their tail and when u run ur finger over it, it catches a bit, females also have spurs but ur fingers will run straight over them.
and you can keep them together, but you need to be careful when they are young cos they can badly attack their cage mates. but if you keep them appart in smaller tubs till they are bit bigger then they will behave. i ahve 4 together of mixed sexes at the moment.

 

[bfg23]

is the last bit of what you wrote true sweetangel? about them living together ok when they are older?

i have 2 young ackies both in different tanks because one attacks the other, but i would love for them to live together.

 

[arbok]

how long does it take on average for a monitor to hit max size?

 

[sweetangel]

is the last bit of what you wrote true sweetangel? about them living together ok when they are older?

i have 2 young ackies both in different tanks because one attacks the other, but i would love for them to live together.

well i had 2 and my bf had 2 and we had to swap the pairs around cos they didnt get on. so we found a combo that works and they lived in pairs for 6 months and now they are all togethr and there are no probs. so i my experience they could be put back together. but u would want to keep and eye on them

 

[TWENTY B]

my 2 have always been great.

 

[1234callan1234]

im thinking of getting a ackie now... i have a male water dragon i like him because the colour and size he will get but hes so hard to tame if anyone has some tame ones could u teach me lol

 

[pythons73]

Ive always owned snakes,i only had lizards when i was young[ without license ].But since i got a Ackie i wished i brought some earlier,awesome to watch.Im really impressed in my little one,once it gets sexed i plan to get him-her a partner..I love larger species like Lacies etc but i thought i should get a species a little smaller to start with,plus i dont have the room for a lacie once it reaches 6feet...Ackies are defiantly a great monitor to get.....MARK

 

[Sturdy]

spencers imo...