Ackie or Gillens?

[reptilefan95]

Well guys today ive made my desicion on the monitor im sure im getting either an varanus acanthurus or a varanus gilleni, i think im swaying towards the gillens for a first timer only because they are smaller and apparently a bit more chill? is that true? well feel free to give me some advice and your input in what i should get...

cheers!

 

[Serpentes]

Gillens can be much more relaxed to handle compared to spiny tailed monitors. All the Gillens I've had will happily walk around your arms and aren't too keen to bite. In my experience spiy-tails are the opposite. They hunt you down. At the mo' I have a male acathurus that I hatched and now he's 4 years old I can't put my hand in the tank. He reckons I'm food, and he's a bloody good hunter.

Gillens kinda look cuter with their little chubby necks

 

[reptilefan95]

Cheers mate! Yea im not content in having a cuddly pet as its going to be in a display enclosure that will serve visual purposes mainly but i wouldnt mind it if the monitor didnt try to bite my hand off everytime i change the water

 

[Serpentes]

Accies are a bit more active than gilleni, at least the males are, the females are a bit shy at times. I have 2 red phase acanthurus in a display tank with red sand and all that jazz, they look very good and cruise around all day. Gillens tend to be just a bit more secretive, but are still very active. Oh yeah, accies take a bit more room to be happy than gillens. He's my fiesty male:

 

[greeny1]

I was interested in a gillens. Think theyre pretty cool. Read they dont need UV which would be a bonus. Another bonus over an ackie is the size enclosure. Supose those bonuses for me are because I dont have much space and mum & dad say I have to keep the electricity down.

 

[reptilefan95]

thegreenies thats exactly where im at as well, mum doesnt like too much space being taken over so untill i move out i have to make a few compromises..... Are they very secretive? I wouldnt want something i would never see

 

[greeny1]

Yeah, dont get me wrong theyre great with the reptiles (otherwise I wouldn't have so many reptiles). Dads going to build me a huge avairy setup so I can move some of the natives and get more. They come into my room all the time and hold some of the friendly ones.

 

[greeny1]

i'm at compromises at the moment too. as much as dad and i would like to get venomous and crocs mum wont let me so i'll have to wait till i move out.

 

[reptilefan95]

So do they tend to hide or are they out in the open?

 

[greeny1]

Do you mean my animals?

 

[reptiledude1]

my accie will only come out about 4 times a week and when he does comes out he gets hot then he hunts and runs around the enclosre and they arnt the best for handeling mine will not let me touch him and wen i do he runs.

 

[pythons-rock!]

Either species is an ideal first monitor, the thing is its a bit of a lottery as to how the individual animal turns out personality wise. You could end up with a tame or flighty specimen in either species. My experience is gillens tend to be more nervous and scatter all over the place and can get away easier, whereas acanthurus will settle down with age and are easier to make 'dog tame'. My acanthurus recognises me and will rush up to the glass to greet and see what I'm bringing to feed it, and allows me to pat happily while in the cage, or out while sitting on my shirt. Either species is full of personality and energy regardless, and it could be ideal to just get both and see for yourself

 

[TWENTY B]

ackies are great. So active mine aren't bitey and don't hide. Are out all the time. They aren't big fans of being held but once they are out they're ok.
Not afraid of my hands in thier enclosure.
I rate them high as a first monitor.
But beware.
Monitors are addictive.

 

[contos]

how are you supposed to get an ackies basking spot at 70 deg :S

 

[Chrisreptile]

how are you supposed to get an ackies basking spot at 70 deg :S

Just have a globe above a basking site on for a few hours.

 

[Chrisreptile]

One of my ackies

 

[sweetangel]

ackies are great!! i couldnt recomend then highly enough. i have 4, 3 females and 1 male. ALL have super temperament and are happy to be touched. some more than others. my favourite female can be fed on the floor out of her enclosure without running away all will tollerate handling but do tend to scratch a bit if they are restrained. they prefer to sit/ climb on ur arm. my male even sometimes jumps out onto my back if i have the top cage open and i bend down they are also very easy to keep and breed as i have just found out with my second clutch of eggs just laid! i have never kept gilleni but from hearing about them i decided that ackies were for me. plus the great colours and temperaments sold them to me
seriously th best i think they are more brave when there is more than one and they do tend to be quite skittish as babies so they might hide more. i would recomemd as a starting monitor hands down

 

[TWENTY B]

i use a 100w flood light.no worries.
it's only the hot spot, not a hot end..

 

[reptilefan95]

Ok thanks guys, the other issue is size of the monitor, as i dont just want to do an immediate upgrade with this enclosure as its costing me a pretty penny all up, a gillens ive heard could probably stay in it its whole life where as an ackie would probably only last what 6 months a year tops?

 

[Serpentes]

That's right, Mr Reptilefan. I house gillens in a cage 1/3 of the size needed for adult acanthurus. Still pretty big cages tho, about 100x50x70cm for the gillens.