Monitor choice help

[007_lizards]

I have been keeping bearded dragons for a number of years but am now looking to get a monitor. Looking for something thats not to big and is easy to care for.
Any help is appreciated

 

[Hazordous-Herps]

An Ackie, is a good starter choice i am told.

 

[Chris]

What size enclosure do you have to house it? Do you want to get a juvenile or an adult? Ridge-tailed Monitors (Ackies) are a good start, they don't get much bigger than 2 feet long. Alternatively a Sand Monitor is a bit bigger, maybe up to a metre long, although they're generally more 'skittish' than the Ridge-tailed Monitor. Do plenty of research first, there's a heap of good info available on this forum. Just search for specific things like 'basking spot temps' etc.

 

[007_lizards]

I have two enclosures, indoor and outdoor. Indoor is about 900mmx450mmx450mm, and the outdoor one is 3x3m, although might need to swap the indoor enclosure for a bigger one. Probably looking to start off with a juvenile so they can get used me handling them etc. Another question is am I too late to get any monitor because the breeding season has basically ended.

Thanks

 

[Flaviruthless]

I have two sand monitors - mine were initially quite skittish but now tolerate me putting my hand in and will come up and let me touch them, they are very curious animals. If you were to go with a species like that you would need a bigger indoor enclosure eventually.

 

[user 23122]

I would go a gillens monitor the enclosure size sounds perfect throw A few vertical hollow branches along with a 60 degree c basking spot and you will have hours of entertainment especially during our warmer months. I also keep glauerti and brevicauda some of the fancier species yet if I had to drop back to one species it would be the gilleni purely for their outgoing curious personality and easy to care for nature . They virtually shut down during winter so you only need to offer food every couple of weeks.they are however feeding machines come spring and summer

 

[007_lizards]

They virtually shut down during winter so you only need to offer food every couple of weeks.they are however feeding machines come spring and summer

What do you normally feed the gillens?

 

[user 23122]

Mostly crickets and turkey mince once or twice a week

 

[ArcticMonkey]

gillen's monitors are amazing little critters, space efficient, very low maintenance and full of personality.

They are my favorite small-medium monitor by far.

 

[007_lizards]

Do the gillens tolerate being handled at all i.e. do they bite or snap at you?

 

[Umbral]

Mine arnt a fan of being handled, they don't bite but do seem to like projectile pooing.

 

[ArcticMonkey]

They don't like being handled, but you'll find that's the case with virtually all small monitors.

However, unlike ackies they never bite. It just doesn't seem to be part of their defense response. I've been bitten plenty of times by ackies but gilleni will just wriggle and squirm without biting.

 

[007_lizards]

Thanks all, your answers will defiantly help me in choosing a new monitor. I'll keep reaserching though so I don't make any bad choices.
Just hope that there are some left still to buy!