Monitor Popularity Boom?

[naledge]

It seems that every year snake prices go down from $100-$500+ depending on species.

But in the last three years the price of an ackie has gone down like $100. All monitors are still around $200-$1000+ each, compared to pythons' $50-$600 (non-albino).

Is it because monitors aren't popular in the herp community? Even the price of beardies has dropped considerably, so it's not just a lizard thing.

So, do you think there will be a monitor popularity boom and subsequent price crash any time soon?

 

[syeph8]

everyone wants monitors... not everyone has enough room, especially to breed them. so every man and his dog isnt breeding them and undercutting so prices arent forced so low. correct me if im wrong, but this is the situation from where im standing.

 

[QLD4800]

I always wanted a monitor but i started colecting snakes because they are far easier to keep and look after properly in a smaller space.
monitors popularity will ever match the python trade so the prices stay the same. Which is good encouragment for monitor breeders to keep making them available to the publice even if the demand isnt there.
I like mangrove monitors spencers and lacies. I like all the large ones. I wouldnt keep anything smaller than a black headed monitor.

 

[Scleropages]

It costs way more to keep a monitor than a snake....They eat all the frigging time!

Oh and the power needed.... ugh

 

[jinin]

all the reasons above are why monitors are less popular, Heat, Food, Space, Time.etc.etc
I have a sandie and i must admit, Dragons are much more time consuming.

 

[Tinky]

People are scared of their claws.

Snake people get over their fear of being bitten by their snake, and call it being tagged, which sounds so much less painful. Also they believe that with training the reptile will lose some of its agression.

Dragons do not seem to get very grumpy, and can be handled by most adults without to much difficulty.

However when a monitor desides to go crazy psyco on your *** with its built for destruction claws, you can find yourself in a very not happy place. I tend to get squeemish at the sight of large amounts of my own blood.

There are other contributing factors, but potendiat to cause serious harm to owner would be in the top ten.

 

[TWENTY B]

simple fact is, monitors don't pump out 30 hatchies at a time,
not as many people are keeping and breeding them and they aren't as simple as pythons.
so the market isn't flooded

But monitors popularity is growing as people come to realise how rewarding they are to keep.
and as demand grows but supply is still low, you will find the price will not fall, and people are actually paying more for quality/desireable animals.

i keep ackies and sandies, these are far more interesting to keep than pythons, and much less maintanance than dragons. I don't believe they cost much at all. roo mince is cheep and i breed my own rodents.
5 sachets $4 a pack 100% roo mince
i don't feed crickets much anymore because they cost alot when ackies can eat a box of 50 adult crickets each in minutes. and the sandies, even though they are young, they can shovel away crickets at an amazing rate.

you'll get alot of enjoyment just watching

them do thier day to day business.
and feeding time can get crazy. some become good handlers, some don't, but they are all awsom.

sandies when i 1st got them

and now at 9 months old, and settling down

 

[dougie210]

Twenty B, so can you just feed that cat food/roo mince to ackies, with crickets occasionally etc??? Iv always wanted ackies but just never had enough money to pay for a tonne of crickets. What about some Enclosure pics of those guys?
Thanks,
Chris

 

[TWENTY B]

the ackies got alot of crickets/ roaches in thier 1st 2 years. but not anymore, only 1 box a week if that. Also got big moths and huntsman spiders, love them.
mince gets dusted now and then. no need for uv lighting or special reptile lights, just a 100w phillips reflector i can buy from woolies , 2 pack for $5

this is what my 2 girls have lived in since they were 12 weeks old, now 2 1/2 years. but i've got a big male coming so they are getting a new 5wx2hx1.5d
and the coffee table is up for sale. offers around $1000

 

[herptrader]

I must admit being smitten with monitors. No they do not "pump out" hatchies but I have had an accie give 30 good eggs in a year in consecutive clutches but this is unusual.

Monitors are the most entertaining of any herp. Just the way they charge them selves up with heat and then run around like crazy, rest and do it again. They are always on the move. They also have that swagger and long forked tongue that makes you take notice!

But the real thing is that when you look them in the eye they look straight back at you and you always wonder what they are thinking.... because you know they trying to outsmart you!

 

[TWENTY B]

you can see an inteligence in thier eyes,

when you look into the eyes of a monitor,they are not just sitting there,
they are looking back at you..

 

[gecko-mad]

I love watching the bells lacie on display at reptile city at feeding time, he jumps so high for one measly mouse! And they do seem very bird like in the way they watch you and try to understand you, as if your the one in captivity!