Nile Monitors / Water Monitor

Does anyone keep these?

We have just been cleaning our monitors viv and and hes such a cheeky cutie. At the moment he is approx 3ft long. This one was up for rehoming but we have decided he is staying.

This is for those who are maybe thinking of getting one....

Keeper Mat Clarke said: "The Nile monitor is Africa's largest species of lizard and is closely related to the Komodo dragon.
"They're semi-aquatic and can hunt in or out of water. They are an amazingly resourceful reptile; capable of out-running humans, scaring off lions, climbing trees and even co-operating with other monitors to steal crocodile eggs.
"They have extremely powerful jaws and whip like tails that can inflict terrible injuries - in the wild their diet includes fish, birds, mammals, shellfish and even other reptiles," he added.
The lizard's spacious new heated home includes a pool, basking rocks and trees to climb - mimicking conditions in the wild.
Every year in the UK many large reptiles - including Nile monitors - are either abandoned, seized by Customs or have to be rescued from unsuitable homes.
Often people are unaware that within a few short years a brightly coloured baby Nile monitor will have turned into a ferocious carnivore, quite capable of swallowing the family cat whole.
"Nile monitors are notoriously difficult to look after and I really would not recommend them as being suitable pets for anyone. Fully grown they can reach lengths of seven feet and can live for up to 20 years," explained Mat.

(quoted from http://www.bluereefaquarium.co.uk/news-from-portsmouth/nile-monitor.htm)

i think they are fantastic animals, have always thaught i'd love one. just dont have the space for one. one day maybe!

They are lovely but need so much space & food..

We have plans to convert a large shed, and build an extention on that with a pool this spring so all should be ok for him to live in that for the rest of his life. We have just had some insulated panels donated, just need some more timber then we can begin the work. I am looking forward to this project. In my minds eye I know what I want, just hope the hubby can read my mind.

I'm sure it'll look great and will definately be great fun for the monitors you're going to keep in there !!!

Post pics of it being made ...

Will do when work commences.

Just picked up those insulation panels that have been donated.... the kind gentleman has probaly just saved us £250.

That's great news

NOW GET WORKING ... hehe

Oh don't worry I have given that poor man (hubby) orders lol

The monitors are difficult to get a hold of here, can you believe it! and also the guys charge an arm and a leg! thats if you can find someone to sell you one!

Blimey! Here the price does vary, but you can pick them up from £90 upwards. I feel that the price here is too little, as people buy these monitors as babies when they are the cuties and don't actually realise what they are taking on.

I agree completely, I'm a big fan of keeping prices high for reptiles such as these. I have worked in a reptile shop for a long time now (we don't sell anything bigger than a royal!) and daily people come in saying they have just bought burmese, monitors, rock pythons and the like, having never owned a reptile before. Also more often than not having been given bad advice. I spoke to a guy at christmas who had been sold a bosc monitor in a three foot tank with all the right gear but had been told it would never need anything bigger as they grow to the size of the tank!!!!!! perhaps if it had been more expensive he may have thought twice and done his research. it happens too often!

The problem is people biting off more they can chew, a burm is all cute cuddly etc when he hisses etc, but when he is about a year old it can be a problem, and i think pet shops and breeders should point out ALL the pros and cons, yes its a nice looking snake, but it could kill you faster than a Cobra, you paid R600 for it, but in a year or so, thats what it will cost you to feed it. Same with Monitors, if you dont handle them often they get snappy and get extremely aggro, people dont know this. Ive got Corn Hatchlings, but Im very hesitant to sell them, unless Im certain the person has the capacity to take care of the animal. so I let tehm come around, and handle them etc.

Hubby has drawn up the plans of how the new enclosure is going to look from the outside. Will post the plans of the inside when they are finish. It's going to be 7ft wide, 6 ft deep and 7ft high I think

WOW Denise

It seems Tony can have a burmese python and keep it at Den's house? hehe

What ya like

Looks good. I might just steal those designs from you for a project I'm working on, if you don't mind.

Nope be my guess