Questions for Bosc owners

I've always loved the look of bosc monitors, we had one at a local reptile rescue centre that I volunteered for and he was gorgeous (Although very aggressive) and I was just wondering how easy they are to 'tame' as youndsters and whether anybody has been bitten by a baby one (how painful was it and was it a deep cut?)

I've heard horror stories about adults being able to bite to the bone so I'd like to start with a baby and get him used to me.

Thanks

I don't own a bosc but have had a bit of experience with them. Most of the juveniles I've cared for have been more skittish than aggressive and with a few hours a day handling have grown into tame adults (though not at feeding time). I have a few hints for taming if you would like?
I have been bitten across the knuckle by a youngster and I won't lie it hurt. I had a deep scratch and a good bruise but it was fine after a day or so. The little monkey got a bit over excited at feeding time

Yeah matey any hints would be very helpful (both for me and anybody else that's considering getting a bosc)

Thank you

Ok well the first one is don't hand feed, obvious I know but always worth saying. This way there is no association between you and dinner.
The second is a little odd but I know it works. A friend of mine gave me this one whiche he first tried on a burm and then a bosc.... he would open the right door of the viv to feed her and the left hand door to get her out for handling. As she approached the door he would use a rolled up newspaper and gently rest in on her head for a few seconds before picking her up. I guess it's the lizard version of pavlov's dogs.
Placing an item of clothing in the viv that has your scent on it can also be helpfull, e.g. a tshirt you have slept in, this makes your scent part of their territory and so less threatning.
Wearing thick clothing to protect from scratches stops you flinching or trying to restrain the bosc so making it more comfortable being held.
Only handle when the bosc has fed, digested for at least an hour and is awake. Basically so it doesn't have food on the brain!
But mainly lots of playtime, at least an hour or two a day (once settled in) every day!
How's that?

That's excellent thank you

I love the look of them, I'm not ready for one just yet but as soon as we move I'll make room

Does anybody have any pictures of bosc's teeth? Odd request I know but I can't find anything on google

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I would call this medium case scenerio. It is a bite from a 4.5-5ft croc monitor (still fairly small) Not sure whose hand it is. A large savannah would go ahead and crush bone and maybe turn your hand into jelly. Worst case is you lose fingers, the ability to operate your hand (savannah monitor that is)
once again pic is of a small-medium size croc monitor bite (just as reference)

I own one and as a baby it nipped a little now its getting bigger it smarts when it catches you.

You really need to spend time with them I always make a point of not putting in back in its viv till it has calmed down.

I also think talking to it while it is in his viv and while you are holding it gets it used to your voice.

Thank you for the tips Carpetviper I really appreciate it !!!

Does anybody on here have a bosc that they don't handle? Is it fair to keep one like this? I'm just thinking that if the one I take in is a rescue then chances are that it'll be an adult so will be harder to tame.

All the boscs that have come into the rescue here have been tame bar one which was a baby and ive had a few in. So dont be put off by all what you read love. The best thing with rescues (If they are good rescues) is they have monitored how they behave so im sure you will find a bosc to suit you.

That's good to know thank you Denise,

I really would love one someday

Yours welcome hunni xxx

Sorry for all of the questions but I was wondering whether an adult bosc would be ok in a 6'x2'x2' or would you recommend a bigger one?

Personally I would suggest 8x4x4 or bigger as the can grow up to 5ft in length.

thank you, see you can tell I'm no lizard person, which is why I'm asking all of the questions before-hand

The one in the rescue mustn't have been an adult then, it was about 3 foot long,

Do you like bosc's denise? Wouldn't you have liked to have kept any of the ones you rescued?

I do love boscs, but if I kept everything I rescued i'd have no room for others lol.

Dam that looks eina!

Boaboy feel free to pm me anytime you like I have a young female pink boa and I feel you may be getting questions should any arise.

If you want my mobile number I'll pm it to you.

Im in the process of designing two 10X4X4 vivs in our spare bedroom one for the boa and one for the bosc.

carpetviper wrote:

Boaboy feel free to pm me anytime you like I have a young female pink boa and I feel you may be getting questions should any arise.

If you want my mobile number I'll pm it to you.

Im in the process of designing two 10X4X4 vivs in our spare bedroom one for the boa and one for the bosc.

Wow they sound like ideal vivs matey,

10'x4'x4' wow I can't even imagine the size of them, please post pictures when you get them done !!!

They are in the brainstorming stage at the moment I want to put a pond in the boa viv and have branches to form a canopy im just thinking out the drainage at the moment. im gonna plumb it into the waste drainage for the toilet to empty it and then another pipe to a water pipe to replenish the water.

Although it'll be a ton of work to do im thinking it will make emptying and filling a really non invasive and bone idle way of changing poopy water but also no accidental spills lol. im just looking for a good base for the pond then it will be sunk into the viv floor. Im thnking something like the top off of a large birdbath. Any ideas appreciated.

WOW it sounds amazing, your reptiles are lucky to have an owner that will go to that much effort for them !!! I'm no good at DIY

Well the vivs will be built to the wall so I dont need to actually build full vivs as the back will be the actual walls which funnily are wood cladding not my choice was in when we bought the house but excellent for what I need. I really want to find a simple programme that I can use to design them when I get some drawings i'll put them on here to see what you guys think.

Well its a little rough just done it with paint lol but again any suggestion welcome.

VIV

I love it !!! Can't think of a thing I'd change

just an idea for aesthetics... if you had the water inlet a little higher you could maybe have a circulating water supply that formed a water fall, but still allow you to drain and refill at your pleasure. You should be able to do it with a simple pond filter system?
looks good! I think the bird bath idea is great!