Friendly medium size monitors

I am looking for some advice on medium size monitors that make good pets and donot require a lot of room maybe a 4'x3' cage something you can handle and take for a walk just like a dog but with scales    i have an ackie and a had a timor but those are kinda small  

 Thanks   Tim

Heh, heh heh whewwwwwwwww - you are kidding right! I hope so anyhow. I was biting all the way up until the remark about taking the monitor for a walk just like a dog. Sure gave me a good laugh. I hope thast is what you intended because I am not trying to be a wise guy, but that sure is funny. If you were serious, then let me politely say - no way - there is no such monitor - one that you can take for a walk "...JUST LIKE A DOG..."! If you are serious and want to know why, send me an email. If on the other hand that was a troll, it was pretty good for a belly laugh.

Hi

LOL ya maybe that was a bit much  i have seen people on the tv and pictues with monitors on leashes  that is the kind of interaction i would like if possible

 Tim

Actually I can think of one type of monitor that is very "walkable," well ok maybe not, but they do well on a leash and are generally tame.  Black rough-neck monitors.  Varanus rudicolis  (I think) c.b. babies if you can find them will run around $125 or more.  They are awesome pets that don't get very big.  Hope this helps,  Brian

ok please let me clear this up i have gotten a lot of mail thinking i am crazy or a troll...... &nbsp;i am looking for a tame not to big &nbsp;4 or 5' foot monitor captive bred &nbsp;that i can take out of the cage let him run around the house and sit by the sunny window with me, you can,t do that with a timor or ackie cause there to small and will take off find a hiding spot and you have to go looking everywere for them ... i would like to be able to go to my yard with a leash and let him get some sun with me fenced in of course, &nbsp;i understand there are no dog type lizards that will fetch my paper or come when i call &nbsp;<img src="http://www.faunaclassifieds.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif" border="0" valign="absmiddle" alt=''> &nbsp;but there are lizards that get to know you, &nbsp;and ones that you can interact with &nbsp; &quot;o&quot; and i will make a much bigger home for him

&nbsp;Thanks &nbsp;Tim

Call me nuts, but I don't think you can keep a 4-5' lizard in a 4' X 3' cage....

I'd recomend a savanah monitor for a tame lizard that gets fairly large but for as for housing you might want to up the size a bit more because a 4'x3' for them would be like a jail cell for us.

Hi

Thanks for those that took the time to read and understand what i am looking for, &nbsp; a savannah monitor would be a little to big, i have had a lot of suggestions on a black throat but i think they are around the same size, i need to get a little smaller, i can build a BIGGER CAGE (HOUSE) no problem and will... i am a snake keeper and know very well the housing and care a herp needs to thrive, so let drop the small cage thing ok!!!!!! bigger is better. now pease some good suggestions,

Thanks &nbsp;Tim

Hmm... I'm not a monitor guy, but I'll give it a shot. &nbsp;Might try looking at the black roughnecks mentioned earlier. &nbsp;They don't get nearly as bulky as savs or blackthroats, and seem to be fairly tame (far as monitors go at least), and alert and intelligent. &nbsp; Local specialty shop near where I lived had them all the time (I think several were store pets) and theirs were very mild mannered.

Another monitor you might investigate is the v. falvirufus, or sand monitor. &nbsp;These supposedly get up to about 120cm and seem to fall into the &quot;medium&quot; category, and also seem to be favorites of monitor keepers. &nbsp; I know very little about these guys, but you might want to ask some folks who keep them.

Another lizard to consider if it doesn't strictly have to be a monitor, is the red tegu. &nbsp;They get kind of bulky, though, and may be outside your size requirement. &nbsp;Tegus are generally responsive lizards and I know of several who are reputed to come to the call of their name. (Or at least their keepers voice; in the wild they're said to beg for food sometimes in more urban areas.)

well i kinda gave up on the Monitors, i just could not find one that would fetch my paper lol &nbsp;only kidding... i bought a baby argentine black and white tegu from Agama ,turns out monitors are illegal were i live and i have a few real jerks for neighbors i know they would call the police if they knew, and i would lose my pet , that would be bad for me and the monitor,