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Interested in Monitors

S

StinaUIUC

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I am dying for a monitor (or two...lol) and have been for some time... I've looked around a little, but not a great deal as of yet. At one point my husband and I got a couple of timors on impulse at Hamburg, but made the mistake of getting them from the wrong person and they lived less than a month with us :(

I was wondering if anyone could give us an idea of what outgoing (don't hide 24/7 or as soon as they think someone is coming), smaller species (up to/under 80cm or so total length) are available in the trade that aren't generally too expensive (less than $300 or so ea). We're not necessarily looking to get anything NOW....just want to make sure we do our research and know what is out there ahead of time :) I like v gilleni....but I'm not sure how available they are or what they tend to run. Is there anything else around that size or slightly larger?
 
.....it was late last night....forgot to mention that I'm not super fond of ackies....I don't really like their tails. That may be what we go with though....I dunno.

I found a couple "not current" v gilleni ads and saw they are definitely out of the price range we'd be looking at any time soon....lol I hate that there is someone selling a trio of v similis right now and I'd only want one :( lol
 
I think v. tristis tristis are just a little bigger than I want to go....I'd really rather something that would stay under 80 cm...and I'm not sure I like the black coloration. I like v. tristis orientalis, but looks like they are significantly more expensive.

I really really really love v. similis...but from what I've seen they seem really rare in the trade...I know there is a trio available, but I am not ready for any right this second and don't want 3 (and would not want to put the stress on any reselling them right away).
 
I think you should go with the V. Similis when your ready for a monitor since that's what you really want. I don't know if anyone is breeding them. All the ones I have seen are wc. I would use the time you need to get set up for one to maybe find someone breeding them. Not sure if you want a hatchling or adult, but I think If you could get a hatchling you'll have a better overall experience. I don't think you should break up a bounded group. If you want an adult get a male they tend to be less shy. I would ask around on vanranus.net to see if anyone is breeding them.
Good luck
 
Yeah from what I've seen looking around, it doesnt' seem like anyone has gotten the similis to breed in captivity...its a shame...they are really gorgeous animals! I would love a hatchling or juvie, but I would definitely be happy with a young adult. I definitely need to join varanus.net.
 
I see them pop up every now and then, although im sure they are wild caught or farm bred if anything. If you truly like dwarf monitors, I would still consider ackies over timors imo. They are more active, they are easier to work with, and they are going to be CB. From what i understand, Timors actually do better when kept in groups, they are out in the open more when together. Ive had timors too, and its like looking at an empty cage all day when you only have one.
 
I know a guy selling similis and has a pair and it is still empty cage syndrome. He is going with ackies now. Ackies are awesome, come out fairly often, always digging, and tough as nails. Tristis are good also and about the same price range. They are a little more skittish the ackies but you will at least see them more then a handful of times.
mom
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babies
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the fear from babies duh duh duh
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tritis tristis (doug price stock) and red ackie
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of coarse there is Kims
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Tristis are a tad bigger then ackies but not by much. They have longer tails which is why the look bigger when looking at measuring stats (on paper)
 
Can tristis tristis be kept in the same size enclosure as ackies....or do they need slightly larger?

From what I read about the similis, they are supposed to be more outgoing than timors and don't hide as much? I love the black and white contrast in them.

I do like the red ackies....I just am not really fond of the look of the ridged tail.....I dunno.

Decisions decisions.....
 
More tristis pics. I noticed you said you didn't like the black heads of tristis tristis but doug price tristis are an inbetween of tristis tristis and tristis orientalis it seems IMO. Mine were four years old in the pic above. They would be kept very similiar to similis. Tristis are climbers, need high humidty, etc.
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I do not breed tristis anymore due to losing them in a large fire so Im not trying to give you sales pitch on them. I just know what those you have them say. Some of the guys find eggs after breaking down cages and never even knew they had a gravid female. They are slightly better then timors but most can count how often they see there similis a year on both hands - maybe toes if it is a good year. Indo monitors are skittish by nature. My crocs generally take 2 yrs of hard work to calm down if wc, my yuwonoi is even a bigger nut until I get her out of the enclosure. Get on an active forum and see how people feel about their similis and compare their responses to other dwarf keepers.
Cheers
 
[QUOTE/] I do not breed tristis anymore due to losing them in a large fire so Im not trying to give you sales pitch on them. I just know what those who have similis say. Some of the guys find eggs after breaking down cages and never even knew they had a gravid female. They are slightly better then timors but most can count how often they see there similis a year on both hands - maybe toes if it is a good year. Indo monitors are skittish by nature. My crocs generally take 2 yrs of hard work to calm down if wc, my yuwonoi is even a bigger nut until I get her out of the enclosure. Get on an active forum and see how people feel about their similis and compare their responses to other dwarf keepers.
Cheers[/QUOTE]

I was talking about similis keepers not find eggs.
 
Sorry about your losses :(

There are some hatchling/juvie similis that just got posted on KS...super tempting....I'll have to really think it over.....I dunno...I do want something fairly outgoing...maybe I'll go with an ackie or tristis tristis after all...........I hate trying to make decisions!!! **pulls hair out**
 
Ok....I think I've settled on ackies :) After looking at 80 billion photos of them I've decided the tails don't bother me as much as I thought they did....lol I definitely don't want empty cage syndrome and beyond the tail I do find ackies very attractive :) Now I've made a decision and I just need to get all set up and find me an ackie or 2!!
 
My red ackie eggs still have 2 months to go. I can get you linked in to a few breeders if needed. Yellows tend to be a little cheaper. I know people who have each that may have babies soon. Ackies don't last long on the market and most never make it to the market due to waiting list (high demand low supply)
 
I've noticed that not many make it! I will probably be a little while before we have the cash to be able to get them....and I want to get 2 at the same time, so, more dough needed....and my husband just spent over $1000 on a new desktop system (bah!). Do you know anyone in the NY/(eastern)PA/NJ/MD area that is breeding either? We'll probably end up with yellows, because I'm guessing that's what we'll find a better deal on...lol
 
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