# True or false?



## highfall60 (Nov 1, 2011)

I was told the other day that Komodo Dragons are too dangerous even for DWA, I have doubts that this is true, but is it?


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## I am a scarecrow (Nov 18, 2009)

No Varanus are covered by the dwaa, as far as i'm aware- including komodos.

I think the main hurdle could be finding one though...


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## highfall60 (Nov 1, 2011)

I am a scarecrow said:


> No Varanus are covered by the dwaa, as far as i'm aware- including komodos.
> 
> I think the main hurdle could be finding one though...


Ah right, cheers mate. I suspect it'd be hard to get your hands on one, but personally I really have no idea about them :blush: I guess they're not that popular?


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## I am a scarecrow (Nov 18, 2009)

highfall60 said:


> Ah right, cheers mate. I suspect it'd be hard to get your hands on one, but personally I really have no idea about them :blush: I guess they're not that popular?


 
I know nothing about them either, as such. But I can't see them popping up on the classifieds anytime soon. I imagine they're very heavily protected in their natural range and the captive breeding efforts would probably be in zoos and the such?

I could be completely wrong on that though, they might have them on Preloved.:lol2:


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## highfall60 (Nov 1, 2011)

:lol2: wouldn't be the first strange thing to popup on preloved


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## Razorscale (Feb 22, 2010)

No _Varanus_ are DWA, but in some cases _V. Salvadorii_ and _V. Komodoensis_ i personally feel should be as they are quite dangerous(it's always the really nice ones ), they have the ability to kill(same with alot of other reptiles) and as far as i aware both species have done before. ( I know of 1 fatality from both species but there mite be more )
Even though _Komodoensis_ arnt often available still should be on the list as a safety measure in my opinion.

Sorry about all the brackets, as i dont want to sound like a know it all


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## chondro13 (Aug 18, 2008)

You'd need a CITES licence and a MONUMENTAL enclosure - I am not aware of any private keepers of Komodo dragons in the UK. These are one best left to the zoos in my opinion : victory:


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## kirky1980 (Apr 4, 2010)

chondro13 said:


> You'd need a CITES licence and a MONUMENTAL enclosure - I am not aware of any private keepers of Komodo dragons in the UK. These are one best left to the zoos in my opinion : victory:



dam i have a free 4x2x2 and was wanting to put a komodo in it


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## oscar96 (Nov 7, 2009)

chondro13 said:


> You'd need a CITES licence and a MONUMENTAL enclosure - I am not aware of any private keepers of Komodo dragons in the UK. These are one best left to the zoos in my opinion : victory:


I think you might find the odd one in private hands in the UK


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## Gazfather (Nov 24, 2010)

oscar96 said:


> I think you might find the odd one in private hands in the UK


Someone knows something we don't know!


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## highfall60 (Nov 1, 2011)

Bah I don't even want one haha a lizard which grows in excess of 10ft long with the most toxic saliva on the Planet.... No thanks  pretty ugly animals too tbf


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## chondro13 (Aug 18, 2008)

highfall60 said:


> Bah I don't even want one haha a lizard which grows in excess of 10ft long with the most toxic saliva on the Planet.... No thanks  pretty ugly animals too tbf


.. i think you may be preaching to the wrong choir :lol2:

Many people on this forum find komodo dragons fascinating - much in the same way as a venomous snake. I know a fair few people who would give their right arm (excuse the pun..) to keep these incredible animals. Its simply very difficult to do so within the law, and to provide the animals with the care and space they need. 

Ugly? Beauty is very much in the eye of the beholder, thankfully...


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## fardilis (Mar 22, 2011)

chondro13 said:


> You'd need a CITES licence and a MONUMENTAL enclosure - I am not aware of any private keepers of Komodo dragons in the UK. These are one best left to the zoos in my opinion : victory:


They are captive bred in europe, spain in particular(where they can be kept in large outdoor incosures). And yes they are CITES however you can still keep them with nessesery paperwork(and a lot of money). 

If you have the space and can keep them properly I cannot see why they shouldent be kept or just 'left to the zoo's'.


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## chondro13 (Aug 18, 2008)

fardilis said:


> They are captive bred in europe, spain in particular(where they can be kept in large outdoor incosures). And yes they are CITES however you can still keep them with nessesery paperwork(and a lot of money).
> 
> If you have the space and can keep them properly I cannot see why they shouldent be kept or just 'left to the zoo's'.


As with any captive animal - theres nothing at all wrong with keeping them privately (in my opinion) as long as they can be kept ethically. 

Its just a simple fact that there are very few people who coud give them the care they need, and who could also manage to provide as much assistance towards conservation in the way a zoo would.


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## fardilis (Mar 22, 2011)

chondro13 said:


> As with any captive animal - theres nothing at all wrong with keeping them privately (in my opinion) as long as they can be kept ethically.
> 
> Its just a simple fact that there are very few people who coud give them the care they need, and who could also manage to provide as much assistance towards conservation in the way a zoo would.


Far more private keepers could give them the correct care than zoo's. Private keepers are also more likely to breed them successfully and provide a captive gene than zoo's : victory:. Remember there are only 50 or so zoo's in the UK.


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## powerpuffruth (Apr 2, 2012)

and you only need one to get babies


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## fardilis (Mar 22, 2011)

powerpuffruth said:


> and you only need one to get babies


Not completly true, females can produce young. They would all, however, be full genetic clones of the female; so essentially they would be all female. 

Purposely breeding them via parthenogenesis would decrease the genetic diversity of komodo's, and if done widely, it may collapse any captive gene pool. If anything, they should be kept in pairs to prevent triggering the females to reproduce this way.


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## powerpuffruth (Apr 2, 2012)

fardilis said:


> Not completly true, females can produce young. They would all, however, be full genetic clones of the female; so essentially they would be all female.


That's not true the babies are not clones we had them at Chester and due to dragon genetics the babies are infact ALL male Read this:

BBC NEWS | Science/Nature | 'Virgin births' for giant lizards

and I was joking :lol2:


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## bothrops (Jan 7, 2007)

fardilis said:


> Not completly true, females can produce young. They would all, however, be full genetic clones of the female; so essentially they would be all female.
> 
> Purposely breeding them via parthenogenesis would decrease the genetic diversity of komodo's, and if done widely, it may collapse any captive gene pool. If anything, they should be kept in pairs to prevent triggering the females to reproduce this way.



The baby komodos produced via parthenogenesis are all male. :2thumb:


EDIT - dammit - beaten to the punch! lol


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## fardilis (Mar 22, 2011)

powerpuffruth said:


> That's not true the babies are not clones we had them at Chester and due to dragon genetics the babies are infact ALL male Read this:
> 
> BBC NEWS | Science/Nature | 'Virgin births' for giant lizards
> 
> and I was joking :lol2:


:bash:Completly forgot they where ZW dammit:bash:


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## powerpuffruth (Apr 2, 2012)

It is incredible the way nature finds ways round situations I think it's fascinating but your right fardilis even though the're not clones it is unwise because you are still decreasing the diversity to the gene pool of one individual. that's why zoos have such complex breeding records to try and maintain as large a pool as possible and prevent inbreeding let alone parthenogenesis.


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