# Crocodile Monitor



## MadEm (Jan 19, 2008)

:crazy:............... Hi Guys and Gals

I Really, Really, Really, Really want a crocodile monitor I LOVE :flrt:them!!!!! Has anyone got any information on them i.e:

* Temperment
* Price
* Size
* How easy they are to Tame
etc...........

thanks


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## basky (Dec 11, 2006)

lol don't we all. they are quite rare to come across so you'd be looking at about £1000 for one. temperment would depend on how hard you worked at taming one and how old it was when you got it. they are one of the biggest monitors, reaching about 2.5metres (8 feet) 
they live near rivers so would require a pond and high humidity, you'd be looking at converting a garage or building a shed and it would really need to be atleast 20ft x 15ft, obviously the bigger the better


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## amy101 (Jul 9, 2007)

look on the net at their tempraments meant to have a really bad reputation, but it would depend on how much work you put in, theyre quite unpradictable.


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## SNAKEWISPERA (Aug 27, 2007)

amy101 said:


> look on the net at their tempraments meant to have a really bad reputation, but it would depend on how much work you put in, theyre quite unpradictable.


Obviosly you never lookeed well, if you go on NERD they say that are the cleverist lizard and really good to tame.: victory:



> MadEm*Crocodile Monitor*
> :crazy:............... Hi Guys and Gals
> 
> I Really, Really, Really, Really want a crocodile monitor I LOVE :flrt:them!!!!! Has anyone got any information on them i.e:
> ...


And have you had any other lizards in the past?


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## amy101 (Jul 9, 2007)

jungle-fever said:


> Obviosly you never lookeed well, if you go on NERD they say that are the cleverist lizard and really good to tame.: victory:
> 
> 
> 
> And have you had any other lizards in the past?


we had one for a while after reading the stuff on the net and they are just as bad as it says, theyre tractable but dont tame too good. not trustworthy at all.


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## miffikins (Feb 25, 2007)

As far as I am aware, they do not tame, they are super clever and they can do serious damage to you even if they just catch with their claw (have a look on pro-exotics). Beautiful animals though. They are aboreal so they need lots of places to climb (like tree trunks suspended in their enclosure) and a huge enclosure something in the range of what Basky said. They can actually get longer than komodo dragons so anything from 6 ft up....

Price, I have seen them for 1500 for hatchlings and obviously more for adults.

To be honest they arn't a species I personally would want to keep, not because I don't think they are amazing, because I find them absolutly facinating. They are a hell of a lot of work and you'd need a lot of knowledge prior to owning one, I'm talking hands on experience. Mainly because they are so clever and you would really need to learn how to read them well first.

I know of people who do keep them and they're set-ups are really good, but these are what I would call proper monitor people, because they are encyclopeidic (sp) about the species they keep and know everything! :lol2:

Anyway, thats my 2 pence :no1: have a look a proexotics and some monitor forums, you will find a lot more info there than you will here and most probably info from people who have kept them years...

: victory:


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## Georgieboy (Jan 3, 2008)

Great monitor to have if your willing to put the time into them...had one a year back...i paid 700 quid for mine but i bought it of a mate i know of someone that has three babies at the moment for sale...not to sure how much he wants tho......

but take my word..they need a bloody lot of time its as simple as ...they are either the greatest pet youll ever have or the worst

mine used ta chas my hand around whenever i cleaned the glass..but he luved to be handled...was like a baby with a cudle lol 

Go to Reptile Classifieds - Buy, sell, exchange for free and type in varanus salvadorii (latin name) the guy said they will be ready after new year so they may be gone...but hey hey worth a try lol 

good luck ..... wicked pet mate,,, : victory:


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## Fangio (Jun 2, 2007)

basky said:


> lol don't we all. they are quite rare to come across so you'd be looking at about £1000 for one. temperment would depend on how hard you worked at taming one and how old it was when you got it. they are one of the biggest monitors, reaching about 2.5metres (8 feet)
> they live near rivers so would require a pond and high humidity, you'd be looking at converting a garage or building a shed and it would really need to be atleast 20ft x 15ft, obviously the bigger the better


They are the longest lizard with recorded sizes of 13.5ft! Arboreal too so making a home for them becomes difficult. Like you say you'd need to convert a garage or something similar to do the job properly.

They have one at a shop near me which is about 6-7ftish. The saliva that's at the edges of the mouth puts me off getting too close to one. Like most (if not all) monitors they have a "dirty mouth". Not to the extreme of say komodo dragon but still very bad nonetheless. When you combine that and their size with the longest teeth and claws of any lizard, and their supposed temperaments it makes them unsuitable for 99% of keepers out there IMO.


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## tick (Dec 9, 2007)

MadEm said:


> :crazy:............... Hi Guys and Gals
> 
> I Really, Really, Really, Really want a crocodile monitor I LOVE :flrt:them!!!!! Has anyone got any information on them i.e:
> 
> ...


*misserable
*one in cold blooded last time i asked £4000
*" " " " " is 8ft and james reckons its just under half grown oh and most of thats tail which they have a tendency to knock u on ur ass with.
*ha ha ha ha :lol2::lol2: good luck with that one if it bites u, ull have a nice hole in ur arm for a very long while full of bacteria they cant sow it up bcause it'll go gangrenous

these animals wipe out bison in the wild hunt in packs apparently but they dont exert themselves by killing u the bacteria from the bite does that after they've bitten u and ur walking to get help meanwhile one or two of these fantastic and adorable looking monnies will follow u until u collaps anyway u get the picture

also do u have a D.W.A. LISCENCE coz their on it 

anyway good luck with taming the croc u get


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## tick (Dec 9, 2007)

*somone to talk 2*

if ur serious about getting a croc give cold blooded a bell in rainham essex james or paul will tell u what u need to know


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## 400runner (May 15, 2006)

basky said:


> it would really need to be atleast 20ft x 15ft, obviously the bigger the better


nerd keep their crocodile monitors in an enclosure much smaller than that! its my ambition to get a crocodile monitor one day too. i've been planning on building an enclosure around 10-12 ft x 8 feet but i'd like it to be at least 7 feet tall as they like to climb!. you have to remember that most of their 8 foot frame is tail!
have you thought about an asian water monitor? much easier to get hold of, cheaper, probably prettier (just not as big) and tame even as wild caught most of the time. i was handling some wc babies not long ago and they had lovely little personalities. maybe a better species to make sure you like big monitors first before spending over a grand and building a huge enclosure!
this is what i intend to do but i have the advantage of actually liking the AWM's too so obviously don't get one if you have no interest in them at all!


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## miffikins (Feb 25, 2007)

Good rule of thumb for enclosures is length = 2x the animals length and width=1x the animals length. So if you have an animal verging on 10ft you're looking at 20'x10'. The enclosures I've seen of other keepers crocs are converted garages, which are most probably similar to that in dimensions. Either way, big enclosure :lol2:

To me they are the monitor least suited to captivity, very clever, very big and capable of inflicting more damage to a human than nearly all the other monitors. The dentition they have is crazy, they are the only reptile to have dentition similar to that of t-rex where the bottom and top teeth scissor across eachother.

But thats not to say they don't make good captives in the hands of the right, experienced people

: victory:


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## Fangio (Jun 2, 2007)

tick said:


> *misserable
> *one in cold blooded last time i asked £4000
> *" " " " " is 8ft and james reckons its just under half grown oh and most of thats tail which they have a tendency to knock u on ur ass with.
> *ha ha ha ha :lol2::lol2: good luck with that one if it bites u, ull have a nice hole in ur arm for a very long while full of bacteria they cant sow it up bcause it'll go gangrenous
> ...


*No monitor lizard needs a DWA license!*

Also regarding their diet and hunting I think you're getting confused with the Komodo dragon.

Crocodile Monitor


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## lee-travis (Jan 10, 2008)

like the komodos they have bacteria infested saliva and may cause severe damage if yuo were bitten. They are very clever so physiologically would be very hard to tame. It would be best to get a baby-making it easier to tame if at all possible. Best thing to do is use gardening gloves and hold them tightly so they know whos boss. This works with baby-juvenille tegus so i dont see not reason why you can tame a croc monitor. 

They get large man- 8-10ft in length and oyu would require an awefull big space.


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## Rick_Albig (Aug 29, 2007)

lee-travis said:


> Best thing to do is use gardening gloves and hold them tightly so they know whos boss.


I really don’t think that is good advice for "taming" and monitor, especially a salvadorii. This will establish a bad relationship from the start and you are likely to end up with a very stressed and highly dangerous animals in the future.

A better approach, IMO, is to build a level of trust between you and the animal. Keep handling to a minimum and only try and interact when you need too (e.g. cage maintenance and feeding.) 

Feed them from very long tongs or forceps and allow them to come to you in there own time. A high perch is essential, they feel much more secure when they are above you and can look down at you.

These are not animals to be taken lightly (nor is any large reptile) but if you have the level of understanding, the funds for proper husbandry and the patience to work with them as necessary they will make fantastic captives!

Rick


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## amy101 (Jul 9, 2007)

theyre not too bad to tame just like water monitors, dont like being restricted, make them feel safe dont handle them in busy places as it makes them nervous.
my new water monitor is probably 4-5ft and hasnt really been handled but shes taming down ace after just 5days, you need to gain their trust dont go in all guns blazing and show them whos boss make them feel safe, all the stuff about showing them whos boss doesnt work with big lizards it'll turn around and bite you in the ass when theyre big and not scared of you anymore, its more of a respect & trust thing you respect their size and they'll trust you more, rather than trying to show a HUGE lizard whos boss. doesnt work lol


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## Razaiel (Oct 17, 2006)

To OP - someone asked if you have previous lizard experience? What is more to the point is - do you have previous monitor experience? Apologies if so - but often people fall in love with larger monitors without having monitor experience and these creatures so often end up being rehomed at a future point due to enclosure size needed plus the fact that they find them "not dog tame".


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## miffikins (Feb 25, 2007)

As above, I think to own a croc monitor you do need experience with other big monitors. I'd love to have an argus monitor or a lacie (if I ever move to Oz) at some point in the future, but I have to get me some experience with other larger species first......I think Rick should let me come 'play' with his albigs (and then maybe I can make a quick get away with his griseus:flrt :whistling2:

They are beautiful animals, no doubt, but I think they'll always be a bit out of reach of my experience. But yeah, ignore that ramble if you do have experience already

: victory:


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## Mason (Jan 21, 2008)

to be frank anyone who asks how big a crocodile monitor gets is a LONG way off being able to cope with one.

I have never seen one this big in the flesh but have seen 10-12ft skeletons pictured.

Big lizards, needs space and height. Very few people could provide adequately for one.

Very unpredicatable and can be quite highly strung.


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## Repti_lover (Jan 19, 2008)

I dont have info on them but wow there cool lol, look on youtube 4 videos, theres some really cool ones.


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## Adam_R (Sep 26, 2007)

just looke don youtube and i wouldnt like to be on the wrong side of one of them beast but tbh when you thin kabout it its really near on if not impossible to house a lizard 10ft maybe more you have o sacrifice like the whole downstairs of your house or your garden lo lfor an in door enclosure


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## HadesDragons (Jun 30, 2007)

I saw a pretty big one at Chester Zoo a couple of weeks ago:










It's hands were a similar size to mine, and its claws were probably over an inch long, and a similar width to a finger...

Although they are "mostly tail", as the picture shows, the tail is pretty hefty in itself. Chester Zoo keep this guy in a room-sized enclosure (off the top of my head, probably something around 15' x 10' x 8', but that could be some way off), and it looks too small for him - if he wanted to get running, he wouldn't be able to take more than a couple of steps before stopping.

When you consider that their tail is a similar thickness to someone's leg, they have large arms with inch-long claws, and a dentition similar in mechanism to a T-Rex, I personally don't think anyone should ever attempt to "tame" them. It would be nice to get them so that they won't attack you just for looking at them, but any idea of handling should be out of the question - all it takes is for something to spook it, or it decides that it's hungrier than it thought, or it has an iguana-style "time-of-the-month-tantrum", and you could potentially lose the use of a limb - a large male has larger, more powerful jaws than a dog, with teeth designed to shear flesh, so it has the potential to do horrendous damage.


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## miffikins (Feb 25, 2007)

Agreed. They are definatly an animal that if you were to 'tame', it would be on its terms, not handling but more being able to get to the point where it will tolerate your presense....

I love them, I think its crazy that such a hefty animal is arboreal, they're totally amazing. I've not seen the ones at Chester for a few years now, last time I went they looked sub-adult maybe 6 foot and there was a few of them. I have a mate who used to work there and he says whats on display is only about a fifth of their exotics collection, which I think is crazy....makes me want to break in and go looking :crazy:


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## tick (Dec 9, 2007)

Fangio said:


> *No monitor lizard needs a DWA license!*
> 
> Also regarding their diet and hunting I think you're getting confused with the Komodo dragon.
> 
> Crocodile Monitor


i was told they were dwa but if im wrong i stand corrected

the thing i dont understand is theres so many nice monnies out there why in the world would sombody want 1 s big and at 13.5ft potentially so dangerous can u imagine what it would take to get this thing under control if it turned on u or wore still a kid believe me im all for ownning what u want but this is in the realms of having serious knowledge


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## DeanThorpe (Apr 9, 2006)

komodos wouldnt need a dwa either?
Obviously i know they arent atall comonly available just thought they did, i should have checked myself rather than asking i guess lol but anyway.


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## miffikins (Feb 25, 2007)

Not sure if Komodo's need DWA, they don't seem to be listed if I remember from when I last looked. However they are CITES Appendix I so getting one is practically impossible.....

Could be wrong tho...no just checked, they don't appear on the revised DWA. Now that is weird. Maybe you need a park animals license tho....

: victory:


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## DeanThorpe (Apr 9, 2006)

ah well the qtr milion price tag prolly covers most of what needs covering anyway lol.

thats cool, cites appendix one is same as our fijis, meaning i assume, captive bred stock needs paperwork and microchipping and wc is not allowed i think.


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## miffikins (Feb 25, 2007)

Yup. And if you are exporting WC you need import AND export AND proof of origin type papers. So I think that would only happen for the sake of species survival, like zoo's getting some more genetic stock so to speak.

And CB would be the same as you fiji's. I'm glad you decided to keep them too :no1: Do yours have the microchip in them or do you have it filed with the documents? One of my mates breeds dumerils and he just keeps the chips on file as he doesn't want to damage his snakes

: victory:


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## DeanThorpe (Apr 9, 2006)

chips will be fitted soon, recomended when they are about a year old, so in a bit.


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## Rick_Albig (Aug 29, 2007)

:naughty:


miffikins said:


> I think Rick should let me come 'play' with his albigs (and then maybe I can make a quick get away with his griseus:flrt :whistling2:
> : victory:


 
You are more than welcome any time Kate (as is anyone for that matter) i always need an extra pair of hands on cleaning day! :whistling2:but you keep you hands off my griseus :naughty::naughty::naughty:

Rick


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## Razaiel (Oct 17, 2006)

Rick_Albig said:


> :naughty:
> 
> 
> You are more than welcome any time Kate (as is anyone for that matter) i always need an extra pair of hands on cleaning day! :whistling2:but you keep you hands off my griseus :naughty::naughty::naughty:
> ...


We'll come as a pair, Kate - I'll distract him and you grab the griseus :lol2:

I can feel a trip to Chester Zoo coming on ...


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## miffikins (Feb 25, 2007)

Sounds like a plan! But then who would keep them, you or me??? :flrt:

Got to love Chester zoo, I'm probably goin to go over easter and take my neice, who is slowly becoming more reptile crazed by the day :lol2: and we'll leave Andy to sit outside coz he doesn't like the snakes :lol2:

I'm home this week so I'm goin to pop down to stockportpetwarehouse and see what you have :crazy: 2 sub adult/adult female ackies would be nice :whistling2:

How big is your albig enclosure Rick?? I always think albigs are like bigger, funkier looking boscs :blush:

: victory:


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## Rick_Albig (Aug 29, 2007)

Ladies! You will just have to wait for some UK CBB griseus of your own! (I will put you both to the top of the list : victory

Kate - The albig viv is 12x8x4.5 with over 3.5 ton of substrate! Almost killed me shoveling it all in! :lol2:


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## Rick_Albig (Aug 29, 2007)

miffikins said:


> I'm home this week so I'm goin to pop down to stockportpetwarehouse and see what you have :crazy: 2 sub adult/adult female ackies would be nice :whistling2:


You should definately pop down! No ackies at the moment though. all sold I'm affraid. I really need to update the site :blush:


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## NBLADE (Apr 11, 2007)

i thought the only reason komodos etc had the really bad bacteria bite was because in the wild they would eat decaying bacteria meat which bits stuck in the teeth and began rotting, same with the fresh meat that they would kill, if bits got stuck in their teeth it then began to rot and that is what caused the bacteria, i was under the impression that if they were fed high quality meat at appropriate size in captivity the bacteria would not grow in the mouth, i am sure i have heard that somewhere, correct me if i'm wrong please : victory:


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## 400runner (May 15, 2006)

HadesDragons said:


> I
> I personally don't think anyone should ever attempt to "tame" them.


what do you suggest then, not taming it! how would you ever get near it if it wasn't tame! should i stop taming my big snakes coz they will be dangerous in the near future. i certainly don't fancy having an unhandled 17 foot female tiger retic. 
saying people shouldn't have them is a waste of time too, because people will always want them, i do in fact one day! some people keep them very successfully so why should it be a problem!


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## Razaiel (Oct 17, 2006)

I never tamed mine. I used the "building trust" method - he got used to me and didn't see me as a threat any more.


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## miffikins (Feb 25, 2007)

There is a definate difference between building trust where you can work with and around the animal with a certain amount of safety and actively 'taming'. I find it much more rewarding to slowly build trust than to de-sensitise an animal by handling it daily.
I have never done it with larger animals, but with the smaller delicate ones such as swifts its much easier and reduces the risk of injury for them. It can't be much different for large monitors, they are intelligent and will soon learn you are no threat.

3.5 tonnes Rick! Thats a lot! But then I was surprised how much Barneys old 3x2 weighed with 12 inches of substrates across half of it and 4 inches across the other half. Took 2 of us to move the damn thing!

I reckon I'd have to take a small mortgage for some griseus :lol2:

: victory:


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## HadesDragons (Jun 30, 2007)

400runner said:


> what do you suggest then, not taming it! how would you ever get near it if it wasn't tame! should i stop taming my big snakes coz they will be dangerous in the near future. i certainly don't fancy having an unhandled 17 foot female tiger retic.
> saying people shouldn't have them is a waste of time too, because people will always want them, i do in fact one day! some people keep them very successfully so why should it be a problem!





Razaiel said:


> I never tamed mine. I used the "building trust" method - he got used to me and didn't see me as a threat any more.


That's why I put "tame" in inverted commas - you should get it to the point where it doesn't attack you when you're doing cage maintenance, but as all lizards are so unpredictable, something that size that can do that much damage shouldn't be classed as "tame" to the point where you are going to be handling it. Handling one frequently would be asking for trouble, whereas a "mutual ignoring" of one another keeps the animal further away from you, so if it decides it doesn't like you one day, it isn't going to be able to move its head slightly and chew away at your arm.


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## geckodelta (Dec 11, 2008)

i agree anyone who needs to ask for info isnt ready to keep one
i currently own an eight foot male previous to getting him i did a few courses in keeping and handling lizards like him even if u have no prior experience with monitors if u do some courses u may be able to keep them be warned though fedding bills are imense once uve got there setup completed the bills excluding feeding bils arnet to bad 
whatever ur choice is good luck


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## Caz (May 24, 2007)

So many experts, so little knowledge..
The OP is just asking questions. Lets put a stop to the 'they're not ready to keep one' comments.

BTW the Komodo is infact venomous and while the bite contains bacteria it is the venom that causes bleeding and a drop in blood pressure which leads to the prey animals collapse. It is now thought that all varanus species have venom glands and research is ongoing.

Go see them in zoo's to get an idea of their minimum enclosure size. Speak to people who keep them, speak to Cold Blooded who has one for sale. Check out International Varanid Interest Group -

I'm no expert but I do know someone who keeps these. This is not a species that should be kept 'lightly.' They have the potential to cause you serious injury and are clever enough to never be 'tame.' Claws should be just as respected as their teeth.
They also have the disturbing habit of launching themselves off branches onto you..

HTH


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## PrimalUrges (Dec 10, 2008)

Absolutely stunning animals, would love one one day when I have a mansion!!! Any way, thought this video may be of interest...

YouTube - savage tree crocodile (crocodile monitor)


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## salvatoruk (Apr 28, 2009)

Purely out of interest - out of everyone that has posted facts and opinions on Crocodile Monitors in this thread how many of you own one?


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## monitor mad (Jun 16, 2008)

salvatoruk said:


> Purely out of interest - out of everyone that has posted facts and opinions on Crocodile Monitors in this thread how many of you own one?


We have one in the shop i work at occasionally as a "show/pet" animal thats around 7ft and "phillipniceguy" on here has one also , i myself have keep salvators (waters) and they are the second heaviest of the monitors :2thumb:


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## salvatoruk (Apr 28, 2009)

monitor mad said:


> We have one in the shop i work at occasionally as a "show/pet" animal thats around 7ft and "phillipniceguy" on here has one also , i myself have keep salvators (waters) and they are the second heaviest of the monitors :2thumb:


What shop is that?
If you have first hand experience of them in your opinion what do you think of everyones negative comments? Things such as they can never be calmed and will ambush you from above and tear you apart etc etc..?

I know of phillipniceguy as his Crocodile Monitor came from me originally.

I love Salvators, what ones do you have?


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## monitor mad (Jun 16, 2008)

salvatoruk said:


> What shop is that?
> If you have first hand experience of them in your opinion what do you think of everyones negative comments? Things such as they can never be calmed and will ambush you from above and tear you apart etc etc..?
> 
> I know of phillipniceguy as his Crocodile Monitor came from me originally.
> ...


 
I have personally held a 6ft one that was lets say "amicable" claws on these guys cause damage without trying , the one at the shop will actually charge at you but most of this appears to be bluff!! 

The salvators iv got are the "bivvitus" , i have a sub adult male and an adult female that has had 3 x clutches of egg's , just waiting for my male to catch up in size before introducing them


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## salvatoruk (Apr 28, 2009)

If you don't restrain them I don't find the claws an issue. If you are grasping them restricting their movement then you can expect some nice gashes sure.

Cool, I've had bivittatus in the past, they are nice. How old are your pair? Also how big are they?

What shop has the Croc Monitor? You're obviously a Varanid guy, in your opinion what size do you think Crocs can get to and also average at?


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## monitor mad (Jun 16, 2008)

salvatoruk said:


> If you don't restrain them I don't find the claws an issue. If you are grasping them restricting their movement then you can expect some nice gashes sure.
> 
> Cool, I've had bivittatus in the past, they are nice. How old are your pair? Also how big are they?
> 
> What shop has the Croc Monitor? You're obviously a Varanid guy, in your opinion what size do you think Crocs can get to and also average at?


 
My female bivittatus is 4 years old and my male is nearly 2 years old she is around 5' 8" and he is around 4ft at the moment 

The shop is Dunston Exotics and the croc is from tom halvorsen , the largest croc monitor i know of in captivity (verified ) is just under 9ft male obviously , id say 8ft average for a male smaller for a female but there may be larger in the wild although not authenticated as yet i don't think


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## salvatoruk (Apr 28, 2009)

Good to see you put some realistic figures there. I was worried you'd put down 14-16ft, I'm sick of reading that! It's funny how no matter how many times people write that I'm yet to see a single picture... that and the fact most these people have never as much as touched one let alone owned one.

Where is the 9ft specimen you mentioned?


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## monitor mad (Jun 16, 2008)

salvatoruk said:


> Good to see you put some realistic figures there. I was worried you'd put down 14-16ft, I'm sick of reading that! It's funny how no matter how many times people write that I'm yet to see a single picture... that and the fact most these people have never as much as touched one let alone owned one.
> 
> Where is the 9ft specimen you mentioned?


 
Here's the link to it and some pic's as well

Monitors - Giant Croc Monitor


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## salvatoruk (Apr 28, 2009)

He's not at 9' the guy says that himself but still that's a decent sized Male and looks bigger than any I've seen before for sure.


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## monitor mad (Jun 16, 2008)

salvatoruk said:


> He's not at 9' the guy says that himself but still that's a decent sized Male and looks bigger than any I've seen before for sure.


 
Yep he is a big guy thats for sure , i knew it was under 9ft but 8ft 6" is a huge monitor and quite thick set


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## kenobi (Sep 15, 2008)

i worked at CWoA for two and half years and had the priviledge of working with 2 lovely pairs of croc monitors, one pair was sent to Chester and the other pair stayed at CWoA
the younger pair, male pictured below was a very smart creature but very docile and mild mannered, not sure tame would be the right word, but certainly tolerant of my interaction. i built up a very good bond with them, to the point they would take mice gently from my hands.
they are a stunning lizard, am saddened that (if rumours i have heard are true) both lizards have since died or have been put to sleep due to feeding accidents at CWoA, i will reitterate that they are rumours and i do not know the full story as i haven;t been back since i left.

if i had the time, money and the space, i would luv to have one of my own. the bite isn;t as bad as people make out, i got tagged on my knee by the male pictured, it made a mess but healed ok without antibiotics.

male crocky









my knee after hospital trip


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## ryanr1987 (Mar 7, 2009)

there a serious lizard and can seriously mess you up. if your really serious about getting one then i would learn as much as you can. they don't come cheap your looking at least 1500 if your luck have seen them go up to 3grand. i would love a crock monitor but space is a huge factor in owning this lizard they get around 6-8ft long and with powerful jaws and don't get me started on talons. they do tame but like all monitors can take some some time.


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## philipniceguy (Mar 31, 2008)

its good to know there are people in this thread telling the facts :lol2: at last. i find them to be very good monitors, they give you clear warnings for when they had to much, so on find my one to be very relaxed, i hope mine gets to the 8ft mark but i think ill be lucky if it goes above 7ft. time will tell.


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## salvatoruk (Apr 28, 2009)

philipniceguy said:


> its good to know there are people in this thread telling the facts :lol2: at last. i find them to be very good monitors, they give you clear warnings for when they had to much, so on find my one to be very relaxed, i hope mine gets to the 8ft mark but i think ill be lucky if it goes above 7ft. time will tell.


It's good to see someone that actually keeps them and has experiece with them telling the facts 
So how is your girl doing?
Grown much more?
Still hoping to breed with her in the future?

Laurie


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## philipniceguy (Mar 31, 2008)

salvatoruk said:


> It's good to see someone that actually keeps them and has experiece with them telling the facts
> So how is your girl doing?
> Grown much more?
> Still hoping to breed with her in the future?
> ...


shes doing great got a new setup in my loft now 2s the size of the old one. its using all of the space up and down :lol2:. yes im still planning on trying to breed, im having built a huge outbuilding in my garden for some of my varanus lizards it will have two croc monitor setups inside i will also have the one its in now in case :lol2: of fighting. took me months to get planning for the building but its all good now, just need to weight for the builders to finish then finsih the design/build the inside will be months before complete :lol2:


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## Spuddy (Aug 24, 2009)

as kenobi mentioned there are croc monitors at chester zoo, infact they was on tv tonight at 6 o clock, they were trying to breed em.

either on channel "fiver" or "five usa" cant remember which, but anyhoo thats my random not very helpful post of the evening. :lol2:


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## philipniceguy (Mar 31, 2008)

Spuddy said:


> as kenobi mentioned there are croc monitors at chester zoo, infact they was on tv tonight at 6 o clock, they were trying to breed em.
> 
> either on channel "fiver" or "five usa" cant remember which, but anyhoo thats my random not very helpful post of the evening. :lol2:


dam it if i would of known i would of watched:devil:


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## reptilehouse (Apr 25, 2009)

heys, soz 2 interupt, they can get to about 12 - 15ft, do not need a DWAA, and are very good 2 tame, but watch the bacteria ridden mouth and big ****-off teeth. Good Luck!! talk to coldblooded, they have some 4 sale!


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## J2UK (Mar 9, 2009)

www.proexotics.com/faq_images/croc_hand_wound.jpg


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## daz30347 (Aug 30, 2007)

reptilehouse said:


> heys, soz 2 interupt, they can get to about 12 - 15ft, do not need a DWAA, and are very good 2 tame, but watch the bacteria ridden mouth and big ****-off teeth. Good Luck!! talk to coldblooded, they have some 4 sale!


Last time i spoke to them they were £2500 each
Also try Richard at Shropshire Exotics as he has a contact in Indonesia(probably the same contact as Laurie)
I would rather not put the direct contact details on a forum for obvious reasons

As for max size i would say 10 feet is a more realistic estimate


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## yrrej (Oct 4, 2009)

hi, all,

i just posted a long thread on croc monitors which did not appear on the forum, so i am posting a shorter thread now.

2 reliable individuals have seen individuals of this species in private collections of over 12'. 2 reliable individuals have had individuals of this species of over 11'. The longest documented specimens of this species in the uS presently are a bit over 10'. 

joel Fluty and i are croc monitor owners trying to establish a resource for the species at this site:

Reptilegeeks - The Best Reptile Community on the Internet!

The species has not been bred in captivity consistently except in a few instances. the natural history of the species in new Guinea is virtually unknown.

Facts: 
Wild Croc monitors are not very reliable temperament-wise. Captive-bred are quite reliable apparently. Captive-bred croc monitors are longer than komodo dragons although 2/3 of their length is tail. They have a very serious bite and are not for everyone. 

presumptive owners should be able to maintain a relative humidity of at least 70%, a basking area of 110 - 120 F degrees, daytime temps in the low 90's and nighttime temps in the low 70's F. They eat mammals and birds mostly.

most croc monitors available to the public are collected as a result of deforestation of new Guinea, where they are endemic. joel and i believe it is essential to establish captive husbandry. if anyone has experience with croc monitors and would like to share it, we have a standardized form which i will send out. if a person does not want his personal info associated with the form, it will be withheld. my e-mail is:

[email protected]

Regards, jerry.


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## reptileranger (May 18, 2009)

One problem I see with the proexotic article is this is the experience of only two people. They had to have done something wrong and are blaming the species of animal rather than taking responsibility for their mistake. Carefully read that article and see that one was being spraying the animal, food was not the motive for the attack and the other the keeper was not mindful of where the animal was at and probably became a threat to the croc. Again, it's not the animal it's the owner. This is like saying all pitbulls are bad. Don't get me wrong about proexotic, I highly recommend them, they are responsible, knowledgeable people


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## julian (Jun 19, 2009)

:no1:


Georgieboy said:


> Great monitor to have if your willing to put the time into them...had one a year back...i paid 700 quid for mine but i bought it of a mate i know of someone that has three babies at the moment for sale...not to sure how much he wants tho......
> 
> but take my word..they need a bloody lot of time its as simple as ...they are either the greatest pet youll ever have or the worst
> 
> ...


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## julian (Jun 19, 2009)

Where in Essex I'm after a female already got a male


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## Ophexis (Feb 19, 2010)

julian said:


> Where in Essex I'm after a female already got a male


Didn't you get the Prof from Graz? It's going to be very empty in JC's without him 
Hope he's doing well for you!  He was a beautiful animal.


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## gator.retic (Jun 1, 2011)

miffikins said:


> As far as I am aware, they do not tame, they are super clever and they can do serious damage to you even if they just catch with their claw (have a look on pro-exotics). Beautiful animals though. They are aboreal so they need lots of places to climb (like tree trunks suspended in their enclosure) and a huge enclosure something in the range of what Basky said. They can actually get longer than komodo dragons so anything from 6 ft up....
> 
> Price, I have seen them for 1500 for hatchlings and obviously more for
> I Have a young two foot wild caught croc monitor an yes they are serious animals an intelligent enuff to be dangerous their not a realy aggressive animal an are quite shy but being their so smart they have zero tolerance for mistakes an are quick to remind you able you cross what they consider their boundarys they grow fast can move with remarkable speed am agility theirs realy no limitations on these animals unlike say large bulky komodos an their teeth are long strait serated on both sides an cross like scissors
> Mines triped right thru heavy work gloves in one bite an just like komodos scientist have discover crocs an most monitors carry a type of venom in their Silvia along with bacteria so a bite can be costly an their claws are long an razor Sharp as well an some say closely compared to a velosa raptors claws their tail is long an accurate they will aim for the eyes if seriously proved their feeding response is simalar to alligators an reticulated pythons somewhat aggressive at feed times an they constantly study your every move their amasing animals an with patience,devotion,respect,understanding,caution a soft voice an slow hands they can become great companions but always have the possibility for an attack!


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## gator.retic (Jun 1, 2011)

I own a croc monitor an have been biten he's just over 2ft a baby still an these are serious animals they have the longest teeth an claws of any lizard an their teeth are strait doubble edged with serations an the cross together like scissors a welding glove won't stop them they are super intelligent an show problem solving an reasoning skills an can count up to 6 they are also known to hold a grudge for mistreatment an will not bluff you in the wild they do not Chase down prey an attack from the sides or rear as do komodos an other monitors instead they anticipate where the animal will run an meet it head on they can be very nervous an become aggressive quickly its kinda simple if you know them an their boundarys an don't cross em your alright because they show very little tolerance for error an will remind you painfuly also scientist from Australia proved they an the komodo actualy have venom in their saliva as do almost all monitors. They have a very high metabolism an eat a lot an often they also have better stamina than any other montiors and it makes no diff in attidue of wild caught or captive born their the same either way all that said their great animals I love mine would give him up for anything but they can never be fully trusted am are always capable of causeing extreamly serrious injury an possible death but if you respect them learn to read their body language an have the patience an a slow hand they make the most amasing creatures to have around! ;-)


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## SilverSky (Oct 2, 2010)

this threads very old, i wonder if she ever got one:lol2:


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## gator.retic (Jun 1, 2011)

*croc monitors*

With these animals its so much a question of geting one even tho yes the are the rarest of monitors are rather expensive an few are ever born in captivity ones can be found the real question is how long most who get are able to handle an keep it! Lol


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## [email protected] (Apr 12, 2011)

tick said:


> *misserable
> *one in cold blooded last time i asked £4000
> *" " " " " is 8ft and james reckons its just under half grown oh and most of thats tail which they have a tendency to knock u on ur ass with.
> *ha ha ha ha :lol2::lol2: good luck with that one if it bites u, ull have a nice hole in ur arm for a very long while full of bacteria they cant sow it up bcause it'll go gangrenous
> ...


i dont no who told you that there on the d.w.a mate ive just been going thru it and there not on it in anyway shape or form lool


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