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Neat monitor experience

Dana C

Member
Messages
633
I wanted to post this while is was still fresh in my mind.

My V. albigularis, (Black Throat), is a typical monitor a good part of the time and lets me know when he will tolerate being handled, petted etc. For those of you unfamiliar with them but have seen the famous video on You Tube of Big Boy, I can tell you that they can be like that some of the time but not all of the time.

I have been busy the last couple of days so I haven't had him out nor have I stopped at his enclosure to give him any pats. Today however, I thought I should get him out and let him have a bath. He was next to the glass door and was easy to get to so I picked him up without any fuss and carried him into the bathroom and the bath that I already had drawn for him. (I should point out that he is a much more friendly lizard after a snack and a crap.) After a short bath, he climbed out of the bath crossed over my legs, ( I sit on the floor with him), and ate most of the 6 or 7 ounces of meat and egg I had down for him.
His usual routine at this time is to make a couple of circuits of the bathroom, tastes me on his way, explores the corner, pushes his sponge around and goes behind the toilet where he likes the coolness for a little while. Today however he didn't venture very far away from me and the food so I lifted him onto my lap where he stayed all of 30 seconds and crawled off. He came around again to my right side and just sort of hung around. I gave him a head pat / scratch and was hissed at for my trouble. I picked him up anyway and again placed him on my lap for another 30 seconds. This time he stayed on my left side after crawling off.
After checking things out and my ignoring him during that time, he proceeded to slide up next to my leg and sort of in back of me as I leaned against the bath tub. I reached under him and scratched his belly without any effect one way or the other. I sort of suspected that he had come over for some more head attention at that point. I figure that he sensed that he was too far in back of me and I couldn't reach his head or chin. He backed out about half way and parked himself wedged between the bathroom cabinet and my bare leg. I gave him a rub on the top of his head and a couple under his chin.
While not fully grown, Kinabo is about 10 or 11 months old, (I think). He is just now passing 52" and what seems like 500 pounds. When he relaxes and pancakes his body, we are talking about a lizard 8" wide. I thought I would add the description so you would get the idea.
Anyway, after a couple of chin scratches, he proceeded to lay his head in my hand, pancake himself and pass out. You can tell when a Black Throat is really sleeping as their respiration lowers to 4-6 breaths a minute. He was really sleeping....deeply.

Anyway, I sat on the floor for a long time just watching him sleep on my hand. I thought about some of the monitor purists who hate the idea that a monitor has been tamed. As I looked at Kinabo, it occurred to me that Kinabo's closeness to me was his choice. I really felt blessed to have that trust and honored that he sees me as a provider or security, food and yes, even affection. Being "chosen" is, for me at least, one of the most incredible experiences I have ever had.
 

bonedoc

New Member
Messages
32
I know what you are sayin. My Black throat who comes in at about 62" and 35lbs. is completely handlable. I will sit on the floor and he likes the attention. He will even seek it. When I have him out he will explore, smell everything and ultimately end up by me. Picking him up is not his favorite thing and I believe it is mostly an insecurity given his size. So it has to be done just right, otherwise....tame is an understatement. While I never let my guard down, he can be fed by hand. He can of just chomped down some food and I can reach over and massage his head, neck, etc and he has never so much as opened his mouth or attempted to mistake my hand for food. He also appears to enjoy being in our company when out of his enclosure. He loves his baths as well. Usually falls asleep while soaking.
 

kinggill

New Member
Messages
19
Yes Dana that is a very good feeling to bond with and animal like that.I made a very special bond with a large adult Salvator at the zoo i worked at that we received as a wild caught monster.It took almost a year of feeding,and numerous broken scrub brushes but we were buddies by the end,I think he finally realized the horse shampoo made his skin shiny and sexy,and his itches were getting scratched.I was able to sit in his cage and he would crawl around flicking that tongue investigating,I feel he was real comfortable with me inside his encloser .It was quite a few years ago, before smart phones and laptops so I only have one picture of him, I never did get a picture of him on my lap ,I ended up having a fall out with the previous owner and I walked off the job,really regret not taking more photos but I thought I'd be there forever.Anyway the way I see it I was the only person caring for him that was never bitten ,tailed whipped to death or attacked,he drew blood on a few replacement zoo keepers...so i believed we were "Pals" :D We like to think our reptiles "love" us ...who knows..Tegu's ,some Varanids and retics are pretty smart,I did have a male Super Tiger Retic that the second i opened his cage he was on me,he loved snuggling..crazy i know...but if they are warm ,dont feel threatened and have a full belly thats usually all that matters to them:)
 

Dana C

Member
Messages
633
I think you are right. Kinabo and I are "Pals" most of the time. I think I would never go so far as to say he or any other of my reptile charges "love" me or are capable of it. I feel that I represent comfort, security, warmth and a certain amount of pleasure. I have never been bitten by my monitor or even threatened. Yes, he has given me a painful tail slap or two and he hisses when he is "not in the mood". He trusts me and I trust him. I have not taken him out in public as I didn't acquire him for the "cool factor". (Hell at 64, how cool can I be anyway?) Being outside scares the hell out of him so he is an indoor lizard.

If I lived in Florida, I would love to have a Salvator. I seen incredible pictures and short clips of them interacting with their human friends including one that was just shy of 9' coming up to his "Pal" to have his cheek scratched. I say Florida because I live in Idaho in a very old house which gets too hot inside during the summer, (no AC) and hard to keep warm in the winter. Keeping reptiles is a challenge here and a Salvator between temperatures, humidity and the need to have a VERY large soaking device, none of which
would thrill the owner of my little house just isn't going to happen......sigh.
 

shaneluvsmonitors

New Member
5 Year Member
Messages
9
im a die hard monitor enthusiast...

No probs with the way your b/ts behaving matey... you may have issues if you decide to introduce a mate though... i.e. totally dis-interested as it sounds like its bonded with you....

They certainly dont feel in the same way we do they certainly can and do interact with people to the point of being tame....
 

kinggill

New Member
Messages
19
Well Dana ...I think your pretty Damn Cool if your 64 and still playing with these animals :p I'm in the same situation as you as I live in Wisconsin so no explaining needed there.But i got a few more years in me than you hopefully so my old farm house is going to get a major remodel when I finally get out of this place and return home,there's a few rooms connected that need to get ripped out anyways,so ..yep...totally getting redesigned with varanids in mind...and then there's always the basement,and I have a feeling the rec room might be getting an addition,but of coarse I have too run this past the wife...ive had alot of time on my hands here for dreaming up some pretty good stuff :rolleyes:
 

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