The future of Black Throat Monitors

[Dana C]

As I am sure most of you know, Tanzania closed the door on all animal exports. Sadly that puts newly imported Black Throats, V Ionidesi, out of the reach of any potential new owners.

With no newly imported Black Throats hitting the market anytime soon, I would like to hear from anyone out there what they think the future holds for Black Throat ownership. I have noticed that the resale prices of Black Throats has gone up very fast with asking prices moving to the $600 range.

Are the prices going up from there?
Is this going to create a captive breeding boom?
Are there any breeding populations outside of Tanzania? I think I read that another eastern Africa nation may have a small population but can't confirm it.
Is anyone in the U.S. successfully breeding them?

 

[chelvis]

I have heard some people having success with breeding them, the only problem was the captive bred babies were to expensive compared to any imports. It should be interesting to see what happens.

 

[monstruo-the-tegu]

damn the black throat was on my wishlist

 

[got10]

The ban is only for a year though.(that just gives me time to save )I looked up the reason .Its all because some a$$hole smuggled 127 birds out of the country and refuses to return them to the minister of game and fishery. I say just take the dude beat his butt return him AND the birds so we can get fresh imports again.

 

[reptastic]

I'm with got10, one screw up messes it up for all, I f its only temporary then I see only a temporary increase in cost...I hope its not that way when I'm ready to get me one

 

[TegusRawsome80]

I doubt it will stay temporary. Prices would skyrocket without the imported ones, which I think is a good thing. More expensive = less impulse buys because they're cute and relatively cheap.

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Oh, and no it won't create a captive breeding boom because they require a lot of space, work, and substrate to successfully breed, nest etc.

 

[Dana C]

I know that they are hard to breed and as far as I know, there aren't any CB Ionides for sale anywhere in the US...or at least I can't find any.
I saw a couple of imports for which the seller was asking $600 plus. That may give a few people the incentive to try it.
I am glad I have my boy and would not take anything for him. It would be like selling a close friend.

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Here is a question to get things going. Kinabo is my first monitor and there are a couple of things I am not familiar with. He hasn't finished shedding and already starting a new shed. As a result he is miserable. I have read that Black Throats shed in patches much smaller that the huge pieces that come off Tegus. I am doing every thing I can do in terms of acceptable humidity, baths, diet etc. but am curious about what a normal shed is like in these guys.
After his bath today, he was so uncomfortable that he climbed up onto my lap and on to my chest. I guess he associates me with safety and comfort.
I forgot to mention that he has figured out that my beard is a great way shed his softer facial scales / skin. While he isn't huge yet, 40+", it is interesting having a big lizard cheek to cheek.

 

[TegusRawsome80]

I don't think they're that hard to breed, just require a lot of room and food and care. FR successfully bred them as did a couple of others over the years.