Reptile Forum, Reptile Classifieds - CaptiveBred

[Ciryluk3g]

I am interested in owning an Argus monitor... I have been interested in them for a few years and have read quite a bit... thinking that I'd probably never own one anyway.. but still read bits and pieces and drool over piccies!

I would like some opinions from large monitor keepers... can Monitors be allowed to free roam and have an area set aside for them where they can bask, have access to UV light and opportunities to dig... I have heard of some monitors being kept in this way aswell as other large lizards such as Iguanas... are there any keepers here that have kept there large Monitors in such a way or similar and willing to share experiences of how they achieved it... I am guessing it may not be easy or possible with Argus!

Argus related question... to what extent are they tameable/trainable? I don't really mind if theyre hyper, scatty and inquisitive/nosey t'is why I like them... but as they are intelligent can they be trained to a certain extent? And to those that keep them and have cats/dogs how do the Argus react towards them?

Sorry for all the questions... I may ask more later!

Cheers,

Chez

[stu__r]

Hi there.

Panoptes are a very highly strung species and as a rule rather agressive and i personaly have never heard of anyone training or tameing this species.
They of course with time will sometimes tolerate you picking them up and moveing them without to much fuss but they will always be highly strung and much rather you left them alone.

I think it might have been d bennet that said that if you are in the field and have a flavirufus in one bag and a panoptes in the other its easy to tell the diff as if u poke the flavi you get no response but if you poke the panoptes it hisses loudly.

As for free roaming. I have heard it done with savs and such but they are normaly overweight and inactive. A panoptes would destroy the house, that im sure of lol.

Ask all you want. Theres a few people on here who keep, have kept or have experience with panoptes.

[mark_w]

I was just going to add that the most likely candidate large lizards for this approach are Argentine Black and White or Argentine Red Tegus.

I know of some people who keep them in relatively small vivs, but with open doors to let them out to free roam. That way they can get back in to bask/dig/drink or what have you.

Personally, even with tegus, I don't see how that can work. My tegus would destroy my house, and these guys are much more chilled out than an argus monitor. They will still climb on top of a chair using a jumper hanging off the back of it, on to your dining table, scratch it to pieces, knock over a vase of flowers, blow up the TV and then scare the 'poo' out of the fire brigade when they arrive!!!

Sorry, I'm getting a bit carried away there lol!!!

I let mine roam around in my reptile room, but this requires supervision, and I couldn't leave them all day. From what I've read, a water monitor is a better candidate for a large/interesting/relatively tame monitor.

Hope this helps....
Mark.

[stu__r]

I two have heard of free roaming tegus. I think that can work in terms of one room that you alow them to free roam in but it must be "tegu proofed". I guess if your wholes house was tegu proof it might work but i cant see how you can do that.

Yeh a salvator would be good as a large and tame animal but tame is all relative. Ive seen very few varanids i would describe as tame. Just different levels of tollerance with a few that border on tame and of course many that are overweight and not very well and therefore dont make any fuss.

[Sean]

Here is a head shot of one of my panoptes panoptes males. This particular one was very very calm and I would sometimes allow him out into my living space but only under supervision. Although he never showed any type of aggression he was very powerful and could cause possible damage to my home and himself if left to roam freely as they like to investigate most things.

[Cornuta]

I once looked after a group of tegus as part of a zoo collection and they really made a mess of their enclosure, cant imagine them being good house pets at all.

Imagine a large monitor climbing up the curtains in your livingroom???!!!

I once had a big niloticus that would get out for supervised walks in the house but it always ended up in bad scratches one way or another.

[Ciryluk3g]

Thanks for the replies guys... I was thinking more of a Monitor proofed room for free roaming than the whole house... and now realise it was a stupid question to ask in the first place and I have since sacked the idea! Maybe one day I will be able to keep Argus (properly) and for now they remain high on my wishlist!

I have since decided to get a Blue Tail to be housed properly in a viv... I have done a fair amount of research on them books/web ect... but if any of you keep them feel free to post your experiences here.....

cheers!
_________________
~*Chez*~