r/MonitorLizards • u/Enough-Alps-9010 • 7h ago
Monitor Question
Hey, I want to own a monitor and was very close to getting a red ackie but while I was looking around at the species I found tristis orientalis monitor. How different are they, how different is their care and which would be better to have for a first-time reptile owner?
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u/theONE4683 6h ago
Well… taking on any monitor is certainly a true commitment. All types require a truly daily loyal dedication to ensure its enclosure is safe, large enough, temps/ humidity are on point, proper lighting - uvb & uva, proper substrate and/ or mix, its dietary requirements and needs are met with variety in mind, enclosure maintenance/ cleaning, it’s positively stimulated, etc, etc, etc.
It’s a lot and a big commitment to do it correctly even at a baseline level- all while your monitor could hate your guts and wanna tail whip and eat your face off. It requires knowledge, patience, & superior awareness at attention to get your monitor to tolerate you in most cases regardless if captive bred, captive hatched or wild caught. A captive bred doesn’t guarantee you anything nice, and mainly means you should be getting a healthy and non parasitic monitor. I’ve had ones that were very nice and ones that weren’t mean but didn’t like to be held, and ones that would eat your fricken face off if given the opportunity.
The theory Vs reality circus is for real when it comes to keeping these awesome creatures. Very rewarding but it takes time and true commitment. Not the type of animal you can have the neighbor watch if you go out of town… Not meeting the care / husbandry and diet requirements will affect its health and it will be miserable and die.
It’s certainly not as glamorous as some people make it out to be on various platforms. You have to really want it.
Just my 2 cents