I am 53, have been around snakes all my life. One rule always applies, eventually one will get out. Thank you for not promoting venomous snakes as pets.
One will get out?? One? I think ALL of my snakes escaped at least once. My boa boa once escaped and lived in the walls of my house for seven months, until one morning I found her sticking her head out of some boards in my basement. She even shed her skin once, which I left in place. She was probably eating mice or squirrels in the attic crawl spaces. One of my ribbon snakes got out of her enclosure and pried open my terrarium of frogs. Bye Frogs. When I was a boy, and heard screaming in one of my neighbors’ homes (we lived in row homes) I knew one of my tanks was missing an inhabitant.
I’ve kept pythons , corns , hognoses , & ratsnakes for years I’ve only ever had one escapee luckily it was my rat 🐍 I call him big worm he’s 7ft2 my sister had been messing and not put the lock back on properly & I hadn’t noticed later that night I heard banging & he was climbing on the top of my scorpion viv lol 😂
Snake Discovery definitely does a good job at caring for Rex, and they ALWAYS give the disclaimer that crocodilians do not make good pets for just anyone so extra props to them! Glad you mentioned them!
Nicholas Waldron They also mention that they never meant to end up with Rex but rather that Rex is disabled and they couldn’t find any suitable caretaker for her
@@askthefrog that's like, a 5-6 foot burm? i mean i'd be a bit cautious handing just about any snake off to a person to hold but one that size isn't all that worry inducing as long as a second person is on hand
@@prcervi He's about ten foot and 20 lbs. He's not that hard to handle when he's cooperating but for someone that's not used to handle snakes he can be quite a handful 😄
Over my 14 years of working in vet med, and keeping variously reptiles for 20 years, I've definitely learned that I will never keep any reptile or any other animal for that matter, that I cannot lift myself.
I love how you admitted you don’t have the space for a reticulated python so you’ll never get one, unless you move and have the resources to properly care for one. The amount of animals I’ve seen just on RUclips that are suffering because someone couldn’t understand that basic rule of owning a pet is sickening. That’s what I love about this channel. Adam isn’t afraid to admit he just doesn’t have the resources for a lot of the rarer reptiles other people own, and that’s perfectly fine.
@@prcervi all of the above actually, the retic is 23ft long im pretty sure, the enclosure has live plants, a working water fall + pond, as well as built in hides, and the buliding is only around 2500sqft. they spoil that snake though, but whenever i asked the staff about cleaning and feeding, they said that he was actually a really sweet snake and that literally everyone on staff would take a bullet for him... high key wanna be that snake lol
First, this guy doesn’t really know what he’s talking about if he thinks Burms are smaller than Retics. Retics can get very long, but they remain relatively skinny compared to a Burm. Any Retic reaching 20 feet has been fed very, very heavily. A male fed moderately will be ~8-10 feet. A female will be around 12-14 feet. Again, these snakes a thin compared to other big snakes, so they’re actually smaller than that sounds. It’s still a big snake, and a huge commitment, but much more reasonable than he’s making it sound. I’ve kept both Burms and Retics. Now that my space is limited, I’ve chosen to keep a male retic. I prefer them, but also, it is smaller than a Burmese python.
I really appreciate the fact you bring out that, by getting a potentially dangerous animal, a keeper does put others at that risk. I feel like a lot of people I've met who keep those sorts of animals proudly accept the risk for themselves, bragging about it, and then the idea of the animal potentially getting out and injuring someone else..just doesn't occur to them, and they tend to think their enclosure / handling is absolutely foolproof, impossible to escape. "You've never been bit..until you get bit." 100%
I had a Savannah monitor for 14 years. He was like a reptile dog and was so sweet. He never bit me as an adult. When he was a baby, he was a little snippy but once he realized he always has food available then he calmed down. He would take baths and climb up on the couch. He was very over weight when he died but he lived a good life.
"Say you're a small person" Me: Yes "One Hundred and fiiii...fty/ 160 pounds" Me, a 105 pound woman: So, I'm not even a small person in this case, I'm literally snack size. Good to know😂
@Zenful Pariah "Turtles are reptiles of the order Chelonia or Testudines. They are characterized by a special bony or cartilaginous shell developed from their ribs that acts as a shield. Colloquially, the word "turtle" is generally restricted to fresh-water and sea-dwelling Testudines."
@Zenful Pariah they are still considered reptiles by the vast majority of people and while yes that may be true, it is personally acceptable to consider them reptiles in regard to their similarities to reptiles when keeping them as pets. They share enough features with reptiles to be classified with them in regards to care and keeping. Furthermore they are often kept by people who keep reptiles in the hobby and as such are perfectly fine to include under the category in the context of his videos.
@Zenful Pariah yeah but is commenting "wickens doesn't think evolution happened " all over the place doesn't communicate any of that and is also really rude and untrue. There are much better ways of going about it and better ways of spending your time. Maybe instead comment some of that information you stated and if he acknowledges, great! If not, it's really not the hill to die on, yknow? He's just a guy who loves reptiles he's not a biologist and he's also not required to listen to a guy commenting "wickens doesn't think evolution happened" under completely unrelated comments.
I feel that if you're going to own any "hots" you should have a completely snake proof room, even if it's not required by your local law.. that being said, I still would never own one.
Agree, there are very specific things everybody should follow (but don't). If anyone wants to start keeping "Hots", it should be mandatory they visit a zoo or other professional institutions. Totally sealed rooms with vents up high, a locking door with a window so you can look in and see if everything is where it is suppose to be. Hook work, switch boxes, etc. Inexperienced keepers make the hobby look bad.
Good list. I do want to point out though that while Emily and Ed (Snake Discovery) do take good care of their alligator, they did not actually want her nor do they recommend anyone ever keep one as a pet. The only reason they have her is because someone they knew was keeping her in a 4 foot long enclosure with no lights nor proper diet, and they just wanted to get her out of that situation. She is permanently stunted and has some jaw abnormalities (although these have greatly improved under their care) due to the way she was kept for the first almost 30 years of her life. She will never get as large as a healthy American alligator can get.
My niece wanted a larger lizard and went down to a rep shop in London about 7 years ago I told her ask about uros ackies or a blue tongue Instead he spent 20 mins telling her how a Savannah monitor would fit a 4x2x3 her dad phoned me and asked if it would work told him to call the guy a twat and leave
A couple of things to add... 1. From what I've heard, making a mistake with a chameleon, they are more likely to die than other reptiles. 2. Even if you get bit by a venomous snake and you do live, there is a good chance you'll lose something. The venom usually destroys a lot of tissue and causes parts of the body to get gangrene.
It’s even worse if you keep venomous animals that aren’t endemic to your area. Local hospitals usually only have a small supply of anti venom for snakes that are local. If you keep cobras, you need to invest in cobra anti venom that you keep yourself because the ER isn’t going to have it for you.
@@jalexoneschanel1356 as someone who does keep venomous reptiles in an area where there are no venomous anything (except Rattlers on the mainland and only in certain places) the hospitals here don't stalk antivenom at all. And being responsible I have my own and daaaamn is it expensive. I do make some money selling the venom of my nope ropes but still...
@@janiceellery1653 I like them! and some people want to take care of them and that's fine, it's just not on everybody's want list because they can be kinda dangerous
When I was little, we had all kinds of reptiles and when I was 5 I was given a huge Savannah Monitor as a pet to learn reptile care. It was a fully grown male, and acted more like a dog than a lizard. I slept with it on my chest every night and one night one of my moms friends reached out to touch me for whatever reason. The Savannah bit him hard and didn't let go until my mom came in and pried its jaws off. I taught this thing tricks and took it on walks through the neighborhood in a harness. It free roamed in our house and was bonded to me and never left my side. It was the best I ever had when I was little
I own a savanna monitor. I absolutely love her and she is a super sweetheart (for a savanna monitor) that all being said, I 100% agree with his statement on savanna monitors. Though my Monty is a super sweet heart for her species, she can be pretty crabby. She is also quite the handful to care of
EXCELLENT list Adam. Educational and HONEST. I live in the southern part of the USA and I can't tell you the number of times people have been tagged handling a Copperhead. You are the Canadian G.O.A.T 🇨🇦
I have a chameleon and I thought I did enough research but as I’ve taken care of her there is SO much I didn’t know, I can’t stress enough that you need to do as much research as possible, it’s been very expensive but having her is so gratifying, I love her so much
I had a Jackson’s chameleon for two years and had absolutely zero health issues until he stopped eating which was right before he died, which is also a very common behavior
I had a chameleon for 4 days once,poor thing was emaciated and sick, the guy basically stole it from his cousin and came to me with it since I was "the reptile kid", I tried my best to keep him alive but unfortunately it was just too late. I think he may have just done the same thing and stopped eating one day. Was always fascinated with them, but I'm not sure I want to make that gamble investment. I plan on another green iguana or a frilled lizard in the future, but I may pick up something small and manageable being in a trailer
I wish 15 years ago there was someone puting info out there like this and i sst this becouse a pet shop convinced me to get a rock python dont think i need to ssy more lol
Recorpse i actually got my first snake when i was 5! just a small corn snake, and my dad helped me a lot with it (before he met my mom who despises snakes he owned burms and retics, smaller snakes, all sorts of reptiles) and it got me where i’m at now :) she’s 11 or 12 years old, almost 6 feet long, absolutely beautiful and i love her to death. this is kinda long and no one asked but i take literally every opportunity to brag about my snake. i love her. sorry :)
I despise pet shops that do that, I was 11 when I got my first retic. They didn't tell me or my mom what there potential size is (I knew how big they got but didn't tell my mom). So I bought him and let's say it didnt end well. He was relocated to a great home though! Still own retic now that I am not a 11 year old little kid.
U know what u are one of the animal channels that I personally love 💕. I have thought about getting iguanas and breaded dragons as my next reptile pets but after watching ur videos I finally understand the work it takes. Keep up the good work
Out of all the reptiles I’ve rescued and handled, my Savannah monitor is by far the favorite, even in comparison to tegus. They have completely different demeanors
Yeah dude, I also own a Savannah Monitor who is almost a year old and he's not aggressive and loves to be handled. He's been tame since I got him. Idk what's up with all these people who hate on Savannah Monitors. I follow lot's of other reptile youtubers who own them and they're all gentle giants.
Jeremy Swanson yes!!! I’m so glad to hear! I rescued mine and she was “aggressive” at only 8 months with two previous owners yet I haven’t had any issue with her besides the initial fear. these animals DEMAND respect, and they will give it once they know it’s mutual. They’re incredibly smart, I think the people that have bad experiences just don’t take the time to understand them before trying to interact with them. Best of luck to you and your lil dude!
@@flowersreptiles2707 yeah they're a little aggro at first because they don't know you. You have to tame them but it's really not that hard. Most people just write them off and don't take the time to understand them. They're very misunderstood reptiles and it hurts my heart. And the constant comparison to Tegus is annoying, those aren't even monitor lizards. They're obviously different. My Sav Onaga and I get along great so, but thanks for the encouragement!
Jeremy Swanson I completely agree man, they’re so underrated🤦♀️it’s worth the investment to build a bond with them. It’s like having a pet dinosaur, and yes I hate the comparisons too! Having my monitor is the most rewarding experience I’ve had with a reptile so far, she’s so interactive. I think I liked the challenge too, sometimes I think she outsmarts me and it always keeps me in a learning mindset with her
When I was initially wanting to get back into reptiles I was considering one, since having a herbivore was a big plus for a lizard in my book since I hate having to keep bugs around...after a couple days of researching what was needed to keep one I decided on a corn snake instead.
I love my Savannah monitor. I have had several in my life. Never found them to be overly troublesome. They do go through an uncomfortable bitey stage....
William Lansberry I mean, they need a massive enclosure, a diet of strictly invertebrates, digging and climbing opportunities, and an extremely hot basking temperature. They can survive without some of these things, but it’s pretty neglectful not to provide the natural environment they thrive in.
I’ve been around a tame Savannah and they’re amazing but overall would suggest a tegu for all the reasons you highlighted as well as the fact Savannahs are all wild caught.
Adam, thank you for this video. Your honesty is refreshing and I appreciate it. I commented on the underrated snakes letting you know how your page has brought my love of reptiles back to life, so again, keep up the GREAT work! God Bless -David
There are super dwarf retics even morphs that have been bred down like on reach out reptiles channel. He has like 7foot adult females with morphs its so cool, one day i will get one.
Me, as I click on the video: The Savannah monitor's probably gonna be on here lol I wonder if he'll say 'just get a tegu' Me, not even five minutes in: Oh hey, the second animal is a lot sooner than I was expecting
Lord Melon I can’t possibly imagine being so uppity, that I would ignore the fact that someone had to fight spell check to make a joke, just so that I may feel superior. You sir have blown my mind. Congratulations Also, sentences end in punctuations.
The Gaboon Viper is the most beautiful snake I’ll never own, even though I considered it. Like you said, it’s not worth the risk of losing your(or someone else’s) life, just for the sake of owning one.
I'd actually say Jackson's chameleons are harder to keep than Panthers and Veileds. Two biggest reasons being there's not as much husbandry info about Jackson's versus other species, and it's hard to find a TRUE captive bred Jackson's cham which means most are wild caught and have issues that come along with that. Either way, I'm still rooting for you to get a chameleon one day 🥳🥳
Neptune the Chameleon hey there! your videos have helped me so much and i've learned a lot (if not all) about chameleon care from them. keep up the great work!
I agree with your whole list lol. I had a chance to adopt a redtail boa yesterday but had to be realistic with the space I have. I adopted an Amazon tree boa instead as it came with the whole setup and I had space for that. Wife says no to the classic big snakes and I agree with her. Love the videos man keep up the great work.
I helped move a giant green anaconda at a zoo once. Ten people and if that snake wanted too It could’ve shook us like nothing. The power big constrictors have is absolutely incredible. That beast and it’s Kin got my utmost respect.
This is why I watch Tyler Nolan’s channel and live through him. Dude just got two American crocs lol. Top 5 ways to save money keeping reptiles? I just found out that you can get a 30lb bag of aspen that is used for labatory mice. It’s about the same price as a large bag of aspen you would by at a reptile store but like 20 times less
try a horse supply store, massive aspen bags on the cheap(by weight at least) though some people argue that aspen isn't actually all that good a substrate with how easily it'll mold
@@WickensWickedReptiles lol I see what you did there. I just love the animals that he keeps but would never want to own myself. Well except for a rhino iguana. Plus his chic is a solid 10 😍
this video was very entertaining, I was searching giant millipede and centipede care out of curiosity but its always fun to see other scalies and creepers
Fun story: my bf and I live in the LP of Michigan. When he was younger he was at his uncle's for a birthday party. He was playing with his cousins in a treeline when they stumbled across a cobra. Had the hood and everything. At first his uncle didn't believe him until he saw it for himself. Had to shoot the cobra with a shotgun and then phone the police. Turns out a local that lived a few blocks over had an exotics license and decided it was a good idea to release this venomous snake along with a couple of others. This kind of stuff does happen. Please be responsible and don't put others lives in danger 🐍
I like how a lot of this comes down to the fact that mistakes will always happen, but the consequences are much higher with some animals than others (like a housecat vs a tiger taking a swipe at you, or an escaped ball python vs king cobra)
I have a cute and feisty albino western hognose called Eve! When she was sold to me they thought she was a he so we named her Ezrah originally but after 6 months she was enormous for a "male" so we got her re-sexed and lo and behold he was a she so Eve seemed like the natural choice
closest thing to a crocodilian that I'd probably ever keep would be a crocodile skink XD I'm in the same mindset, I appreciate all of my appendages and I'd rather keep them lol
Good video. I totally agree on Savannah Monitors I've seen Savannahs that were dog tame and others that were demons. You might want to specify Argentine Black and White Tegus as the Colombian Tegus are about like Savannahs. I've had an Argentine Tegu in the past MUCH easier to keep and feed. Most Savannahs are obese in captivity as most keepers only feed them rodents where in the wild they actually eat a ton of insects.
I am a recent viewer of your channel and a lover of animals and exotic cars (among other things) so seeing you post a picture of the Shelby when referencing cobras and the Dodge viper was a treat.
I can see why somone would want a savannah monitor though there so much cooler than a tegu it's just such a slow taming process and if u get one get a cbb as u can tame it much easier
I used to be a senior vice president for a renowned international law firm, but I lost a digit in a reptile related incident and I've been a short order cook ever since.
Every baby savanna i've handled has been SO chill but I always hear they're hard to tame down. Do they get more aggressive as they grow? Also YES get the false chameleon. I have one, and he's dope.
They’re really only tame if they’re extensively handled, obese, or too cold. They’re simply not known to thrive in humidity, and are almost exclusively taken from the wild, so it’s just better to refrain from supporting the practice of stealing animals from the wild for our whims.
A good video topic might be moving with reptiles. I’m relocating soon for my career and finding a place that allows reptiles makes an already difficult situation even worse. In my opinion they make great apartment pets but landlords don’t agree. Even rental houses and townhomes will often reject you. They definitely limit your choices of where to live which can really suck. It’s absolutely something to consider if you’re still young.
The Sav's generalization is sad. I'm not an owner but it's because a lot of them are WC(wild caught). WC tegus would be the same. For reference I own a CB Tegu.
That size describes me as well; one day I'd love to have a male boa constrictor, but I have come to the conclusion that a huge snake is not for me, even if I work up to having the resources to care for it; I'd rather have several smaller snakes using the space and resources than one huge snake that could eat me and requires a whole crew to safely care for it 😅
When it comes down to it, it's just his opinion. I own 4 BCI and 2 retics. 1 of the retics I own, purchased from an individual your size. I've met female breeders that I would consider "small". It all depends on your knowledge base, experience, ability and expectance of the risk. If you want and are ready for one of the 5 giants then go for it. Retics are gorgeous, fun, and intelligent. They are also large, and expensive to feed/house.
Simply just being a responsible pet owner. There are lots of animals I would love to own that I just cannot provide what they need. So I don't get them. Simple.
"I am the danger" made me giggle. I'm surprised you didn't mention crocodile geckos as an alternative for number two. A top 5 pet geckos vid might be cool. I've been binging your channel lately cuz it's been giving me animal planet childhood nostalgia vibes
Any advice for beginner crestie keepers? I just got mine and I fear that it may die. I have done my research and I have everything, I just have that fear
Do you often experience illogical fears? Because it may be a symptom of anxiety, I often was terrified of things that I knew logically were incredibly unlikely to happen (as well as having chronic self doubt which also seems to be the case here since you’ve done your research but you’re worried your knowledge isn’t good enough). It may be worth looking into in case there is a treatment, such as cognitive behavioural therapy, to help alleviate any symptoms.
I’ve had mine for over a year, And I had this fear for a while, chances are, it’s not dying. If you have the reason why you think it’s dying, I might be able to help explain
I keep two adult Savannahs and one Nile monitor, and I fully agree with all of your points except for how hard it is to tame them down. Nile monitors are much more along the lines of aggression that you described. Savannah’s are not easy to tame down by any means, and I would consider them expert level animals to keep, but they can be tamed if you put in the time. Even if you tame down a Nile they still almost never get fully to the level of even Savannahs. Both of them are horrible pets, but savannahs aren’t as bad temperament wise as you might have thought.
The zoo closest to my home (Philadelphia, PA) keeps antivenin for every snake in their collection. They will send it to any hospital that needs it. Then they send the bill to YOU, not your insurance carrier. They have a sign up in the reptile house - it's not cheap.
What about a Red Eyed Skink? I don't know literally anything about them, but they look pretty cool, so I would very much appreciate a dedicated video, or at least a full coverage mixed with a few others if need be. Thank you for your videos, and keep up the great work! 👍
Crocodilians: one the few groups of animals that don’t have an awesome mini-counterpart to keep as a pet. 😭 There are miniature horses… miniature sharks… but nothing that truly looks like a Barbie-scale alligator. 🐊
I used to have an experienced herper friend, he had a couple tegu, couple dozen snakes, etc etc... tegu need an experienced keeper, they're an advanced pet, he would recommend one as much as you recommend Savannah Monitors.
I’ve kept retics they aren’t cheap to feed but most wont hit over 20 ft. Most stay 15-17. The swalesi and the tiger retics usually are the ones that get giant
I am 53, have been around snakes all my life. One rule always applies, eventually one will get out. Thank you for not promoting venomous snakes as pets.
Well said!
One will get out?? One? I think ALL of my snakes escaped at least once. My boa boa once escaped and lived in the walls of my house for seven months, until one morning I found her sticking her head out of some boards in my basement. She even shed her skin once, which I left in place. She was probably eating mice or squirrels in the attic crawl spaces. One of my ribbon snakes got out of her enclosure and pried open my terrarium of frogs. Bye Frogs. When I was a boy, and heard screaming in one of my neighbors’ homes (we lived in row homes) I knew one of my tanks was missing an inhabitant.
@@josephsummer777 ...So who was the escapee?? Was your neighbor scared of a wee garter snake or something with more substance?
I’ve kept pythons , corns , hognoses , & ratsnakes for years I’ve only ever had one escapee luckily it was my rat 🐍 I call him big worm he’s 7ft2 my sister had been messing and not put the lock back on properly & I hadn’t noticed later that night I heard banging & he was climbing on the top of my scorpion viv lol 😂
My kenyan sand boa has gotten out 😅 and has also made multiple attempts. She's my sneaky little snek tho
Snake Discovery definitely does a good job at caring for Rex, and they ALWAYS give the disclaimer that crocodilians do not make good pets for just anyone so extra props to them! Glad you mentioned them!
Nicholas Waldron They also mention that they never meant to end up with Rex but rather that Rex is disabled and they couldn’t find any suitable caretaker for her
“Let’s say you’re a small person, like 150-160 pounds” Me, an 100 pound 5’0 glorified baby: haha I’m in danger
That's cute! I would let you handle my corn but not my 20 lbs burm :)
@@askthefrog that's like, a 5-6 foot burm? i mean i'd be a bit cautious handing just about any snake off to a person to hold but one that size isn't all that worry inducing as long as a second person is on hand
@@prcervi He's about ten foot and 20 lbs. He's not that hard to handle when he's cooperating but for someone that's not used to handle snakes he can be quite a handful 😄
Ok Walter white
🙄🙄
Adam, please never get an Egg Eating snake. I fear it would try to eat your head.
(This is a joke, it isn’t meant to offend anyone)
HAHAHAHA! I do have an egg shaped noggin eh!
Hhaahahahahha
69th like. r/nice
69 likes IM FINNA END THIS LIKE BUTTONS CARRER
@@WickensWickedReptiles I very cute egg tho!
You should do top 5 reptiles I was wrong about in next video
I like that idea
Way to predictable number 1 beardy
👌🏾👌🏾👌🏾
love this idea!!!
Count dooku my power has doubled the last time we meet
Over my 14 years of working in vet med, and keeping variously reptiles for 20 years, I've definitely learned that I will never keep any reptile or any other animal for that matter, that I cannot lift myself.
So, no horses for you😎
I can barley lift my labradoodle. he is a little chub
My Common Snapping Turtle is now Big CHUNGAS, & falls in this category!!🙂
I love how you admitted you don’t have the space for a reticulated python so you’ll never get one, unless you move and have the resources to properly care for one. The amount of animals I’ve seen just on RUclips that are suffering because someone couldn’t understand that basic rule of owning a pet is sickening. That’s what I love about this channel. Adam isn’t afraid to admit he just doesn’t have the resources for a lot of the rarer reptiles other people own, and that’s perfectly fine.
the zoo in my city has half of their entire reptile building dedicated to a single retic, so yeah, no retic for me.
that is either one fancy enclosure, one fairly small building, or one absolutely massive retic
@@prcervi all of the above actually, the retic is 23ft long im pretty sure, the enclosure has live plants, a working water fall + pond, as well as built in hides, and the buliding is only around 2500sqft. they spoil that snake though, but whenever i asked the staff about cleaning and feeding, they said that he was actually a really sweet snake and that literally everyone on staff would take a bullet for him... high key wanna be that snake lol
what a great way to keep one
I would love to keep a retic, but most likely I would own a burm
First, this guy doesn’t really know what he’s talking about if he thinks Burms are smaller than Retics. Retics can get very long, but they remain relatively skinny compared to a Burm. Any Retic reaching 20 feet has been fed very, very heavily. A male fed moderately will be ~8-10 feet. A female will be around 12-14 feet. Again, these snakes a thin compared to other big snakes, so they’re actually smaller than that sounds. It’s still a big snake, and a huge commitment, but much more reasonable than he’s making it sound.
I’ve kept both Burms and Retics. Now that my space is limited, I’ve chosen to keep a male retic. I prefer them, but also, it is smaller than a Burmese python.
WWR: 2-3 feet w/ the devil inside....
Me: Toddlers?
😉
hahhaa
Literally my daughted lmao
Lmao
I really appreciate the fact you bring out that, by getting a potentially dangerous animal, a keeper does put others at that risk. I feel like a lot of people I've met who keep those sorts of animals proudly accept the risk for themselves, bragging about it, and then the idea of the animal potentially getting out and injuring someone else..just doesn't occur to them, and they tend to think their enclosure / handling is absolutely foolproof, impossible to escape. "You've never been bit..until you get bit." 100%
I had a Savannah monitor for 14 years. He was like a reptile dog and was so sweet. He never bit me as an adult. When he was a baby, he was a little snippy but once he realized he always has food available then he calmed down. He would take baths and climb up on the couch. He was very over weight when he died but he lived a good life.
"Say you're a small person"
Me: Yes
"One Hundred and fiiii...fty/ 160 pounds"
Me, a 105 pound woman: So, I'm not even a small person in this case, I'm literally snack size. Good to know😂
@Zenful Pariah nobody cares
@Zenful Pariah turtles are reptiles? Lmao
@Zenful Pariah "Turtles are reptiles of the order Chelonia or Testudines. They are characterized by a special bony or cartilaginous shell developed from their ribs that acts as a shield. Colloquially, the word "turtle" is generally restricted to fresh-water and sea-dwelling Testudines."
@Zenful Pariah they are still considered reptiles by the vast majority of people and while yes that may be true, it is personally acceptable to consider them reptiles in regard to their similarities to reptiles when keeping them as pets. They share enough features with reptiles to be classified with them in regards to care and keeping. Furthermore they are often kept by people who keep reptiles in the hobby and as such are perfectly fine to include under the category in the context of his videos.
@Zenful Pariah yeah but is commenting "wickens doesn't think evolution happened " all over the place doesn't communicate any of that and is also really rude and untrue. There are much better ways of going about it and better ways of spending your time. Maybe instead comment some of that information you stated and if he acknowledges, great! If not, it's really not the hill to die on, yknow? He's just a guy who loves reptiles he's not a biologist and he's also not required to listen to a guy commenting "wickens doesn't think evolution happened" under completely unrelated comments.
I feel that if you're going to own any "hots" you should have a completely snake proof room, even if it's not required by your local law.. that being said, I still would never own one.
i agree totally!
Agree, there are very specific things everybody should follow (but don't). If anyone wants to start keeping "Hots", it should be mandatory they visit a zoo or other professional institutions.
Totally sealed rooms with vents up high, a locking door with a window so you can look in and see if everything is where it is suppose to be. Hook work, switch boxes, etc.
Inexperienced keepers make the hobby look bad.
I've been in EMS for 14 years and specialize in dealing with animal bites.. That's the first time ive heard WooHoo wagon and LOVE IT!!
Good list. I do want to point out though that while Emily and Ed (Snake Discovery) do take good care of their alligator, they did not actually want her nor do they recommend anyone ever keep one as a pet. The only reason they have her is because someone they knew was keeping her in a 4 foot long enclosure with no lights nor proper diet, and they just wanted to get her out of that situation. She is permanently stunted and has some jaw abnormalities (although these have greatly improved under their care) due to the way she was kept for the first almost 30 years of her life. She will never get as large as a healthy American alligator can get.
From now on I am definitely referring to ambulances as 'Woo woo wagons'. :)
hahaha!
Him: being logical saying I don’t have the money,space or experience
Me: I don’t have the balls
hahaha
My niece wanted a larger lizard and went down to a rep shop in London about 7 years ago I told her ask about uros ackies or a blue tongue
Instead he spent 20 mins telling her how a Savannah monitor would fit a 4x2x3 her dad phoned me and asked if it would work told him to call the guy a twat and leave
Holy shit. I'm SO glad they knew to call you to confirm info. I hope that dude gets fired, or shut down if he was the owner
A couple of things to add...
1. From what I've heard, making a mistake with a chameleon, they are more likely to die than other reptiles.
2. Even if you get bit by a venomous snake and you do live, there is a good chance you'll lose something. The venom usually destroys a lot of tissue and causes parts of the body to get gangrene.
Yeah and if you do survive the hospital bills for the us at least would put you into deep dept
@@wesleyss855 Thank god I live with universal health care
Oi Boi haha haha ha😔
It’s even worse if you keep venomous animals that aren’t endemic to your area. Local hospitals usually only have a small supply of anti venom for snakes that are local. If you keep cobras, you need to invest in cobra anti venom that you keep yourself because the ER isn’t going to have it for you.
@@jalexoneschanel1356 as someone who does keep venomous reptiles in an area where there are no venomous anything (except Rattlers on the mainland and only in certain places) the hospitals here don't stalk antivenom at all. And being responsible I have my own and daaaamn is it expensive. I do make some money selling the venom of my nope ropes but still...
wow I was expecting a green iguana to be on this list
they belong for sure!!!
I'm glad for once they are not on the horrible reptile list. Sometimes I feel like the only one that likes green iguanas
That would be number 5.5
Janice Ellery I think everyone likes them, but no one likes the work involved lol
@@janiceellery1653 I like them! and some people want to take care of them and that's fine, it's just not on everybody's want list because they can be kinda dangerous
When I was little, we had all kinds of reptiles and when I was 5 I was given a huge Savannah Monitor as a pet to learn reptile care. It was a fully grown male, and acted more like a dog than a lizard. I slept with it on my chest every night and one night one of my moms friends reached out to touch me for whatever reason. The Savannah bit him hard and didn't let go until my mom came in and pried its jaws off. I taught this thing tricks and took it on walks through the neighborhood in a harness. It free roamed in our house and was bonded to me and never left my side. It was the best I ever had when I was little
This sounds like a dream come true. You were like a cartoon character with your animal buddy haha
I own a savanna monitor. I absolutely love her and she is a super sweetheart (for a savanna monitor) that all being said, I 100% agree with his statement on savanna monitors. Though my Monty is a super sweet heart for her species, she can be pretty crabby. She is also quite the handful to care of
such a cool animal but not a great pet for most
EXCELLENT list Adam. Educational and HONEST. I live in the southern part of the USA and I can't tell you the number of times people have been tagged handling a Copperhead. You are the Canadian G.O.A.T 🇨🇦
Wow, I live in Georgia and I ain’t never heard of anyone willingly handle a copperhead, sounds like a death wish 😂
Thanks for that! :)
Lil Getti happens all the time down here in Texas, people are insane around here lol
I applaud your reasoning with retics. I have 16 and luckily i am able to make sure they are properly taken care of.
that's alotta big noodles
I have a chameleon and I thought I did enough research but as I’ve taken care of her there is SO much I didn’t know, I can’t stress enough that you need to do as much research as possible, it’s been very expensive but having her is so gratifying, I love her so much
I had a Jackson’s chameleon for two years and had absolutely zero health issues until he stopped eating which was right before he died, which is also a very common behavior
I had a chameleon for 4 days once,poor thing was emaciated and sick, the guy basically stole it from his cousin and came to me with it since I was "the reptile kid", I tried my best to keep him alive but unfortunately it was just too late. I think he may have just done the same thing and stopped eating one day. Was always fascinated with them, but I'm not sure I want to make that gamble investment. I plan on another green iguana or a frilled lizard in the future, but I may pick up something small and manageable being in a trailer
Dude 1.1k veiws in 45 mins that is so cool dude keep to that youtube grind! You are one of the most underrated reptile youtuber for sure.
I appreciate it! thanks !
3:15
JUST IMAGINE being eaten by your own snake.
Snake: “Ssss.”
Owner: “You Traitor!”
Snake: *Nom Nom*
nommmmm
I wish 15 years ago there was someone puting info out there like this and i sst this becouse a pet shop convinced me to get a rock python dont think i need to ssy more lol
are you serious! holy cow!
I wish 15 years ago I was old enough to even be able to take care of a snake. I would have been 5 and my mental age was about 2
Recorpse i actually got my first snake when i was 5! just a small corn snake, and my dad helped me a lot with it (before he met my mom who despises snakes he owned burms and retics, smaller snakes, all sorts of reptiles) and it got me where i’m at now :) she’s 11 or 12 years old, almost 6 feet long, absolutely beautiful and i love her to death. this is kinda long and no one asked but i take literally every opportunity to brag about my snake. i love her. sorry :)
I despise pet shops that do that, I was 11 when I got my first retic. They didn't tell me or my mom what there potential size is (I knew how big they got but didn't tell my mom). So I bought him and let's say it didnt end well. He was relocated to a great home though! Still own retic now that I am not a 11 year old little kid.
U know what u are one of the animal channels that I personally love 💕. I have thought about getting iguanas and breaded dragons as my next reptile pets but after watching ur videos I finally understand the work it takes. Keep up the good work
thank you so much for the kind words!
No problem 😊
Aw I love my Savannah monitor ❤️ hes so laid back and loves chilling on my shoulder!
so cool!
Out of all the reptiles I’ve rescued and handled, my Savannah monitor is by far the favorite, even in comparison to tegus. They have completely different demeanors
that's awesome to hear
Yeah dude, I also own a Savannah Monitor who is almost a year old and he's not aggressive and loves to be handled. He's been tame since I got him. Idk what's up with all these people who hate on Savannah Monitors. I follow lot's of other reptile youtubers who own them and they're all gentle giants.
Jeremy Swanson yes!!! I’m so glad to hear! I rescued mine and she was “aggressive” at only 8 months with two previous owners yet I haven’t had any issue with her besides the initial fear. these animals DEMAND respect, and they will give it once they know it’s mutual. They’re incredibly smart, I think the people that have bad experiences just don’t take the time to understand them before trying to interact with them. Best of luck to you and your lil dude!
@@flowersreptiles2707 yeah they're a little aggro at first because they don't know you. You have to tame them but it's really not that hard. Most people just write them off and don't take the time to understand them. They're very misunderstood reptiles and it hurts my heart. And the constant comparison to Tegus is annoying, those aren't even monitor lizards. They're obviously different. My Sav Onaga and I get along great so, but thanks for the encouragement!
Jeremy Swanson I completely agree man, they’re so underrated🤦♀️it’s worth the investment to build a bond with them. It’s like having a pet dinosaur, and yes I hate the comparisons too! Having my monitor is the most rewarding experience I’ve had with a reptile so far, she’s so interactive. I think I liked the challenge too, sometimes I think she outsmarts me and it always keeps me in a learning mindset with her
Sooooo expecting Green Iguanas lol! I love my boy but MANNN he isn't for everyone lol!
yeah they fit on this list!
@@WickensWickedReptiles 🤣🤣🤣🤣
When I was initially wanting to get back into reptiles I was considering one, since having a herbivore was a big plus for a lizard in my book since I hate having to keep bugs around...after a couple days of researching what was needed to keep one I decided on a corn snake instead.
Florida hunting
I was also expecting tokays!! 😂
I love your dry humour scattered throughout your videos. Great message here on just being responsible and still enjoying keeping reptiles safely.
I love my Savannah monitor. I have had several in my life. Never found them to be overly troublesome. They do go through an uncomfortable bitey stage....
William Lansberry I mean, they need a massive enclosure, a diet of strictly invertebrates, digging and climbing opportunities, and an extremely hot basking temperature. They can survive without some of these things, but it’s pretty neglectful not to provide the natural environment they thrive in.
So happy I found your channel, your delivery, humor and enthusiasm reminds me of all the animal caretakers I looked up to growing up :) great job!
Awesome! Thank you!
I’ve been around a tame Savannah and they’re amazing but overall would suggest a tegu for all the reasons you highlighted as well as the fact Savannahs are all wild caught.
:)
Adam, thank you for this video. Your honesty is refreshing and I appreciate it. I commented on the underrated snakes letting you know how your page has brought my love of reptiles back to life, so again, keep up the GREAT work! God Bless -David
Thanks so much!
There are super dwarf retics even morphs that have been bred down like on reach out reptiles channel. He has like 7foot adult females with morphs its so cool, one day i will get one.
that is so cool!
The super dwarf retics wernt bred down they orginally came from an island population that genetically stays small.
@@michaelelkinton1167 i meant as in the morphs that come from mainlands have been bred down in size by breeding into super dwarfs
Me, as I click on the video: The Savannah monitor's probably gonna be on here lol I wonder if he'll say 'just get a tegu'
Me, not even five minutes in: Oh hey, the second animal is a lot sooner than I was expecting
hahahaha!
That was literally me. I was like let's see how fast he mentions a Sav and says just get a Tegu instead. 🙄
What are your thoughts on Mexican alligator lizards?(Abronia graminea)
Dats a purdy lizard
Moss Man I guess there is no such thing as proper grammar
Lord Melon hes just joking bro.
Lord Melon
I can’t possibly imagine being so uppity, that I would ignore the fact that someone had to fight spell check to make a joke, just so that I may feel superior.
You sir have blown my mind. Congratulations
Also, sentences end in punctuations.
Moss Man nice
The Gaboon Viper is the most beautiful snake I’ll never own, even though I considered it. Like you said, it’s not worth the risk of losing your(or someone else’s) life, just for the sake of owning one.
agreed
"Then you're working at IHOP" 😂😂
I'd actually say Jackson's chameleons are harder to keep than Panthers and Veileds. Two biggest reasons being there's not as much husbandry info about Jackson's versus other species, and it's hard to find a TRUE captive bred Jackson's cham which means most are wild caught and have issues that come along with that. Either way, I'm still rooting for you to get a chameleon one day 🥳🥳
thanks for the awesome input
Neptune the Chameleon hey there! your videos have helped me so much and i've learned a lot (if not all) about chameleon care from them. keep up the great work!
GsOrestes Hi :) Awesome! Thanks for letting me know.
also caiman lizards are very similar to tegus. they’re like very expensive colorful tegus lmao
I agree with your whole list lol. I had a chance to adopt a redtail boa yesterday but had to be realistic with the space I have. I adopted an Amazon tree boa instead as it came with the whole setup and I had space for that. Wife says no to the classic big snakes and I agree with her. Love the videos man keep up the great work.
very cool!!!
🤣 “WOOHOO WAGON” 🚑🚑🚑 I LOVE THAT!!! 😂
I absolutely love that little clip from NERD of Gianni being tagged by the retic. Anyone that hasn’t seen the video should go watch it, it’s hilarious
You've earned a subscriber from this video alone. Very informative while also humorous and an overall fun topic to discuss. I love Littlefoot's name 💕
Welcome aboard! thanks so much!
I helped move a giant green anaconda at a zoo once. Ten people and if that snake wanted too It could’ve shook us like nothing. The power big constrictors have is absolutely incredible. That beast and it’s Kin got my utmost respect.
This is why I watch Tyler Nolan’s channel and live through him. Dude just got two American crocs lol. Top 5 ways to save money keeping reptiles? I just found out that you can get a 30lb bag of aspen that is used for labatory mice. It’s about the same price as a large bag of aspen you would by at a reptile store but like 20 times less
I can count on nine fingers how many times I've watched his channel....
try a horse supply store, massive aspen bags on the cheap(by weight at least)
though some people argue that aspen isn't actually all that good a substrate with how easily it'll mold
Wow, low blow, he still gets what he wants and I admire that dude for it, you are cool too, but more basic in your reptile options.
@@WickensWickedReptiles lol I see what you did there. I just love the animals that he keeps but would never want to own myself. Well except for a rhino iguana. Plus his chic is a solid 10 😍
Lmao he said “it’ll try to eat your hands” meanwhile his leopard gecko is licking his knuckles
Your dedication and knowledge is inspiring 💯
thank you so much
this video was very entertaining, I was searching giant millipede and centipede care out of curiosity but its always fun to see other scalies and creepers
thanks for watching!
Fun story: my bf and I live in the LP of Michigan. When he was younger he was at his uncle's for a birthday party. He was playing with his cousins in a treeline when they stumbled across a cobra. Had the hood and everything. At first his uncle didn't believe him until he saw it for himself. Had to shoot the cobra with a shotgun and then phone the police. Turns out a local that lived a few blocks over had an exotics license and decided it was a good idea to release this venomous snake along with a couple of others.
This kind of stuff does happen. Please be responsible and don't put others lives in danger 🐍
that's insane
Why even bother getting a license to keep venomous animals just to release them into a place they DONT belong in?? That’s animal cruelty.
I like how a lot of this comes down to the fact that mistakes will always happen, but the consequences are much higher with some animals than others (like a housecat vs a tiger taking a swipe at you, or an escaped ball python vs king cobra)
I would love it if you would consider naming your next girl snake Eve. So you can say I'm Adam and this is Eve.
😸💖🐍💖😸
haha so cheesy and I love it!
Fits good but when u think about it Adam and Eve fcked in the “story”
@@chrisdrex_gaming8958 Yeah...I didn't think we needed to look that deeply into it.
I have a cute and feisty albino western hognose called Eve! When she was sold to me they thought she was a he so we named her Ezrah originally but after 6 months she was enormous for a "male" so we got her re-sexed and lo and behold he was a she so Eve seemed like the natural choice
Or eevee to stick with his pokemon theme!
I love that you’re doing substitutions
hope it helps :)
closest thing to a crocodilian that I'd probably ever keep would be a crocodile skink XD I'm in the same mindset, I appreciate all of my appendages and I'd rather keep them lol
those are such cuties
You saying there’s a lizard that’s handheld but looks/has the characteristics of crocodilians?
@@robertnorris8367 crocodile skinks look more like tiny dragons than crocodiles
You are a very smart man. Enjoy the reptiles you do have and just view the others via RUclips!!!
Good video. I totally agree on Savannah Monitors I've seen Savannahs that were dog tame and others that were demons. You might want to specify Argentine Black and White Tegus as the Colombian Tegus are about like Savannahs. I've had an Argentine Tegu in the past MUCH easier to keep and feed. Most Savannahs are obese in captivity as most keepers only feed them rodents where in the wild they actually eat a ton of insects.
I'm so glad he mentioned snake discovery!😊
What about a top 5 dinosaurs? Since they're what got you into reptiles in the first place
i really adore your channel and i'm so glad i subscribed, as soon as i have money i'm paying for your patreon
Awesome, thank you!
I have 2 retics. Lovely babies...well 1 is a big baby lol. I only ever take them out when I have 1 or even 2 people to hand.
that's awesome! thanks for sharing
You sound so different 😂❤ much love for your channel Adam 😊
Thanks for the shoutout Adam 🤘🏻
No problem 👍 thanks for the AWESOME footage
I am a recent viewer of your channel and a lover of animals and exotic cars (among other things) so seeing you post a picture of the Shelby when referencing cobras and the Dodge viper was a treat.
I can see why somone would want a savannah monitor though there so much cooler than a tegu it's just such a slow taming process and if u get one get a cbb as u can tame it much easier
great point! I mean they look so damn cool!
I have one I love but wicked is right they can be the devel if they dont want to be bothered lol
Devil
But I got mine 2 days ago definitely let's me handle him
I used to be a senior vice president for a renowned international law firm, but I lost a digit in a reptile related incident and I've been a short order cook ever since.
hahahahahhaa
Every baby savanna i've handled has been SO chill but I always hear they're hard to tame down. Do they get more aggressive as they grow? Also YES get the false chameleon. I have one, and he's dope.
People constantly exaggerate imo. Savs can be quite tame and enjoy handling.
They’re really only tame if they’re extensively handled, obese, or too cold. They’re simply not known to thrive in humidity, and are almost exclusively taken from the wild, so it’s just better to refrain from supporting the practice of stealing animals from the wild for our whims.
A good video topic might be moving with reptiles. I’m relocating soon for my career and finding a place that allows reptiles makes an already difficult situation even worse. In my opinion they make great apartment pets but landlords don’t agree. Even rental houses and townhomes will often reject you. They definitely limit your choices of where to live which can really suck. It’s absolutely something to consider if you’re still young.
The reticulated python would eat me, a woman under 5'0, as a snack. No thank you! They are pretty, but I can admire from a safe distance!
Would never own a large monitor but looking forward to getting a little red ackie monitor.
Ackies are amazing!
@@WickensWickedReptiles thats what I keep hearing and I've got a large vision cage for it to grow up in.
Do you still have your corn snake? Has he chilled out at all?
he went to a buddy for a breeding project
lol littlefoot roamin around is awesome!...just subbed! loking for my first reptile after a year research. love your vids
The Sav's generalization is sad. I'm not an owner but it's because a lot of them are WC(wild caught). WC tegus would be the same. For reference I own a CB Tegu.
True, but in general CB Savannah’s are still pretty difficult to tame
I completely agree!!! They are so underrated, extremely smart animals and very responsive to training.
Adam, I'm surprised someone hasn't gifted you a Black &White Tegu. It seems like they are mentioned in every video
maybe one day!
I’m 5 feet and 90 pounds but I would still love something like a burmese or a retic
I’m 5’9 and 130 but I’d be skeptical because of their attitude and the danger
That size describes me as well; one day I'd love to have a male boa constrictor, but I have come to the conclusion that a huge snake is not for me, even if I work up to having the resources to care for it; I'd rather have several smaller snakes using the space and resources than one huge snake that could eat me and requires a whole crew to safely care for it 😅
John Stubner you’re a male so I don’t think so. It’s natural for dudes to weigh more than girls
be careful!
When it comes down to it, it's just his opinion. I own 4 BCI and 2 retics. 1 of the retics I own, purchased from an individual your size. I've met female breeders that I would consider "small". It all depends on your knowledge base, experience, ability and expectance of the risk. If you want and are ready for one of the 5 giants then go for it. Retics are gorgeous, fun, and intelligent. They are also large, and expensive to feed/house.
The way he has a bunch of the animals on this list now lmao
Simply just being a responsible pet owner.
There are lots of animals I would love to own that I just cannot provide what they need. So I don't get them. Simple.
"I am the danger" made me giggle. I'm surprised you didn't mention crocodile geckos as an alternative for number two. A top 5 pet geckos vid might be cool. I've been binging your channel lately cuz it's been giving me animal planet childhood nostalgia vibes
Any advice for beginner crestie keepers? I just got mine and I fear that it may die. I have done my research and I have everything, I just have that fear
You probably shouldn’t have one if you fear it might die
As long as you keep the right temperature, humidity and food going right it should be fine. I have 4
Do you often experience illogical fears? Because it may be a symptom of anxiety, I often was terrified of things that I knew logically were incredibly unlikely to happen (as well as having chronic self doubt which also seems to be the case here since you’ve done your research but you’re worried your knowledge isn’t good enough). It may be worth looking into in case there is a treatment, such as cognitive behavioural therapy, to help alleviate any symptoms.
I’ve had mine for over a year, And I had this fear for a while, chances are, it’s not dying. If you have the reason why you think it’s dying, I might be able to help explain
Isabella Sansome i think they’re just a bit paranoid because it’s a new pet(or a pet in general for that matter)
Yes
yeeeee
so basically you would never keep anything wicked :)
my 3 foot hognose is wicked, she told me so.... haha
Chandler’s wildlife has a young American Crocodile. It is very tame, he can rub its teeth and kiss it. It’s incredible.
All of these are on my list too! Also green iguanas are on my list.
very nice!
When you were talking about crocodilians your bearded dragon was looking at you like “I’m a crocodile”
he identifies as a crocodile
I keep two adult Savannahs and one Nile monitor, and I fully agree with all of your points except for how hard it is to tame them down. Nile monitors are much more along the lines of aggression that you described. Savannah’s are not easy to tame down by any means, and I would consider them expert level animals to keep, but they can be tamed if you put in the time. Even if you tame down a Nile they still almost never get fully to the level of even Savannahs. Both of them are horrible pets, but savannahs aren’t as bad temperament wise as you might have thought.
A very pleasing presentation. Liked/subbed
Much appreciated!
Snake discovery has a tiny alligator, and still they don't recommend them as pets
The zoo closest to my home (Philadelphia, PA) keeps antivenin for every snake in their collection. They will send it to any hospital that needs it. Then they send the bill to YOU, not your insurance carrier. They have a sign up in the reptile house - it's not cheap.
Neat thing. Garters have more in common with Hogies than most would think
You should make a whole series on venomous snakes and their Batesian Mimics like coral snakes their BM's milk snakes.
great idea!
@@WickensWickedReptiles I think another one would be cotton mouths and some Cornsnake morphs if I'm not mistaking 🤔
What about a Red Eyed Skink? I don't know literally anything about them, but they look pretty cool, so I would very much appreciate a dedicated video, or at least a full coverage mixed with a few others if need be.
Thank you for your videos, and keep up the great work! 👍
Crocodilians: one the few groups of animals that don’t have an awesome mini-counterpart to keep as a pet. 😭 There are miniature horses… miniature sharks… but nothing that truly looks like a Barbie-scale alligator. 🐊
I used to have an experienced herper friend, he had a couple tegu, couple dozen snakes, etc etc... tegu need an experienced keeper, they're an advanced pet, he would recommend one as much as you recommend Savannah Monitors.
they are advanced for sure but between the two sign me up for a tegu any day
I’ve kept retics they aren’t cheap to feed but most wont hit over 20 ft. Most stay 15-17. The swalesi and the tiger retics usually are the ones that get giant
they can get huge for sure
I really like how you include more TV clips/references in your vids now. You got several laughs out of me lol
I'll continue this I think
3:50, It took me 6 months but my savannah monitor is a sweetheart