one of the biggest reasons i subscribed almost immediately is the honesty on this channel. its great to see someone who is clearly more than a little in awe of creatures like these but can still keep the reality head on and explain why a specific animal will be a bad idea. never anything particularly bad about the animal itself, just why its hard for them to be a good pet. i personally like to hear the negatives for any animal. every time i think "huh, those things look cool" my first port of call is to see if clint has a video on it, and take my research from there. 99% of the time i find myself thinking that i am not quite ready, cant afford or need more experience for an animal and chalk it up as one to look for in future. great work.
@@ClintsReptiles Dear Clint, I Have A Few Requests, Asian Water Monitor, The Best Pet Lizard? California Swift Lizard, The Best Pet Lizard? 5 Best Pet Lizards That Are Herbivores Thank You Clint, I Love Your Videos! :)
Honestly when I was 14 I actually tried to plan to get a Nile Monitor. Luckily my family has been raising reptiles for 3 generations and my father's first lesson before getting a reptile was research it. I can honestly say that any appropriate cage you're going to build for this lizard is going to be a addition onto your house or a remodeling of a 1st floor or basement.
Yeah these guys are a LOT of work lol. Any enclosures you use need to be able to handle 80% humidity, so freeroaming isn't even an option unless you want to lose your entire house to mold damage lol. They need particularly large enclosures too. Even massive reptiles like burmese pythons and reticulated pythons don't need quite as much space as a Nile monitor.
Pretty much. They just do not make good pets period. They need a big water source, LOTS of substrate, high heat, and tons of room. If you live in the deep south, maybe you could create an outdoor area suitable but yeah, you're talking a dedicated room of your house reinforced to handle a very powerful lizard.
Tons of money I ended up using half almost half of a bed room with like 7 Different Heat/UVB lights and a small pool lol 😂 but I will say besides costing thousands of dollars over a couple years it’s somewhat awesome to have a pet dinosaur that’s actually dinosaur size 🤷🏼♂️ I will note I think why many of them are aggressive is because they aren’t being handled daily I’m in a hobby group centered around those reptiles and a lot of us have been able to get them docile. (Not always)
Cadet Garcia out of curiosity does your group handle rescues at all? Or even just helping people that have gone and made the mistake of taking on a reptile they weren't prepared for?
Jacob Akins yes, it’s just like a group of people sharing experiences and Tipps to help each other out I myself have my hands full with one. But there are several in our group who have multiple rooms full larger monitors mostly savanna and Miles as Clint states both of those should be 1K+ to ensure only people who have the financial backing can afford them. (Most rescues I’ve seen are very dangerous and have to be kept with extrem cautious)
this is one of the funniest episodes I've seen. Clint is wearing gloves and looking way more nervous than usual. the monitor has a harness, it is stressed throughout the video that this lizard is fully capable of sending you to the hospital on a good day. all of this contrasted with this well-mannered lizard who is less fidgety than Gus Gus.I love the irony 😂 note: i totally get what you're saying here though and I really hope this video circulates in the reptile keeping hobby so more people become aware of the dangers of having a nile monitor
He wasn’t even wearing gloves when he was doing the video on the mangrove snake and that was venomous; when you see him wearing gloves and when the lizard’s on a leash then you know something’s up.
Absolutely agreed. I cannot stress enough how damaging it is for the hobby when someone who is not prepared gets a nile monitor. They should not be widely available.
@@mattm7798 This is something that I could never understand. Where do these snakes end up when they get 10ft and the owners can no longer handle them? Who in their right mind thinks that they can maintain proper care of a 20ft snake over the course of 20 years? That's an absurd commitment for almost everyone.
@@nickjaton1923 Exactly. The next time I meet a retic or even a burm seller/breeder I'm going to ask them that. Not saying they should be illegal but rather like venomous snakes, there are certain species you should need a permit to own. This permit should prove you have the means to care for a 20ft snake.
When Clint’s wearing gloves, the lizard’s on a leash, and he just outright calls them horrible pet lizards, you know that something’s not right. And this is a man who got excited when he was bitten by a false water cobra.
"It can be difficult to get into their enclosure to clean things up, because they hate you. And they're fast." Lol 😂 I've been purposely watching your least recommended best pet ever videos because of how funny they are. You manage to say that these animals will go out of their way to ruin your life in the most cheerful and upbeat way I've ever heard! Much love from Texas.
This is a PERFECT example of why I hold this channel in the highest regard when it comes to reptile knowledge [at least from an overview/educational stand point]. Clint is me and I am Clint. I love me some reptiles but I am frequently perplexed by keepers/enthusiasts that downplay the strength and danger of certain species. Clint keeps it real and enjoys getting scratched/bitten just as much as I do, which is of course to say not at all! This channel always provides such an accurate perspective on the many reptiles presented!
I know this is a super old comment but I feel the need to point out Clint did repeatedly say that this particular Nile Monitor was *unusually* chill and well behaved.
@@MirrimBlackfox may have been worked with when it was young. Could also just be an unusually happy go lucky Nile 😃. He actually seemed like he wanted attention from Clint a couple of times in the video
@@Madchris8828 From personal experience, I can tell you that you would be lucky to get a Nile monitor in even a very young and small state that would tolerate you. Almost all of them are incredibly defensive and I've seen them the size of bearded dragons that would constantly charge and tail whip the glass of their enclosure if you even moved your hand around it. You would need to care for a newborn and as Clint said, handle it every single day with no breaks.
When about a year after I got my house, I wanted a nile monitor. I knew they were advanced. I knew they got BIG. I started planning a 10x10 enclosure in my garage, pricing materials, figuring out how to get the heating parameters, water parameters. I really enjoyed the planning process. HOLY BALLS WAS IT EXPENSIVE! Then I started thinking of food. They basically could eat 3 chickens a week (just an estimate). I ended up getting an ackie a few years later, haven't regretted my decision. Niles are absolutely the most gorgeous velociraptors still in existence though, I'll give them that. It absolutely sickens me when I see a 20 gallon tank full of nile monitors at expos for $15 a piece, being sold to preteens and unsuspecting parents with no input from the importers to say "Hey, btw, this thing will get 8' long and may try to eat you". To my knowledge, there's only one (maybe 2) breeders/importers in my area that even tries to inform their customers. As much as I hate regulation, I think we need some sort of checks and balances on some of these importers. I saw over a hundred baby savannahs and niles doomed at the last expo in my area. The wild certainly needs them more than we do I would think... I mean, at least a quota on how many can be collected, anyone care to discuss?
A quota would be a great first step, it would raise the price of the lizard as well and that would hopefully stop some of the sales. It really is sad that 99.9% of the these monitors sold are just completely doomed it seems.
Regulations, public awareness programs, and licenses are definitely recommended, as complete bans would just increase illegal trades AND disappoint, upset, or even anger people who had actually done a lot of research and know what they are doing.
I've worked with a couple of Niles, and omg I fell in love with both of them. Definitely not one for a beginner- and while I have helped in their care, and would LOVE to eventually have one, I'm definitely definitely definitely not in a place where I could provide it with what I would want to provide it with as a habitat- As in converted decent sized bedroom with the proper environment and numerous basking spots. If you're with them though you can see them freakin' taking everything in, processing it, and coming up with conclusions. I've seen them figure out how to open sliding doors by just watching it be opened and shut, then walking over and boom. Opening it. No experimenting with it, no trial and error, just a "EUREKA!" moment after seeing it, and then just doing it. Freakin' brilliant. The two I knew (meaning full sized, I've worked with smaller ones in pet store jobs I had) could get rather quirky if you didn't interact with them often. The more you worked with them, the better they were- but if crap sprung up in your life so you just took care of them, but didn't spend time just interacting with them, they had no problem in not being the most fun to handle fairly quickly. Edited to say- I wrote this before watching the vid... and just as I was like "Gloves and constantly keeping where that head is at all times- yup. That's part of dealing with a Nile." You can def get them handleable, and while I said they could get quirky if you don't handle them- no matter how "well behaved" one is- you want to dead on keep an eye on that body language and that mouth lmao. Most things biting isn't a big deal, I've handled tempermental 15 foot snakes without gloves, though that did result in a scar on my hand- it wasn't a traumatizing overly painful experience. Nile bites? I don't like handling snakes with gloves 'cause I have a hard time feeling what they're doing- but over a certain size, yeah- 100% gloves with Niles. No matter how good they usually are. It takes a second, and they do daaaaaaaaaaaaaaaamage if they want to!
I recently got a ball python after watching a ton of your videos and doing a ton of research. You have really sparked a passion for snakes and reptiles in me. Thanks so much for showing me the animals that I really want (and also really DONT) want to keep. Keep up what you do.
If I lose a finger, I have to drop down to four categories... Nice to see you here. Love your channel and your business. I want a caiman from you someday 😊
@@samveasey3558 I don't think this is happened ever. They can hurt you very bad (bite, scratch, tail-whip) but they are for sure not capable to kill a healthy, adult Human.
Is there any chance you would approach one of your ornithologist colleagues to do a bird version of your show? Birds are treated similarly to lizards in the pet trade... People underestimate the work and don't do enough research, but they can be excellent pets.
That's so not true though. Nile monitors and iguanas can be very tame if handled from a young age. It's down to how much effort and time the owner puts in.
I owned an Iguana when I was in high school. He was the goodest boy and a VERY poor representative of his species apparently. He was friendly and content right until the day he died.
@@Bigweave74 iguanas are easily tamed, its extremely important that when buying an iguana that it's either young enough to handle regularly to build trust or of it's an older specimen to be sure you have the time and determination to handle it on a daily basis, Nile monitors are more intelligent and trust can be built by food rewards ect.
@@crazychrislovesretics6790 Bribery is second rate to proper acclimation though. Condition with reward doesn't foster much respect or understanding between person and animal. Its the difference between the animal not caring to bite you for the moment, and not wanting to bite you, and even wanting to be around you if lucky.
As an owner of a Common Green Iquana way back in the 1970s, I have to say this is the most responsible video on reptile ownership I have ever seen. Your overall knowledge on the care of the animals, and what human ownership entails, from the animal's point of view is commendable. I wish the same warning would go forth for all pets. Great job sir!
He was actually going to give him a 1 but the monitor looked at him like "Conisider your next words wisely human" and he added the .8 to save his own life.
I just rescued one of these guys in rough shape. We have been treating and he is perking up! I believe the hand feeding mush and meds with a syringe is bonding us. Tonight he and I did an up and down dance. He played with the up down head dance for like 15 min! These are now my favorite animal in all existence 🙌 positive vibes and prayer for our baby names zillion!!
@@ThKiwiwell when knowing that the "upp and down head dance" that she calls it. When it's actually a thing reptiles do when they are angry, wanting to mate, or dominance display. And she does it back without knowing wtf she's doing😂 id say not so great. Especialy when they get like a fucking mid sized dog that wants to kill you
can recommend to enjoy them from distance. I saw them in nature (most in Ivory coast in a NP). Not sure though if V. stellatus or V. niloticus . Really interesting to watch. one individual was close to the station and roaming around. Another smaller one at the river close by. Both would run aways like crazy if you got too close but otherwise really agile and curious.
I had the most INCREDIBLE nile monitor for a while. Calm, never bit, puffed, or hissed right from baby to juvenile. Unfortunately passed away while I was working out of the country this year... and I was halfway around the planet so nothing could be done. But the new baby one I have is another story, much more typical nile. It's going to require a massive amount of work to get her to the same level, one month down and 0 bites so we are on the right track at least! Worth every scratch and whip. I agree with this video 100%. I'm fortunate enough to be around a handful of people I would say could successfully keep this animals, but it's mind boggling to me how cheap and available they are. I bet there are people buying them on a whim for their kids all over the country all the time without a clue what they're getting into.
Absolutely spot on. I've been waiting so long for this video- damn well worth the wait! With the exception of my asian water Monitor who I hunted down for a store and drove to Vegas to purchase, every one of my monitors have been either rescues or purchases from people who could no longer care for them. Niles being my absolute favorite, the ones I have the most of (at 3 currently) and even the ones I do best with. My largest, Hanzel is almost the size of the guy your showing and has his own swimming pool. My other two are Savannah monitors Neither are animals for just anyone and I freakin wish people would knock it off with the impulse buys without research then just giving up on the poor guys Very cool to hear that they're the same size as actual velociraptors MAN I LOVE NILES!
My almost 4 year old is obsessed with your channel. He has even started making his own version of it and wants me to record, starting with “well hi there” and complete with a score of “5 out of 1” lol. Thanks for these videos! Keep them coming :-)
I'm in awe of how calm that Nile is. That disposition is like one in a million. It would have been pretty cool and informative for you to show a clip of what type of damage this Nile can do, effortlessly. Either way you always give great vids.
I owned a 6 ft nile monitor. He has never owned one. If you look at other vids of ppl who have them as pets they are very chill like the one in The video. If you spend time w them they make excellent pets. They are the best chill monitor of all monitors. Do not base your choice not to get one because this guy says so. Very inaccurate video.
@@Michael-ko4ko *your* Nile was tame, Nile’s aren’t tame. Most of them are wild caught sand given their size and natural pointy bits its not a good pet.
I have a pet Nile monitor and he's almost 2 years old! He's actually a really good boy, all things considered 😂 we never try to hold him but he lets us pet him when he's in a good mood! He loves taking baths in our tub and whenever he has to be handled he generally doesn't mind. I will say building his enclosure, which takes up half the room cost more than I would care to admit, he's a really great cat TV, and I think somewhere in his heart he loves me too ❤️🦖
I got a Nile monitor back in the early 90s back before the internet. There was no sources of info besides a few hero mags. Boy I had no idea what I was getting into, I had to learn as I went. He eventually got to big, over 4 feet, for me to handle. Ended up giving him to a better home. Cool pet except for the biting,clawing,tail whipping, musking,and pooping on me (i had one of the angry ones). Clint's assessment of the Nile monitor is correct in my experience and its great to see that this channel can provide this info and possibility save an unaware keeper some pain.
Actually the joke is on you guys lol..... Because Asia has many separate species of water monitor. The Asian water monitor is just the name of one specific species of water monitor found in asia. What he said actually made perfect sense, you guys just don’t know your monitors very well, which is fine! I will say his descriptions were wrong too. I wouldn’t compare a Nile body shape to that of a water monitor. Niles have a drastically different skeletal structure, thicker tails, smaller heads, completely different nostril positioning, different feet etc etc. He specifically said Niles have larger heads than asian water monitors in his video, but generally speaking the exact opposite is true. Even male Niles typically have tiny ass heads UNLESS they have the “ornate” mutation, which causes them to have drastically bigger skulls and a beefier bone structures in general. The change is so severe they look like a whole different species altogether. A Nile with this mutation would certainly have a bigger head than an asian water monitor... but the Nile in this video is a Normal nile with a normal, tiny head. Niles that do have this mutation are built a lot like varanus albigularis and actually have far less in common with water monitors than normal Niles do. Infact Niles with the ornate mutation aren’t even particularly aquatic. When a Nile has this mutation they tend to live in forests instead of staying near bodies of water like the other Niles. He’s spot on about Niles making bad pets though.They are very badly suited to captive living and most are not too keen on calming down for their humans. Plus they are notorious for being more difficult to work with than every other monitor out there..... You’d be better off with a small crocodilian species. Seriously though, I’m not kidding, a dwarf caiman in particular is both easier to care for and to work with than a Nile...... l
Loved this video. I've had my nile monitor Shadow, for 13 years now. He was about 9" long when I got him. Same time next year he was 4.5 feet long. He's now just under 7 feet at 13 yrs old. I absolutely love him, like he's my kid but I spent a lot of time working with him and we gained each other's trust. He has his own room in the house, after dinner he roams around and I fill up the bathtub for him and he'll go in and soak and nap in the tub, then hang out with the dogs in front of the fireplace. After everything I've learned with him, I've worked with a few other niles for friends and some shops and it went really well. There are a few rules that you have to keep in place at all times but I am still awe struck and enamored with them even after all these years. Definitely agree, not an animal just anyone should have but with a lot of patience and work, it can be a very rewarding experience. Keep up the good work with the videos :)
Fantastic video, and an absolutely 100% honest look at what keeping a Nile is like - we had our fella Diablo from age 7 until his death at age 15, and it's AMAZING how a "Free" rescue animal cost *so* much in equipment, heating, electrics and the ridiculous amounts of inverts that he was fed... and no, that animal never tamed down, absolutely did not "love" or even LIKE us. He's hands down one of my favourite animals we've ever kept, but they really, really aren't for everyone, and if Diablo himself hadn't been a particularly undersized individual (I'd be interested to know what locality he was from, as he came into the UK on a shipment where a *lot* of the Niles on the shipment were particularly small into adulthood) we would not have been able to provide adequate housing or care for him. When it came to possibly having another - this time a yearling female who was already nearly the same size Diablo was at 7 years old - much as we regretted having to say no, we did. Broke our hearts that we had to say it, but for her own good we weren't the right people for her.
YES! You're right, they probably won't kill ya...but they might try! LOL. I've lost pints of blood and even took a bite to the back of the neck from mine...and he was just playing, lol. Awesome video, one of my favorites :-).
Great Video! You should do more videos on different species of uromastyx. I see you covered U. geyri, but there are other species and they're very unknown in the youtube community.
Going to my first reptile expo this weekend! My partner and I love animals, we started with a baby Leopard Gecko as our first pet reptile last December. We love researching different reptiles and learning which ones could fit into our future. The responsiblity piece is the most important thing for us, we never want a animal we can't properly care for. Thank you for your awesome educational videos! They are perfect for people just getting into the reptile hobby.
I had one. Everything you said is true. But I was a reptile keeper at a zoo and have two degrees in zoology. The only way I could handle him was dropping the temperature to slow it down. It used its tail as a whip, moved its head up and down to aim very accurately and followed up with a lunge with teeth flashing. Not for the amateur or average person. He did hate me. On the other hand watching him swim was awesome. He flew through the water propelled by that long dorso ventrslly flattened tail with his limbs addressed to the body.
Why do I watch Clint's videos when I have absolutely no desire to own a reptile? I just enjoy watching him. He has a very expressive face, speaks loud enough so I don't need to use closed captioning, he truly wants buyers to know what they are getting into when they purchase specific animals as pets and is very clear on why each would be a good choice or a bad choice. I did own an anole lizard when I was a schoolgirl and wore it on my chest like a brooch while my sister owned a little turtle. That was the extent of reptiles in my life but I am fascinated by lizards and snakes and enjoy learning about quite a few in these videos. I feel bad for any animal that is purchased by someone with no knowledge of how to take care of it properly and thank Clint for taking the time to educate viewers.
Thank you so much for makin these kinds of videos giving people real and in depth info about all these different reptiles. I work in a little pet store and we currently have a young Nile or Ornate Monitor (have to check it again now that I’ve researched the difference between the two) and I think it’s extremely irresponsible for us to have it.
I’ve never had a pet reptile, always been more of an aquarium guy myself, but Clint’s enthusiasm is extremely contagious to the point where I’m seriously considering getting into keeping reptiles in the nearby future and moving away from aquariums. Thanks for showing me how cool reptiles can be Clint and keep up the amazing videos!
I've always loved reptiles (most likely due to my love of Godzilla) and to see a channel with someone who loves them just as much as I do is nice. Also like how, despite is love, he can admit when a certain reptile is a bad pet idea (just like how i can admit there have been bad Godzilla movies, despite my love of the franchise). Just kinda found this video in my recommended and already love this channel.
I totally appreciate your reviews...this type of channel is so needed Clint..thank you. I wish there was a class that was mandatory for responsible pet care...kinda like this channel..pets are a commitment ! The responsible and caring people are the ones who always end up with the battered and or neglected animal...Thanks again for this great channel Clint
Thank you for saying so much of this. I agree with so much of this because of how common they are for even 16 year olds to get by lying to the parents about how big it gets.... I've seen it. I'm glad people who actually love them and get into keeping them know what they are in for. You really need to get to interaction while they are young. I want to get a black and white tegu in the future and even I won't get my tegu until I have my own mortgage on a house because of space requirements
Thank you for being honest with your viewers, despite some people taking what you’re saying out of context. Even though I don’t plan on getting a lizard for a long time (or maybe never) these videos are super helpful for people like me who would like to own some kind of reptile someday, but don’t have much knowledge about them yet.
Favorite part of the entire vlog: Clint: "I wouldn't get any closer to his face, just because he might not like it." Cameraman: zooms in closer *Norbert*: He saaaid, *Not So Close!!* 🤣🤣
Clint I definitely agree with you in most regards. I keep several adult niles and yes they are expensive and hard to keep. The people who can keep an adult nile safely and properly is very small. They are everywhere at expos and they are cheap. I just went to the Greenville NC show and picked up a couple for 20$ each and nobody even asked me if I knew about them or if I could take care of them. I also picked up berms retics and green anacondas for fairly cheap and the same thing nobody cared. We should hold vendors and reptile sellers accountable for informing a buyer. I am fully aware of what all of those animals need and the costs associated with them and I am prepared to add that cost and care to my life but most aren't. I keep all kinds of amazing animals and like I said I already have some adult Niles that do very well but their enclosure is massive 30x15x30x15 and 8ft tall with trees and a pond they eat a lot of meat. I can tell you to do it properly it's going to cost you 10,000 dollars to built them an enclosure that will make them happy as adults. As for not watching your videos man I will always watch you. I love your content and it's always relevant no matter how much I know/think I know. Even the most experienced keeper could benefit from watching your show I'm just saying. So thanks for the amazing content keep it up.
I’ve owned both niles and dumerils monitor and you are 100% right. Even as hatchlings my nikes were hyper aggressive and I had to find them new homes with better prepared people than me. The dumerils monitor was tough, but was a pleasure.
Fantastic video as usual Clint. Thank you for always being so enthusiastic yet blunt about the care and upkeep required of all the reptiles and amphibians you discuss. If you see this, am wondering your take on the Kimberly Rock Monitor. Saw one at a reptile shop a couple months ago and quickly fell in love. Even if you don't do a video, would love to get an opinion/overview on them. Thank you again, you and your crew are stinkin' rad!
I live in South Africa and have been fortunate enough to encounter these amazing lizards on several occasions in the wild. Often just a few feet away. One of the things I love about this particular varanid is its "angry" facial expression, much like some of our elapids. They look scary, which is probably for the best, as people make sure not to get close to them because of that. One time I went fly-fishing in a very tranquil part of the Vaal River and had to cross through chest-deep water to get to the next island. All was normal until an adult Nile monitor came cruising past in all its glory. It was almost as if it were running on top of the water rather than swimming. Despite it being right up close, it never tried biting me. Though it probably would have if I had been foolish enough to try and touch it. I saw several more on the same day, which was quite special. My dad had a particularly frightening encounter with a huge male (equivalent in size to a very large Perentie) at a lake for bass fishing. He was just scouting some new spots along the opposite bank and nearly stood on the tail of the brute as it was sleeping. He initially mistook it for a record-sized puff adder, as all he saw in that split second was the base of the monitor's enormous tail. He screamed loud enough that the lizard, luckily, bolted. If he had stood on it, then a visit to the hospital would have been likely. I also spotted the outline of a Nile monitor in the water, chasing after my lure. Pretty cool.
I love my Nile monitor!! The enclosure wasn't too bad if you are a handy carpenter/electrician. Working on retrofitting my office into an entire reptile room. It's still only 2nd from the bottom of the food chain in my house. Right above the leopard gecko.
Happened upon this channel while doing research about the Argentine tegu. Very well done, entertaining and informative. Subscribed. Keep up the good work.
So glad I came back to this video. Saw it when it first came out. This past weekend I was volunteering at my local reptile expo at the USARK table and they had a baby nile monitor up as one of the thing for auction for USARK. One of the expo promoters had taken it in as a rescue, but decided to donate it for the USARK auction. Which means it say on my USARK table all day, looking adorable. Playing with a baby nile monitor that will sit politely in my hand made him very tempting. However, I knew I couldn't care for him as an adult, solely based on the space I knew that would be needed. So glad someone who actually owns a nile monitor got the highest bid for him. I was worried an "average Joe" would win him. And now I know, I should just stick to dreaming about tegus, and not nile monitors. 😊
Do I love Nile monitors and a lot of the other cool reptiles that you feature? Absolutely!! But I harbor no illusions about my ability to provide adequate environments for them!!
I've kept large reptiles for years and what u have said is correct. It can work if u put hard work in, but it's a constant job. Also, my iguana iguana turned into a complete nightmare when he matured. He did stalk me, scary. Grt vid!
The petstore I go to once had a reptile event which a guy shows off some reptiles and educates people on them. He had a nile monitor. I got to pet him and even walk him. He was pretty chilled, but he definitely liked walking around...didnt wanna stop lol Fun memory for me. Never considered having a nile monitor as a pet but definitely dont mind walking them any time lol Also used to have a couple of green iguanas; a male and a female. The female, we named Katie, was pretty aggressive...she would scratch the living DAYLIGHTS out of you if you try holding her. The male was chilled and a little skittish, but not mean at all. This was years ago so I cant really remember much =.=; Oh yea I do remember I found a woman who was selling little monitor lizards, I remember one being a savannah and I think the other was a nile monitor but dont remember. She allowed them to have ticks :/ This was at the jolly green giant flea market. I had to educate her about why ticks need to be removed. I end up handling all the lizards and plucked them all out. The monitor did scratch me up a bit while trying to pluck out the ticks from the sides of his neck. He calmed down when he realized I was helping him. I cant remember too well since this was many years ago.
Great video Clint! I would love to see the Gold Tegu in the future, mine has done a great job at taming down but it was a heck of a process! I always love your videos and I'm very happy to see the Nile Monitor!!
I worked in the pet trade for 2 years and had the same philosophy and shared with every customer I could. You are the best, keep preaching the gospel of proper animal care and responsibility.
Great video, I’m sure you saved a lot of people from a big mistake, BUT there are some inaccuracies. Nile monitor skulls are generally far smaller than Asian water monitor skulls on average. Some Niles and western Niles have a mutation called “ornate” that can cause them to have much larger skulls and thicker bones, but the Nile in your video absolutely does not have this mutation. His head is only slightly above average in size, and thats probably just due to being a male. Still a great video! Just wanted to clarify the head sizes for you!
One of my favorite best pet to have! I have a bike it’s around 5 months and is already 2 foot long! My favorite monitor!!! Thank you for doing this!! Very informative for people thinking to get one! About time somone does a good Nile video!!!!
Honestly some animals are just better off not being pets and belong with a specialist/in a zoo and this seems like one of them. The people that can properly house one of these are probably working with reptiles professionally. I'm so glad that you make these videos so that we can all learn from them!!
First of all i am so glad you made this video. For one i probably will never get one of these ever now. I step father had one when i was growing up. Knowing what i know now he wasn't kept in the best of conditions. I always wanted one. But after you keeping it as real as you did. I honestly will never get one. I appreciate this video a lot. People need to know what they are really getting into when getting reptiles. Side note i would love to see a video on a tree monitor!
Clint, at some point its more of just "leave the damn thing in the wild" some things are just off limits. Like a tiger, you cant have a tiger as a pet because, well, same damn reason why a nile monitor is just not a pet. Great vid though
Clint's Reptiles tigers aren’t Pets tho. They are wild animal you care for. Just like this nile monitors. They aren’t really Pets. They are an animal you own and care for.
@@conradkorbol Most tigers don't come from tiger farms though. More nile monitors in captivity come from nile monitor breeding farms, bred specifically to be captive.
@@conradkorbol So the only animal that qualifies as a pet is one that has been fully domesticated? You do know that most scientists believe that housecats are self-domesticated. So, according to you, the only animals that qualify as pets are: dogs, horses, cattle, poultry, goats, sheep, etc. By your logic, a big old cow sitting in your living room is all good, but a small snake in a tank is somehow immoral?
@Mycel It's not really strawmanning, it's simply expanding upon his own logic he just used in his post. If you draw it out further, that is what you get.
Love this video, love all your videos! Would love to see more videos like this on more types of monitors and giant lizards and snakes! I love that you don't sugar coat everything like so many people do I love the responsibility you take when talking about these animals so many people paint these animals as easy to keep and puppy dog tame which is not the case lol. Huge fan Clint keep it up!
Best advice I can give (and I have had MANY monitors) about Nile's is.... Get them super young, get over being bitten when their young & do not ever break from thee regiment of training/handling them. They are amazing animals, hyper intelligent & only for experienced keepers (Don't be fooled by when you find them at reptile shows for $20-$50... the are NOT for newbies). PS: with any Monitor... always let them see what you are doing. Do not ever 'surprise' pick them up or pet them.
I could never keep a nile monitor or probably any other reptile. I don,t have any experience with them,but i still love these videos. Maybe that,s weird.
Listening to Clint talk about how terrible of an idea Nile Monitors are is kind of hilarious, probably because I was never planning to get one. I think it's something about his signature enthusiasm + being slightly nervous + what he's actually saying
I volunteered with a local [accredited] zoo in the reptiles, amphibians & inverts (+ a few random others like a Pacu pacu) department when I was a teen and I was lucky enough to get to work with the Komodo dragons! OBVIOUSLY all interactions were, at a minimum, through a heavy duty chainlink fence, but it was still SO neat! The male, in particular, was suuuper chill and inquisitive-and, of course, absolutely friggin’ MASSIVE. Each day we would walk him to his enclosure using a long, dragon-sized dog run that wrapped around the back of the female’s (his sister) enclosure. He especially liked to walk alongside you during those times, and he would often pace himself with whoever was walking with him. I also once got to medicate him (via a delicious pill-stuffed rat, yum) ❤️❤️❤️
When ppl ask me about my green iggy's behavior I tell them that having one is like having a sociopathic toddler with sharp teeth and a saw blade blade tail. If you don't really, really love them you won't want it for very long
Awesome! Thank you for letting people know that these are NOT good reptiles to keep. Also do you think you can do a video on the Blackthroat monitor and Asian water monitor?
This video was hilarious (and informative)! I was just looking up nile monitors after seeing Ed and Emily just unknowingly rescued one thinking it was a blue tree monitor. 😂 They're probably among the few that can handle one though!
one of the biggest reasons i subscribed almost immediately is the honesty on this channel. its great to see someone who is clearly more than a little in awe of creatures like these but can still keep the reality head on and explain why a specific animal will be a bad idea. never anything particularly bad about the animal itself, just why its hard for them to be a good pet. i personally like to hear the negatives for any animal. every time i think "huh, those things look cool" my first port of call is to see if clint has a video on it, and take my research from there. 99% of the time i find myself thinking that i am not quite ready, cant afford or need more experience for an animal and chalk it up as one to look for in future. great work.
Do a Mangrove monitor
@@jaxongillespie6618 I want him to do crocodile monitors....niles are bad, those are worse!
Snake discovery is like that too
That’s why we love Clint he doesn’t sugarcoat anything. He gives both the pros and cons for every animal he covers.
Billy Smith mhm
I love this guy. I base it on 5 categories:
1. Enthusiasm
2. Knowledge
3. Keeping real
4. Concern of conservation
5. Concern for the animals
I love this! Now I want to know our score...
@@ClintsReptiles 5/5
@@ClintsReptiles Dear Clint, I Have A Few Requests,
Asian Water Monitor, The Best Pet Lizard?
California Swift Lizard, The Best Pet Lizard?
5 Best Pet Lizards That Are Herbivores
Thank You Clint, I Love Your Videos! :)
Yep indeed!
10/5 haha you're the best clint!
Honestly when I was 14 I actually tried to plan to get a Nile Monitor. Luckily my family has been raising reptiles for 3 generations and my father's first lesson before getting a reptile was research it. I can honestly say that any appropriate cage you're going to build for this lizard is going to be a addition onto your house or a remodeling of a 1st floor or basement.
Yeah these guys are a LOT of work lol. Any enclosures you use need to be able to handle 80% humidity, so freeroaming isn't even an option unless you want to lose your entire house to mold damage lol. They need particularly large enclosures too. Even massive reptiles like burmese pythons and reticulated pythons don't need quite as much space as a Nile monitor.
Pretty much. They just do not make good pets period. They need a big water source, LOTS of substrate, high heat, and tons of room. If you live in the deep south, maybe you could create an outdoor area suitable but yeah, you're talking a dedicated room of your house reinforced to handle a very powerful lizard.
Tons of money I ended up using half almost half of a bed room with like 7 Different Heat/UVB lights and a small pool lol 😂 but I will say besides costing thousands of dollars over a couple years it’s somewhat awesome to have a pet dinosaur that’s actually dinosaur size 🤷🏼♂️
I will note I think why many of them are aggressive is because they aren’t being handled daily I’m in a hobby group centered around those reptiles and a lot of us have been able to get them docile. (Not always)
Cadet Garcia out of curiosity does your group handle rescues at all? Or even just helping people that have gone and made the mistake of taking on a reptile they weren't prepared for?
Jacob Akins yes, it’s just like a group of people sharing experiences and Tipps to help each other out I myself have my hands full with one. But there are several in our group who have multiple rooms full larger monitors mostly savanna and Miles as Clint states both of those should be 1K+ to ensure only people who have the financial backing can afford them. (Most rescues I’ve seen are very dangerous and have to be kept with extrem cautious)
this is one of the funniest episodes I've seen. Clint is wearing gloves and looking way more nervous than usual. the monitor has a harness, it is stressed throughout the video that this lizard is fully capable of sending you to the hospital on a good day. all of this contrasted with this well-mannered lizard who is less fidgety than Gus Gus.I love the irony 😂
note: i totally get what you're saying here though and I really hope this video circulates in the reptile keeping hobby so more people become aware of the dangers of having a nile monitor
Me: *starts watching video*
Me: *notices large monitor lizard*
Me: *notices Clint is wearing gloves*
Me: Uh oh.
😁
@@ClintsReptiles i.imgur.com/rfABIg8.mp4
He wasn’t even wearing gloves when he was doing the video on the mangrove snake and that was venomous; when you see him wearing gloves and when the lizard’s on a leash then you know something’s up.
At least if you get bit by a venomous snake you die in one piece.
@@metalman6698 closed casket in some cases lol
4:38 “They’re also full of weapons!”
Norbert: *Pulls out Glock* “What you sayin?”
Absolutely agreed. I cannot stress enough how damaging it is for the hobby when someone who is not prepared gets a nile monitor. They should not be widely available.
Hopefully knowledge curbs demand.
Agree 100% It's like people who breed reticulated python morphs. How many people can reliably and properly keep a 20-30 foot snake?
@@mattm7798 This is something that I could never understand. Where do these snakes end up when they get 10ft and the owners can no longer handle them? Who in their right mind thinks that they can maintain proper care of a 20ft snake over the course of 20 years? That's an absurd commitment for almost everyone.
Once something goes wrong and the lizard or snake bites them they get an awful rap and this just demolishes the hobby and make us look awful.
@@nickjaton1923 Exactly. The next time I meet a retic or even a burm seller/breeder I'm going to ask them that. Not saying they should be illegal but rather like venomous snakes, there are certain species you should need a permit to own. This permit should prove you have the means to care for a 20ft snake.
When Clint’s wearing gloves, the lizard’s on a leash, and he just outright calls them horrible pet lizards, you know that something’s not right. And this is a man who got excited when he was bitten by a false water cobra.
"It can be difficult to get into their enclosure to clean things up, because they hate you. And they're fast." Lol 😂
I've been purposely watching your least recommended best pet ever videos because of how funny they are. You manage to say that these animals will go out of their way to ruin your life in the most cheerful and upbeat way I've ever heard!
Much love from Texas.
They are honestly my favorite videos to watch. They are stressful to make, but enjoyable to watch.
Front loaded enclosure makes it easier for me and patience 😂
This is a PERFECT example of why I hold this channel in the highest regard when it comes to reptile knowledge [at least from an overview/educational stand point]. Clint is me and I am Clint. I love me some reptiles but I am frequently perplexed by keepers/enthusiasts that downplay the strength and danger of certain species. Clint keeps it real and enjoys getting scratched/bitten just as much as I do, which is of course to say not at all! This channel always provides such an accurate perspective on the many reptiles presented!
On owning the Nile Monitor: "It would be like Jurassic Park. And we've all seen Jurassic Park..."
Love how Clint tells it like it is!
Easy
Breezy
Beautiful
...
*clever girl...*
Clint: this is a very mean and aggressive lizard
Lizard: am good boy. Look, I sits still. *lick*
I know this is a super old comment but I feel the need to point out Clint did repeatedly say that this particular Nile Monitor was *unusually* chill and well behaved.
@@MirrimBlackfox may have been worked with when it was young. Could also just be an unusually happy go lucky Nile 😃. He actually seemed like he wanted attention from Clint a couple of times in the video
@@Madchris8828 Yeah, animals are individuals and people do tend to forget about that.
@@Madchris8828 From personal experience, I can tell you that you would be lucky to get a Nile monitor in even a very young and small state that would tolerate you. Almost all of them are incredibly defensive and I've seen them the size of bearded dragons that would constantly charge and tail whip the glass of their enclosure if you even moved your hand around it. You would need to care for a newborn and as Clint said, handle it every single day with no breaks.
I couldn't believe it but i got a good one too somehow, ive had several ,, and i got a good one thank goodness
When about a year after I got my house, I wanted a nile monitor. I knew they were advanced. I knew they got BIG. I started planning a 10x10 enclosure in my garage, pricing materials, figuring out how to get the heating parameters, water parameters. I really enjoyed the planning process. HOLY BALLS WAS IT EXPENSIVE! Then I started thinking of food. They basically could eat 3 chickens a week (just an estimate). I ended up getting an ackie a few years later, haven't regretted my decision. Niles are absolutely the most gorgeous velociraptors still in existence though, I'll give them that.
It absolutely sickens me when I see a 20 gallon tank full of nile monitors at expos for $15 a piece, being sold to preteens and unsuspecting parents with no input from the importers to say "Hey, btw, this thing will get 8' long and may try to eat you". To my knowledge, there's only one (maybe 2) breeders/importers in my area that even tries to inform their customers.
As much as I hate regulation, I think we need some sort of checks and balances on some of these importers. I saw over a hundred baby savannahs and niles doomed at the last expo in my area. The wild certainly needs them more than we do I would think... I mean, at least a quota on how many can be collected, anyone care to discuss?
A quota would be a great first step, it would raise the price of the lizard as well and that would hopefully stop some of the sales. It really is sad that 99.9% of the these monitors sold are just completely doomed it seems.
I agree. There should be some regulations at a minimum
Regulations, public awareness programs, and licenses are definitely recommended, as complete bans would just increase illegal trades AND disappoint, upset, or even anger people who had actually done a lot of research and know what they are doing.
I agree
Hey I just purchased a monitor myself and I would like to know if you have any tips or tricks and stuff
Norbert has got to be the most chill monitor I've seen on a video. The owners must have really worked with him.
Never seen one not trying to monch the people around it
how about sitting on a "doctor's stool." the no-back circular rolling stool? for fast getaway!
mlicciar THIS. Underrated comment deserving many more “likes” 🏃🏻♂️💨
or an ejection seat
Your profile pic looks like a brown m&m I love it
@@gearsankylosaurus9624 Ha, complete coincidence!
I've worked with a couple of Niles, and omg I fell in love with both of them. Definitely not one for a beginner- and while I have helped in their care, and would LOVE to eventually have one, I'm definitely definitely definitely not in a place where I could provide it with what I would want to provide it with as a habitat-
As in converted decent sized bedroom with the proper environment and numerous basking spots.
If you're with them though you can see them freakin' taking everything in, processing it, and coming up with conclusions. I've seen them figure out how to open sliding doors by just watching it be opened and shut, then walking over and boom. Opening it. No experimenting with it, no trial and error, just a "EUREKA!" moment after seeing it, and then just doing it.
Freakin' brilliant. The two I knew (meaning full sized, I've worked with smaller ones in pet store jobs I had) could get rather quirky if you didn't interact with them often. The more you worked with them, the better they were- but if crap sprung up in your life so you just took care of them, but didn't spend time just interacting with them, they had no problem in not being the most fun to handle fairly quickly.
Edited to say- I wrote this before watching the vid... and just as I was like "Gloves and constantly keeping where that head is at all times- yup. That's part of dealing with a Nile."
You can def get them handleable, and while I said they could get quirky if you don't handle them- no matter how "well behaved" one is- you want to dead on keep an eye on that body language and that mouth lmao. Most things biting isn't a big deal, I've handled tempermental 15 foot snakes without gloves, though that did result in a scar on my hand- it wasn't a traumatizing overly painful experience. Nile bites? I don't like handling snakes with gloves 'cause I have a hard time feeling what they're doing- but over a certain size, yeah- 100% gloves with Niles. No matter how good they usually are. It takes a second, and they do daaaaaaaaaaaaaaaamage if they want to!
I recently got a ball python after watching a ton of your videos and doing a ton of research. You have really sparked a passion for snakes and reptiles in me. Thanks so much for showing me the animals that I really want (and also really DONT) want to keep. Keep up what you do.
That is so great to hear! I hope this channel can be a great tool for you and everyone.
Hey Clint whats up with the UH OH gloves ?
If I lose a finger, I have to drop down to four categories...
Nice to see you here. Love your channel and your business. I want a caiman from you someday 😊
I'll only sell you a caiman if you pin the original comment
Clint's Reptiles I have never seen your channel before today, but this comment is the absolute best.
@@ClintsReptiles just pin it already
@@ClintsReptiles pin it pin it pin it pin it pin it
“Its not getting a 0 cause it probably wont kill you.”
...probably
Yeah good thing he used probably because there is a case of them killing an owner
@@bromaro how did it kill him?
@@samveasey3558 I don't think this is happened ever. They can hurt you very bad (bite, scratch, tail-whip) but they are for sure not capable to kill a healthy, adult Human.
@@greensun1334 exactly my point
Probably won't kill you, but if you die near it, guaranteed it will very quickly try to eat you lol
"And it can be difficult to get in and clean things up because they HATE you and they're FAST." 😂😂😂
"And they will almost certainly hate you" I lost it 😂
Is there any chance you would approach one of your ornithologist colleagues to do a bird version of your show? Birds are treated similarly to lizards in the pet trade... People underestimate the work and don't do enough research, but they can be excellent pets.
Good idea for a spin-off!
I’d love to see an avian spinoff to this series. Birds are living dinosaurs after all.
People definitely don't realize that birds are like another child. They're emotionally demanding and they live for decades
"They hate you! And Iguanas hate you too!!"
I've never been this hurt and offended my whole life lmao
its true though
Some of those animals hate most people
and there are people that are good with the animals
That's so not true though. Nile monitors and iguanas can be very tame if handled from a young age. It's down to how much effort and time the owner puts in.
I owned an Iguana when I was in high school. He was the goodest boy and a VERY poor representative of his species apparently. He was friendly and content right until the day he died.
@@Bigweave74 iguanas are easily tamed, its extremely important that when buying an iguana that it's either young enough to handle regularly to build trust or of it's an older specimen to be sure you have the time and determination to handle it on a daily basis, Nile monitors are more intelligent and trust can be built by food rewards ect.
@@crazychrislovesretics6790 Bribery is second rate to proper acclimation though. Condition with reward doesn't foster much respect or understanding between person and animal. Its the difference between the animal not caring to bite you for the moment, and not wanting to bite you, and even wanting to be around you if lucky.
As an owner of a Common Green Iquana way back in the 1970s, I have to say this is the most responsible video on reptile ownership I have ever seen. Your overall knowledge on the care of the animals, and what human ownership entails, from the animal's point of view is commendable. I wish the same warning would go forth for all pets. Great job sir!
It's funny how the Nile monitor was looking back at you like" come on bro am I that bad ",while you gave him the score of 1.8 lol
He was actually going to give him a 1 but the monitor looked at him like "Conisider your next words wisely human" and he added the .8 to save his own life.
Norbert is a particularly pleasant fella.
This guy is seriously the best thing to happen to herpetology, reptile keeping, and reptile life...ever....Thank You Dr. Clint!
I've been waiting for this video ever since the "well that didn't go well" video, because i thought, "that sounds like an angry monitor."
I hope it was worth the wait.
I just rescued one of these guys in rough shape. We have been treating and he is perking up! I believe the hand feeding mush and meds with a syringe is bonding us. Tonight he and I did an up and down dance. He played with the up down head dance for like 15 min! These are now my favorite animal in all existence 🙌 positive vibes and prayer for our baby names zillion!!
Hey, a year later, how did Zillion do with you?
@@ThKiwiwell when knowing that the "upp and down head dance" that she calls it. When it's actually a thing reptiles do when they are angry, wanting to mate, or dominance display. And she does it back without knowing wtf she's doing😂 id say not so great. Especialy when they get like a fucking mid sized dog that wants to kill you
I'd like an update too
A Nile Monitor is one of my favorite reptiles
... to enjoy from a safe distance 🤓
Mine too
Me too. My favorite lizard species. I will never own 1 nile monitor ever again in my life.
can recommend to enjoy them from distance. I saw them in nature (most in Ivory coast in a NP). Not sure though if V. stellatus or V. niloticus . Really interesting to watch. one individual was close to the station and roaming around. Another smaller one at the river close by. Both would run aways like crazy if you got too close but otherwise really agile and curious.
I love how honest you are! I've heard of parents buying Nile monitors for their kids and that always blows my mind.
Can’t wait to see you cover a Black-throated Monitor. Definitely very large, but for the most part they have a really good personality
Might be filmed already 🤫
Clint's Reptiles black-throated monitors are one of my favorite monitor species.
Yes! I love them so much!
Black throated monitors are probably the only lizards other than tegus that have the ability to eat you but won't becuase they're too adorable.
White throat monitor even prettier and more laid back. Probally the best overall monitor
I had the most INCREDIBLE nile monitor for a while. Calm, never bit, puffed, or hissed right from baby to juvenile. Unfortunately passed away while I was working out of the country this year... and I was halfway around the planet so nothing could be done. But the new baby one I have is another story, much more typical nile. It's going to require a massive amount of work to get her to the same level, one month down and 0 bites so we are on the right track at least! Worth every scratch and whip.
I agree with this video 100%. I'm fortunate enough to be around a handful of people I would say could successfully keep this animals, but it's mind boggling to me how cheap and available they are. I bet there are people buying them on a whim for their kids all over the country all the time without a clue what they're getting into.
Absolutely spot on. I've been waiting so long for this video- damn well worth the wait! With the exception of my asian water Monitor who I hunted down for a store and drove to Vegas to purchase, every one of my monitors have been either rescues or purchases from people who could no longer care for them. Niles being my absolute favorite, the ones I have the most of (at 3 currently) and even the ones I do best with. My largest, Hanzel is almost the size of the guy your showing and has his own swimming pool. My other two are Savannah monitors Neither are animals for just anyone and I freakin wish people would knock it off with the impulse buys without research then just giving up on the poor guys
Very cool to hear that they're the same size as actual velociraptors
MAN I LOVE NILES!
My almost 4 year old is obsessed with your channel. He has even started making his own version of it and wants me to record, starting with “well hi there” and complete with a score of “5 out of 1” lol. Thanks for these videos! Keep them coming :-)
Is the Nile monitor the best pet lizard? This video is a resounding ‘NO’
Hopefully we didn't sugarcoat it too much 😁
Well Asian water monitors are actually better but they get bigger and eat more but are way more smarter and more chill
Agreed not unless the person has a LOT OF EXPERIENCE with larger lizards. A good starter in my opinion is a bearded dragon
I will have one one day
I mean it can definitely be a great pet reptile but it's definitely not for beginners
I'm in awe of how calm that Nile is. That disposition is like one in a million. It would have been pretty cool and informative for you to show a clip of what type of damage this Nile can do, effortlessly. Either way you always give great vids.
Man, That is an amazingly gorgeous Monitor. Thank you for your education, I didn't plan on getting one and now I definetly won't be getting one.
You're welcome. I hope this knowledge helps a lot of people make informed and wise decisions.
I owned a 6 ft nile monitor. He has never owned one. If you look at other vids of ppl who have them as pets they are very chill like the one in The video. If you spend time w them they make excellent pets. They are the best chill monitor of all monitors. Do not base your choice not to get one because this guy says so. Very inaccurate video.
@@Michael-ko4ko *your* Nile was tame, Nile’s aren’t tame. Most of them are wild caught sand given their size and natural pointy bits its not a good pet.
I have a pet Nile monitor and he's almost 2 years old! He's actually a really good boy, all things considered 😂 we never try to hold him but he lets us pet him when he's in a good mood! He loves taking baths in our tub and whenever he has to be handled he generally doesn't mind. I will say building his enclosure, which takes up half the room cost more than I would care to admit, he's a really great cat TV, and I think somewhere in his heart he loves me too ❤️🦖
I'm sure he does.🦎💚
Great job, Clint! Excellent public service announcement, too. Wish reptiles of this magnitude were harder to come by. 🦎👍
Knowledge is key. I hope this helps.
I got a Nile monitor back in the early 90s back before the internet. There was no sources of info besides a few hero mags. Boy I had no idea what I was getting into, I had to learn as I went. He eventually got to big, over 4 feet, for me to handle. Ended up giving him to a better home. Cool pet except for the biting,clawing,tail whipping, musking,and pooping on me (i had one of the angry ones). Clint's assessment of the Nile monitor is correct in my experience and its great to see that this channel can provide this info and possibility save an unaware keeper some pain.
"It has the general body shape of alot of the Asian water monitors like the Asian water-.....monitor."
Allen Jones this comment is the funniest thing I’ve read all day.
Actually the joke is on you guys lol..... Because Asia has many separate species of water monitor. The Asian water monitor is just the name of one specific species of water monitor found in asia. What he said actually made perfect sense, you guys just don’t know your monitors very well, which is fine! I will say his descriptions were wrong too. I wouldn’t compare a Nile body shape to that of a water monitor. Niles have a drastically different skeletal structure, thicker tails, smaller heads, completely different nostril positioning, different feet etc etc. He specifically said Niles have larger heads than asian water monitors in his video, but generally speaking the exact opposite is true. Even male Niles typically have tiny ass heads UNLESS they have the “ornate” mutation, which causes them to have drastically bigger skulls and a beefier bone structures in general. The change is so severe they look like a whole different species altogether. A Nile with this mutation would certainly have a bigger head than an asian water monitor... but the Nile in this video is a Normal nile with a normal, tiny head. Niles that do have this mutation are built a lot like varanus albigularis and actually have far less in common with water monitors than normal Niles do. Infact Niles with the ornate mutation aren’t even particularly aquatic. When a Nile has this mutation they tend to live in forests instead of staying near bodies of water like the other Niles. He’s spot on about Niles making bad pets though.They are very badly suited to captive living and most are not too keen on calming down for their humans. Plus they are notorious for being more difficult to work with than every other monitor out there..... You’d be better off with a small crocodilian species. Seriously though, I’m not kidding, a dwarf caiman in particular is both easier to care for and to work with than a Nile...... l
Watching these videos, all the cool science and Clint's enthusiasm and informative stances. Their eyes and scales are just gorgeous.
If the lizard is too big for the camera you know it's about to get real :D
😁
@@ClintsReptiles no one:
Clints reptiles:😁
Loved this video. I've had my nile monitor Shadow, for 13 years now. He was about 9" long when I got him. Same time next year he was 4.5 feet long. He's now just under 7 feet at 13 yrs old. I absolutely love him, like he's my kid but I spent a lot of time working with him and we gained each other's trust. He has his own room in the house, after dinner he roams around and I fill up the bathtub for him and he'll go in and soak and nap in the tub, then hang out with the dogs in front of the fireplace. After everything I've learned with him, I've worked with a few other niles for friends and some shops and it went really well. There are a few rules that you have to keep in place at all times but I am still awe struck and enamored with them even after all these years. Definitely agree, not an animal just anyone should have but with a lot of patience and work, it can be a very rewarding experience. Keep up the good work with the videos :)
Nice must be horrible but at least it’s getting a good home.
Me: "I wanna see Norbert next to Gusgus!"
Me quarter of a second later: "Wait, no, that's a terrible idea!"
My baby Nile rides on the back of my much larger tegu like a horse rider.
@@samuelmoore8154 adorable
Gus Gus jowls hahaha
I love how RUclips thinks the little lizard silhouette on the left of "Nile Monitor" at 0:49 is a 3.
"Is the Nile Monitor the best pet lizard?"
Short answer: No
Long answer: Noooooooooo
Yes, Professor Oak
Fantastic video, and an absolutely 100% honest look at what keeping a Nile is like - we had our fella Diablo from age 7 until his death at age 15, and it's AMAZING how a "Free" rescue animal cost *so* much in equipment, heating, electrics and the ridiculous amounts of inverts that he was fed... and no, that animal never tamed down, absolutely did not "love" or even LIKE us. He's hands down one of my favourite animals we've ever kept, but they really, really aren't for everyone, and if Diablo himself hadn't been a particularly undersized individual (I'd be interested to know what locality he was from, as he came into the UK on a shipment where a *lot* of the Niles on the shipment were particularly small into adulthood) we would not have been able to provide adequate housing or care for him. When it came to possibly having another - this time a yearling female who was already nearly the same size Diablo was at 7 years old - much as we regretted having to say no, we did. Broke our hearts that we had to say it, but for her own good we weren't the right people for her.
Another solid production by Clint and friends!
YES! You're right, they probably won't kill ya...but they might try! LOL. I've lost pints of blood and even took a bite to the back of the neck from mine...and he was just playing, lol. Awesome video, one of my favorites :-).
Finally someone who knows the difference between a Velociraptor and a Deinonychus... Always bothered me when watching Jurassic park/ world😂😂
Looking for videos of reptiles you think make horrible pets is my new favourite thing to do. You’re hysterical!!
Great Video! You should do more videos on different species of uromastyx. I see you covered U. geyri, but there are other species and they're very unknown in the youtube community.
Took a bite from my pet Nile at 16yrs old.
I’ve never felt pressure like that from an animal bite. The bite of a monitor is ABSOLUTELY CRUSHING‼️‼️
Norbert: "Yes, I am great... But I do not... *entirely* ... "accurately* ... represent my people..."
Going to my first reptile expo this weekend! My partner and I love animals, we started with a baby Leopard Gecko as our first pet reptile last December. We love researching different reptiles and learning which ones could fit into our future. The responsiblity piece is the most important thing for us, we never want a animal we can't properly care for. Thank you for your awesome educational videos! They are perfect for people just getting into the reptile hobby.
I had one. Everything you said is true. But I was a reptile keeper at a zoo and have two degrees in zoology. The only way I could handle him was dropping the temperature to slow it down. It used its tail as a whip, moved its head up and down to aim very accurately and followed up with a lunge with teeth flashing. Not for the amateur or average person. He did hate me. On the other hand watching him swim was awesome. He flew through the water propelled by that long dorso ventrslly flattened tail with his limbs addressed to the body.
Why do I watch Clint's videos when I have absolutely no desire to own a reptile? I just enjoy watching him. He has a very expressive face, speaks loud enough so I don't need to use closed captioning, he truly wants buyers to know what they are getting into when they purchase specific animals as pets and is very clear on why each would be a good choice or a bad choice. I did own an anole lizard when I was a schoolgirl and wore it on my chest like a brooch while my sister owned a little turtle. That was the extent of reptiles in my life but I am fascinated by lizards and snakes and enjoy learning about quite a few in these videos. I feel bad for any animal that is purchased by someone with no knowledge of how to take care of it properly and thank Clint for taking the time to educate viewers.
Love your vids you're honest no sugar coating the facts you say how you feel about the animal and only want the best keep making good content
Thank you so much. I am a strong believer in the importance of accurate information even when the truth isn't what you want to hear.
@@ClintsReptiles it's why I watch you and we'll because you're really funny
Thank you so much for makin these kinds of videos giving people real and in depth info about all these different reptiles. I work in a little pet store and we currently have a young Nile or Ornate Monitor (have to check it again now that I’ve researched the difference between the two) and I think it’s extremely irresponsible for us to have it.
I love how even though you do not recommend this lizard you still provide care info for those who need it
I’ve never had a pet reptile, always been more of an aquarium guy myself, but Clint’s enthusiasm is extremely contagious to the point where I’m seriously considering getting into keeping reptiles in the nearby future and moving away from aquariums. Thanks for showing me how cool reptiles can be Clint and keep up the amazing videos!
Love the honesty and you are so right, nile monitors are beautiful but good pet for a select few
I loved your chat with norbert at the end!!
I've always loved reptiles (most likely due to my love of Godzilla) and to see a channel with someone who loves them just as much as I do is nice. Also like how, despite is love, he can admit when a certain reptile is a bad pet idea (just like how i can admit there have been bad Godzilla movies, despite my love of the franchise). Just kinda found this video in my recommended and already love this channel.
I totally appreciate your reviews...this type of channel is so needed Clint..thank you. I wish there was a class that was mandatory for responsible pet care...kinda like this channel..pets are a commitment ! The responsible and caring people are the ones who always end up with the battered and or neglected animal...Thanks again for this great channel Clint
Thank you for saying so much of this.
I agree with so much of this because of how common they are for even 16 year olds to get by lying to the parents about how big it gets.... I've seen it. I'm glad people who actually love them and get into keeping them know what they are in for. You really need to get to interaction while they are young. I want to get a black and white tegu in the future and even I won't get my tegu until I have my own mortgage on a house because of space requirements
Thank you for being honest with your viewers, despite some people taking what you’re saying out of context. Even though I don’t plan on getting a lizard for a long time (or maybe never) these videos are super helpful for people like me who would like to own some kind of reptile someday, but don’t have much knowledge about them yet.
Favorite part of the entire vlog:
Clint: "I wouldn't get any closer to his face, just because he might not like it."
Cameraman: zooms in closer
*Norbert*: He saaaid, *Not So Close!!*
🤣🤣
Clint I definitely agree with you in most regards. I keep several adult niles and yes they are expensive and hard to keep. The people who can keep an adult nile safely and properly is very small. They are everywhere at expos and they are cheap. I just went to the Greenville NC show and picked up a couple for 20$ each and nobody even asked me if I knew about them or if I could take care of them. I also picked up berms retics and green anacondas for fairly cheap and the same thing nobody cared. We should hold vendors and reptile sellers accountable for informing a buyer. I am fully aware of what all of those animals need and the costs associated with them and I am prepared to add that cost and care to my life but most aren't. I keep all kinds of amazing animals and like I said I already have some adult Niles that do very well but their enclosure is massive 30x15x30x15 and 8ft tall with trees and a pond they eat a lot of meat. I can tell you to do it properly it's going to cost you 10,000 dollars to built them an enclosure that will make them happy as adults. As for not watching your videos man I will always watch you. I love your content and it's always relevant no matter how much I know/think I know. Even the most experienced keeper could benefit from watching your show I'm just saying. So thanks for the amazing content keep it up.
I’ve owned both niles and dumerils monitor and you are 100% right. Even as hatchlings my nikes were hyper aggressive and I had to find them new homes with better prepared people than me. The dumerils monitor was tough, but was a pleasure.
Why they aggressive
ruclips.net/user/shortsIp7dXKe0Fo8?feature=share I guess this one seems nice
Fantastic video as usual Clint. Thank you for always being so enthusiastic yet blunt about the care and upkeep required of all the reptiles and amphibians you discuss. If you see this, am wondering your take on the Kimberly Rock Monitor. Saw one at a reptile shop a couple months ago and quickly fell in love. Even if you don't do a video, would love to get an opinion/overview on them. Thank you again, you and your crew are stinkin' rad!
I live in South Africa and have been fortunate enough to encounter these amazing lizards on several occasions in the wild. Often just a few feet away. One of the things I love about this particular varanid is its "angry" facial expression, much like some of our elapids. They look scary, which is probably for the best, as people make sure not to get close to them because of that.
One time I went fly-fishing in a very tranquil part of the Vaal River and had to cross through chest-deep water to get to the next island. All was normal until an adult Nile monitor came cruising past in all its glory. It was almost as if it were running on top of the water rather than swimming. Despite it being right up close, it never tried biting me. Though it probably would have if I had been foolish enough to try and touch it. I saw several more on the same day, which was quite special.
My dad had a particularly frightening encounter with a huge male (equivalent in size to a very large Perentie) at a lake for bass fishing. He was just scouting some new spots along the opposite bank and nearly stood on the tail of the brute as it was sleeping. He initially mistook it for a record-sized puff adder, as all he saw in that split second was the base of the monitor's enormous tail. He screamed loud enough that the lizard, luckily, bolted. If he had stood on it, then a visit to the hospital would have been likely. I also spotted the outline of a Nile monitor in the water, chasing after my lure. Pretty cool.
I love my Nile monitor!! The enclosure wasn't too bad if you are a handy carpenter/electrician. Working on retrofitting my office into an entire reptile room. It's still only 2nd from the bottom of the food chain in my house. Right above the leopard gecko.
I have a full grown sav and nile and both live happily outside in large enclosures here in California i do not recommend them as pets. Great video
Happened upon this channel while doing research about the Argentine tegu. Very well done, entertaining and informative. Subscribed. Keep up the good work.
Me: Has a healthy nile monitor
Me: is a masochist
So glad I came back to this video. Saw it when it first came out.
This past weekend I was volunteering at my local reptile expo at the USARK table and they had a baby nile monitor up as one of the thing for auction for USARK. One of the expo promoters had taken it in as a rescue, but decided to donate it for the USARK auction. Which means it say on my USARK table all day, looking adorable.
Playing with a baby nile monitor that will sit politely in my hand made him very tempting. However, I knew I couldn't care for him as an adult, solely based on the space I knew that would be needed. So glad someone who actually owns a nile monitor got the highest bid for him. I was worried an "average Joe" would win him.
And now I know, I should just stick to dreaming about tegus, and not nile monitors. 😊
Do I love Nile monitors and a lot of the other cool reptiles that you feature? Absolutely!! But I harbor no illusions about my ability to provide adequate environments for them!!
And that is wisdom.
I've kept large reptiles for years and what u have said is correct. It can work if u put hard work in, but it's a constant job. Also, my iguana iguana turned into a complete nightmare when he matured. He did stalk me, scary. Grt vid!
The petstore I go to once had a reptile event which a guy shows off some reptiles and educates people on them. He had a nile monitor. I got to pet him and even walk him. He was pretty chilled, but he definitely liked walking around...didnt wanna stop lol Fun memory for me. Never considered having a nile monitor as a pet but definitely dont mind walking them any time lol
Also used to have a couple of green iguanas; a male and a female. The female, we named Katie, was pretty aggressive...she would scratch the living DAYLIGHTS out of you if you try holding her. The male was chilled and a little skittish, but not mean at all. This was years ago so I cant really remember much =.=;
Oh yea I do remember I found a woman who was selling little monitor lizards, I remember one being a savannah and I think the other was a nile monitor but dont remember. She allowed them to have ticks :/ This was at the jolly green giant flea market. I had to educate her about why ticks need to be removed. I end up handling all the lizards and plucked them all out. The monitor did scratch me up a bit while trying to pluck out the ticks from the sides of his neck. He calmed down when he realized I was helping him. I cant remember too well since this was many years ago.
Great video Clint! I would love to see the Gold Tegu in the future, mine has done a great job at taming down but it was a heck of a process! I always love your videos and I'm very happy to see the Nile Monitor!!
Norbert is so sweet, I was starting to think these guys were at least friendly pets, lol.
I worked in the pet trade for 2 years and had the same philosophy and shared with every customer I could. You are the best, keep preaching the gospel of proper animal care and responsibility.
Great video, I’m sure you saved a lot of people from a big mistake, BUT there are some inaccuracies. Nile monitor skulls are generally far smaller than Asian water monitor skulls on average. Some Niles and western Niles have a mutation called “ornate” that can cause them to have much larger skulls and thicker bones, but the Nile in your video absolutely does not have this mutation. His head is only slightly above average in size, and thats probably just due to being a male. Still a great video! Just wanted to clarify the head sizes for you!
One of my favorite best pet to have! I have a bike it’s around 5 months and is already 2 foot long! My favorite monitor!!! Thank you for doing this!! Very informative for people thinking to get one! About time somone does a good Nile video!!!!
Honestly some animals are just better off not being pets and belong with a specialist/in a zoo and this seems like one of them. The people that can properly house one of these are probably working with reptiles professionally. I'm so glad that you make these videos so that we can all learn from them!!
💯 🙌🙌🙌
First of all i am so glad you made this video. For one i probably will never get one of these ever now. I step father had one when i was growing up. Knowing what i know now he wasn't kept in the best of conditions. I always wanted one. But after you keeping it as real as you did. I honestly will never get one. I appreciate this video a lot. People need to know what they are really getting into when getting reptiles. Side note i would love to see a video on a tree monitor!
Clint, at some point its more of just "leave the damn thing in the wild" some things are just off limits. Like a tiger, you cant have a tiger as a pet because, well, same damn reason why a nile monitor is just not a pet. Great vid though
They are more reasonable than tigers, and some people can handle a tiger, but for most they are a terrible idea.
Clint's Reptiles tigers aren’t Pets tho. They are wild animal you care for. Just like this nile monitors. They aren’t really
Pets. They are an animal you own and care for.
@@conradkorbol Most tigers don't come from tiger farms though. More nile monitors in captivity come from nile monitor breeding farms, bred specifically to be captive.
@@conradkorbol
So the only animal that qualifies as a pet is one that has been fully domesticated? You do know that most scientists believe that housecats are self-domesticated. So, according to you, the only animals that qualify as pets are: dogs, horses, cattle, poultry, goats, sheep, etc. By your logic, a big old cow sitting in your living room is all good, but a small snake in a tank is somehow immoral?
@Mycel It's not really strawmanning, it's simply expanding upon his own logic he just used in his post. If you draw it out further, that is what you get.
Love this video, love all your videos! Would love to see more videos like this on more types of monitors and giant lizards and snakes! I love that you don't sugar coat everything like so many people do I love the responsibility you take when talking about these animals so many people paint these animals as easy to keep and puppy dog tame which is not the case lol. Huge fan Clint keep it up!
Best advice I can give (and I have had MANY monitors) about Nile's is.... Get them super young, get over being bitten when their young & do not ever break from thee regiment of training/handling them. They are amazing animals, hyper intelligent & only for experienced keepers (Don't be fooled by when you find them at reptile shows for $20-$50... the are NOT for newbies). PS: with any Monitor... always let them see what you are doing. Do not ever 'surprise' pick them up or pet them.
Man I just love your videos...the sheer honesty but also love of animals at the same time always comes through.
I could never keep a nile monitor or probably any other reptile. I don,t have any experience with them,but i still love these videos. Maybe that,s weird.
I love that. Careful though, we'll get ya :)
Clint's Reptiles yep, just give it time!🤣
Listening to Clint talk about how terrible of an idea Nile Monitors are is kind of hilarious, probably because I was never planning to get one. I think it's something about his signature enthusiasm + being slightly nervous + what he's actually saying
Next up the komodo dragon best pet lizard with a score of -5 out of 5 😂
Komodo dragons are endangered and illegal to own in all U.S. states.
@@bi-republicanwhiterightsac7456 r/whooooosh
It would be something if he got one to sit on that table and not eat his face xD
I volunteered with a local [accredited] zoo in the reptiles, amphibians & inverts (+ a few random others like a Pacu pacu) department when I was a teen and I was lucky enough to get to work with the Komodo dragons! OBVIOUSLY all interactions were, at a minimum, through a heavy duty chainlink fence, but it was still SO neat! The male, in particular, was suuuper chill and inquisitive-and, of course, absolutely friggin’ MASSIVE. Each day we would walk him to his enclosure using a long, dragon-sized dog run that wrapped around the back of the female’s (his sister) enclosure. He especially liked to walk alongside you during those times, and he would often pace himself with whoever was walking with him. I also once got to medicate him (via a delicious pill-stuffed rat, yum) ❤️❤️❤️
Clint: Nile Monitors will try to kill you!!
Norbert: *just sitting like the chillest lizard ever*
"Like the iguana but with more rage" lol
When ppl ask me about my green iggy's behavior I tell them that having one is like having a sociopathic toddler with sharp teeth and a saw blade blade tail. If you don't really, really love them you won't want it for very long
Awesome! Thank you for letting people know that these are NOT good reptiles to keep.
Also do you think you can do a video on the Blackthroat monitor and Asian water monitor?
You're welcome. I think it's important. Expect to see both of those rather soon.
Cool, thanks so much!
This video was hilarious (and informative)! I was just looking up nile monitors after seeing Ed and Emily just unknowingly rescued one thinking it was a blue tree monitor. 😂 They're probably among the few that can handle one though!