Neat monitor experience

[Dana C]

I wanted to post this while is was still fresh in my mind.

My V. albigularis, (Black Throat), is a typical monitor a good part of the time and lets me know when he will tolerate being handled, petted etc. For those of you unfamiliar with them but have seen the famous video on You Tube of Big Boy, I can tell you that they can be like that some of the time but not all of the time.

I have been busy the last couple of days so I haven't had him out nor have I stopped at his enclosure to give him any pats. Today however, I thought I should get him out and let him have a bath. He was next to the glass door and was easy to get to so I picked him up without any fuss and carried him into the bathroom and the bath that I already had drawn for him. (I should point out that he is a much more friendly lizard after a snack and a crap.) After a short bath, he climbed out of the bath crossed over my legs, ( I sit on the floor with him), and ate most of the 6 or 7 ounces of meat and egg I had down for him.
His usual routine at this time is to make a couple of circuits of the bathroom, tastes me on his way, explores the corner, pushes his sponge around and goes behind the toilet where he likes the coolness for a little while. Today however he didn't venture very far away from me and the food so I lifted him onto my lap where he stayed all of 30 seconds and crawled off. He came around again to my right side and just sort of hung around. I gave him a head pat / scratch and was hissed at for my trouble. I picked him up anyway and again placed him on my lap for another 30 seconds. This time he stayed on my left side after crawling off.
After checking things out and my ignoring him during that time, he proceeded to slide up next to my leg and sort of in back of me as I leaned against the bath tub. I reached under him and scratched his belly without any effect one way or the other. I sort of suspected that he had come over for some more head attention at that point. I figure that he sensed that he was too far in back of me and I couldn't reach his head or chin. He backed out about half way and parked himself wedged between the bathroom cabinet and my bare leg. I gave him a rub on the top of his head and a couple under his chin.
While not fully grown, Kinabo is about 10 or 11 months old, (I think). He is just now passing 52" and what seems like 500 pounds. When he relaxes and pancakes his body, we are talking about a lizard 8" wide. I thought I would add the description so you would get the idea.
Anyway, after a couple of chin scratches, he proceeded to lay his head in my hand, pancake himself and pass out. You can tell when a Black Throat is really sleeping as their respiration lowers to 4-6 breaths a minute. He was really sleeping....deeply.

Anyway, I sat on the floor for a long time just watching him sleep on my hand. I thought about some of the monitor purists who hate the idea that a monitor has been tamed. As I looked at Kinabo, it occurred to me that Kinabo's closeness to me was his choice. I really felt blessed to have that trust and honored that he sees me as a provider or security, food and yes, even affection. Being "chosen" is, for me at least, one of the most incredible experiences I have ever had.

[txrepgirl]

I know how you feel. I'm very blessed, too, that our Houdini ( a black throat monitor. For the ones who don't know who Houdini is ) is so sweet most of the time. It never fails that when I hold Houdini while we are on the couch that he puts me to sleep lol. I just have him on my chest and his head is next to my cheek. When I feel him goiing to sleep his breathing relaxes me so much that I go to sleep al well . Amimals are so amazing. Houdini loves taking a shower or a bath, too. It's so funny to see him get so flat like a pankade ( like you mentioned ) .