Monitor Lizards - Grooming

Taking care of your monitor lizard - grooming

Unlike your standard household pet, monitor lizards don't need to be groomed. Their skin falls off itself, just like you'll see with other reptile skins, including snakes. It's important that you furnish your water monitor cage with materials that will keep the nails trimmed.

Unlike dogs and cats, monitors do not require grooming. The right furnishings allow for the nails to keep from overgrowing. Dead skins come off of its itself due to the right furnishings and humidity. For breeding purposes it is best if the animals are not handled and left to their privacy. Monitors display their superiority by rubbing their backs and or lying on top of them. In holding these animals one finds their skin to be warm and dry rather than wet and slimy.

Do monitor lizards like to be petted?

This all depends on how domesticated they are. If born into captivity, or adopted when young, they are easier to tame.  Regular human contact will help them grow on you - they typically enjoy being scratched under their chin, on their back, behind their ears, and on top of their head - just behind their eyes. If they start inflating their throats and hissing you're doing something wrong. If they breathe deeply then they're enjoying what you're doing.

Monitoring your lizard's hygiene

Excuse the pun. An essential part of grooming your monitor lizard involves checking it for parasites. This isn't something to worry about, as long as they are treated. When you first obtain your water monitor, or if you haven't done so already, take it to the vet to be examined. The vet will be able to kill the parasites with medications. In general, if you ensure that your lizard's cage is kept clean, and the lizard stays well nurtured, taken care of, and well fed and groomed (as described above), you will help prevent a parasite infestation from recurring.