i have a freind who, insists that I can leave my nile monitor in a smal cage and it will stay small. any way I can prove to him that you cant do this? he is planning to get a nile next week and have it live its life in a 40 gal.

Im not sure how you could prove this as I know nothing of monitors but I do know that you can not prevent something from growing other than staravtion which would be a very harsh thing to do! Im unaware of any animal that you can prevent its growth! correct me if im wrong but there is no way you can prevent a nile's growth by keeping it in a small cage.

there is no way at all! Some herpetologist actually think the opposite...it is believed by some that reptiles never stop growing...the growth just slows down with age.

By the sound of things your friend does not know anything about monitor lizards(or infact reptiles)at all....a nile monitor gets extremely large and can be very aggressive! Please advise him to get alot more info before making a choice to get one... a herps well being should always come before the owners preferences... if you cannot supply a healthy environment for a herp do not get it at all...no question about it...

varanus niloticus can get a TL of almost 2.5 meters!

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I agree with Devon, and there is no way you can really prove this without leaving him in a cramped enclosure until he outgrows it then you show your friends...which is just cruel.

Devon is entirely correct, you CANNOT limit growth with a smaller enclosure.

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Ken
"Some people spend an entire lifetime wondering if they made a difference in the world. But, the Marines don't have that problem." -- Ronald Reagan

Growth is determined by genetics and diet. Your "friend" is under the influence of some REALLY OLD belief systems!!!
If he's closed-minded, he won't listen to anything any of us have to say.
If he's open-minded, he'll do some more research before buying ANY animal he can't afford to house !
Good luck!!!!

he's doesn't have internet, he wont buy books, and really he's just stupid, his mom wont do anthing unless it benifits her, same with my freind. he'll get it to show off! then when he cant handel it he'll kill it and toss the body to his chickens! i talked to him this morning. i'm starting to think i'm gonna forget him as a freind.

If you are writing him off as a friend anyway, now would be the perfect time to consider turning him in to whatever agency handles animal cruelty in your area...

You could also approach it this way. Inform his mom that this is going to be a very large lizard with a very bad attitude! And keeping a lizard like that in a cage that is too small will make it even more aggressive.

Ask her if she ENJOYS trips to the Emergency room!

Probably followed by a visit from investigators looking into child endangerment.

The bit about an animal only growing to the size of its enclosure is a myth, based on an old beleif regarding TROPICAL FISH! This myth is frequently referred to by unscrupulous dealers attempting to sell an animal that gets BIG to someone who is completely unable to provide for it when it reaches the adult size. And It WILL reach adult size.

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Merlin,
What's Life Without A Little Magic!