Despite the drawbacks to monitors, they are fascinating animals, and can make excellent pets for anyone with the time to dedicate to their care. These monitors are very resistant to taming, and often remain very aggressive and irritable, despite even the best efforts to tame them. Sadly, these are one of the most readily available monitors for sale. Rarely is the nature of the monitor revealed. This leads many people to buy these feisty little lizards when they are cute, only to be stuck with a monster in a few years.
Niles are extremely agressive, even as hatchlings.
The key to getting a good one is to pick a calmer hatchling. A calm hatchling is one who watches you but does not flee, or flees but calms quickly. Also, when picked up, it struggles, but calms down soon. It will remain vigilant, but passive. Do not confuse a calm nile with a sick one.