An Hour With Monstro (Photo Heavy)

[DeanS]

LOVE that last picture with all the grass hanging out of his mouth!

I just sowed that seed about two weeks ago! I've done my best to herd these guys away from it! As you can see...MONSTRO! uproots the whole thing!

 

[DeanS]

A little twilight grazing in the sprinklers...he's in heaven!

 

[DeanS]

A request! A request! We have a request from @cassieopia She requested a shot of MONSTRO! Well...you get the bonus plan...a whole thread dedicated to him...also included is this shot of his immenseness with the largest of the 8s...enjoy! For the record...MONSTRO! (He'll be six years old in September) is carrying just under 60 pounds on a 22" x 13" frame! The 8 (two months old this Friday) is just under 2.75" and 81 grams!

 

[DeanS]

MONSTRO! came out of his burrow for the first time in two days...ate a bit...then retreated back into his burrow!

 

[DeanS]

I checked on MONSTRO! an hour ago...fast asleep in his burrow! So, I set out some grub for the ITs...and BAM! Out of nowhere there was the beast himself...less than 10 minutes after I saw him asleep! I had to make an emergency pile for him...i.e. I scooped away most of the ITs' pile



Then, after eating to his heart's content...off for a soak! Check out this series! I love when he tries to climb out...then let's loose a mighty splash! He did this a couple times...ENJOY!

 

[Moozillion]

FABulous photos- as always!!!!
That stop-action of the splashes is waaaayyyy cool!!!

 

[DeanS]

You saw MONSTRO!'s early morning yawn in MEDIA...here's what followed! A little grading a little excavating and back down into his burrow!

 

[Moozillion]

MAN!!! That dirt is just a-flyin' !!!!

...and that BUTT!!!!

 

[DeanS]

Camera arrived last night! Oddly, MONSTRO! was still out and about...so I knocked off a few of him! He's put on about an inch-and-a-half and 8 pounds in less than two months! He measures 23.5" 68 pounds and is a hair under 15" at his widest point! For those of you who need a comparison...he's going to be 6 years old in September!

 

[Rutibegga]

I like his prominent chin! Cool looking boy.

 

[Big Charlie]

I love these pictures, especially the open mouth shots and the one where he is wearing a radicchio hat.

 

[DeanS]

A few more moments and kind words of my new camera...it f**king rocks! I took these first three shots of MONSTRO! last night about 8:30...without a flash! The SL1 has a cool sensor built into the lenses thatenhance your subjects quite well! You be the judge!

 

[DeanS]

...and a few I shot this morning...with poor backlighting!

 

[Big Charlie]

Adorable! Do you wave food in order to get him to open his mouth? I can never get an open mouth shot because I'm too busy backing away!

 

[DeanS]

Adorable! Do you wave food in order to get him to open his mouth? I can never get an open mouth shot because I'm too busy backing away!

OK...in my (way too many) years of photographing animals...I've learned their patterns of resting, stretching, yawning, etc...

I simply lay there until they yawn...which is about every ten minutes. So now you have my secret! How anti-climactic! Eh?!?!?

BTW...the new camera has a GREAT sport mode...these yawn segments were about 50 shots each. I usually post 'em in MEDIA but these are just examples

 

[Rutibegga]

What camera are you using? My day job involves photographing cats, for which I use an old Nixon d3100 and a 50mm prime, but I just picked up a Sony a6000 and am looking forward to using it for tortoise photos. (Tortoise arriving TOMORROW!)

 

[Razan]

WHOA, great shots of MONSTRO ! Congrat's on your new camera. It makes you and Monstro look good.

 

[DeanS]

What camera are you using? My day job involves photographing cats, for which I use an old Nixon d3100 and a 50mm prime, but I just picked up a Sony a6000 and am looking forward to using it for tortoise photos. (Tortoise arriving TOMORROW!)

My wife got it off QVC...kinda spontaneous but what an outstanding camera for next to nothing...and it comes with the USM lenses...no jitter!

http://www.qvc.com/Canon-Rebel-SL1-...g.product.E227333.html?upsh=1&sc=E227333-CSWB

 

[Blakem]

So glad to know the ultimate secret of getting the yawn picture!!

 

[Evy]

A few more moments and kind words of my new camera...it f**king rocks! I took these first three shots of MONSTRO! last night about 8:30...without a flash! The SL1 has a cool sensor built into the lenses thatenhance your subjects quite well! You be the judge!


Your pictures are great!

Thank you for sharing a his measurements, it is very helpful to compare in the near future the size on my sulcata.
I want to ask you about Monstro's hiding spot. Do you made it? And how do you control the temperature Or flood ? In which state do you live?do you even had him in a man made box?

Does he come out everyday ?

Thank you for your help