I’m considering getting a monitor lizard at the end of this year or first half of next and I’ve been researching and everyone says ackie’s are the best and I’ll probably get those (as my dream monitor, varanus kingorum is a bit rare and while there is one on morphmarket right now I’m on a foreign exchange trip and can’t purchase it and there is no guarantee there will be any when I get back, and my other dream monitor, the borneo earless monitor is a bit too pricey for me atm) but I’m just curious what good alternatives there, if any come close, or if someone thinks a different species is better.
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The tiny kingorum are a dream animal for me too. I haven’t seen them online in the states for a while. I’m sure they pop up occasionally in the bigger expo’s though. I’m fond of blue spotted timor monitor’s. Other than the itty bitty rare varanus which don’t have a long lifespan I would rather have a timor that you might have for a while longer.
Granted I haven’t had one since I was young and technically that was my uncle’s that he let me take care of… I main cresties and colubrids so my opinion is not the best to look at
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there is a kingorum in the other monitors part of morphmarket right now, its 1000 bucks though. Also thanks for the suggestion!
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Borneo earless are not monitor lizards despite what the common name may imply, and do not have the same mental characteristics monitors have unfortunately.
Varanus Tristis, Varanus Glauerti, Kingorum are all great choices. with the Kimberley Rock Monitor (Glauerti) being the coolest of all for sure.
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If I had the space/time/money for a small monitor, I’d probably go with either a Kimberly rock monitor or a green tree monitor.
But I have no real experience with monitors beyond interacting with an Asian water monitor owned by my dad’s friend. So my recommendations are not really based on anything beyond what I happen to think are the prettiest of the smaller monitor species. 
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If I ever got into lizards it would probably be kimberly rocks. Very cool smallish monitors. They were featured in the last Reptiles Magazine. Alas, I need a lizard right now like I need another hole in my head. Would be a cool reptile room hang out buddy though.
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