New here ^_^ Need some Savannah advice

Discussion in 'Monitors & Tegus' started by Jackal, Sep 11, 2010.

  1. Jackal

    Jackal Embryo

    Messages:
    3
    Hi there everyone, I'm new here and I've just recently found myself with my own Savannah Monitor, now I've had the "beginner reptiles" like Beardies, Leos, cresties, and garter snakes before, but I've never had one of the more complicated herps. Before I got this little guy I tried my best to do as much research as I could but the bad thing is there are so many conflicting opinions on what's best. So I was hoping to get some suggestions

    He's about 9-10 inches long and has a nice round body and sturdy little legs but towards the middle-end of his tail it gets a bit thin which worries me about the hydration he was recieving at his previous home. ((also slightly horrified that they were giving him 2 pinkies and a hopper every other day when from what I've read, they eat more large insects/mollusks/shellfish than they do mammal-type prey items)).

    Right now I have him in a 20gal long for the time being (sort of as a QT/temporary baby home so that I don't loose track of him in a huge enclosure). He has about 3 inches of eco-earth substrate (I'm glad I read about their need to burrow and humidity, I would have put him on tile like my beardie) a hide, basking spot, and a big water dish with steps to drink and swim in.

    My temps are 125-130 hotspot with ambients of 80-85, humidity of around 60% because I mist regularly, he also has a uvb light over the whole tank as well and a UTH under where his hide/burrow are for warmth at night.

    For feedings he's getting 8-10 nice sized crickets and 4-5 superworms twice a day (early morning and mid-evening and he's always very enthusiastic about them) Once my dubia colony gets established he'll also be getting those in appropriate sizes.

    I haven't handled him or bothered him since he is new and still settling in but when I am changing his water dish or putting in the food he seems wary but curious and a few times has even come over to see what I'm up to. He does hiss when startled but he hasn't whipped or tried to bite. I plan on taking him to my local exotic vet as soon as I can just for the general "new reptile" check up and also to have a look at his right eye, he seems to have gotten a little dirt in it, I misted his face and he blinked it out, but I'd like the vet to take a look to make sure his eye wasn't hurt...

    Anyways, I'd like to hear from some experienced keepers to know if this all sounds about right and for some suggestions/advice/tips/tricks, I want to learn everything I can to make sure Miles lives a long healthy life.

    thank you! :)

    Also one last question: is it normal for a baby Sav to go in their hide and take small naps during the day? He still eats/wanders/bathes/basks/digs everyday but he also naps, is that just a normal baby animal thing to need more sleep during the day?
     
  2. JEFFREH

    JEFFREH Administrator

    Messages:
    5,483
     
  3. billyking66

    billyking66 New Member

    Messages:
    27
    I dont know if youll catch this, im a little late on the frieght train. everything is as exactly as it should b as far as i can c, THEY SLEEP ALL THE TIME , IM SURE HES HUGH BY KNOW what a learning curve huh, good luck
     
    reptileden0 likes this.
  4. JEFFREH

    JEFFREH Administrator

    Messages:
    5,483
     
  5. Jackal

    Jackal Embryo

    Messages:
    3
    Ha ha thanks for the reply! Miles is a lot bigger than he was when I posted this but he's still doing really good. He is getting adult dubias and whole shrimp now in his diet, he's got a big custom encloure now and is really enjoying the space.
     
  6. JEFFREH

    JEFFREH Administrator

    Messages:
    5,483
     
  7. reptileden0

    reptileden0 New Member

    Messages:
    33
    Sounds like you have the right foods! Just watch how much you feed as it gets bigger. Obesity (like my bosc..ie Fattie Fat Fat thread) is common. Its hard to trim them down after fat sets in! Make sure you vitamin and calcium supplement him too as they grow quickly and need all they can get. Billy is righ, this reclusive creature sleeps a ton! My Toof has 3 sleeping areas in her enclosure. 1 warm and the other 2 are cooler. I do suggest keep an eye on high temp basking areas so they dont get any hotter. Belly burns arent fun. Toof actually hates basking in over 110. Her favorite is around 100 with ambient temps as you stated in the 80's. We both had a problem with coconut husk so we use mosses and in one end around her hot spot , rabbit food pellets. She likes to rub and roll in them and that is where she receives her food when fed in her enclosure (the pelets pose no threat when injested- their only issue is when they get wet so I keep them and the wet stuff seperate.). We tong and spoon feed her .. We invite her out with the click of the tong or by asking her with "toof, come" -she learned this thru the target training feeding-. We have taught her fingers provide the food vs them being food lol. These animals do stress easily as they are very reclusive and shy- agression is just an appearance that these traits come out as. Using food you can allow the monitor to think its his own idea to socialize. We hunt around the living room and Toof tells the dogs whats up. She does have a lunge/scurry jumpiness when she reaches her limit where she then requires to be taken back to her house or she will tuck into my arm pits or anywhere under me she can till she feels safe again. She does have an "im gonna bite you" head butt but that too is currently a bluff as she never bites , just pushes and huffs. This still makes me a little jumpy out of caution as she is over 30" with strong teeth and jaws. I have her handled enough to where claw clipping and bathing are accepted with very little nervous "gulping" (suckin throat in with gulp noise). She hates city water in her eyes and prefers to drink moms well water. This monitor has even done a trip to ashby school with my Iguana for a life sciences demo and she took it very well considdering her shy nature. Ive been told "do not handel your bosc as any handeling is too stressfull" and many other comments that were very negative about handeling this breed. But they never gave a reason as to why they state this. In my opinion, handel the youngling as it allows, food treats, comfort and safety. They do come around to it and do show a need for you when they do. Toof tucks her head in my neck or hand and when on the couch she hides around our backs and laps. She is, though, a one person animal. She does not show Lee the courtesy she offers me. They are a standoff with eachother. She likes music and bein talked to. I can hand feed with or with out tongs or spoon. She is in a form potty trained- poops in her wide soaking bucket- she has seperate drink water for this reason. I do have live potted spider plants in her enclosure. They are a bit tattered but surviving. She has fake shrubbery to hide in, a tub with a door cut out for a cave, log branches to climb over and push around. Ambient temp of 82-86, humidity of 60-75%, 2 styles of lamps -one bulb is the zoomed heat bulb and the other is zoomeds curly bulb (10.0 i think) that provides more lighting needs than the heat lamp produces alone. She gets vitamins and calcium daily. We exercise almost daily around the house. I frovide hunting tascs too such as putting the food under ir in something that requires bear-like tactics to retreive. She uses her hands like a bear would and has learned how to open and move things accordingly. She does stand up on her hind legs to get a hand treat. Sorry this got long but Toof is a blast! and she is very opinionated lol.
     
  8. JEFFREH

    JEFFREH Administrator

    Messages:
    5,483
     
  9. Kyle Bowden

    Kyle Bowden New Member

    Messages:
    4
    Sounds like he is well tookin care of and yah obesity can be a problem i take my lil girl for walks outside for some sun and she enjoys chasings anoles(she has a harnass and leash on) and it seems to do good for her health.:)
     
    reptileden0 likes this.

Share This Page