For dorton and all new Savannah Monitor owners

[shiftylarry]

Here is a good starting point for anyone new to savannahs. Of course you cannot completely cover everything you'll need to know in a few paragraphs, but it's better than nothing. You need to understand some basic information before you buy. If you've already purchased your monitor, you can use this caresheet to help get yourself on the right track.

-Chris

By the way, this is Scott's post. If you don't know him, he's an all around great guy and very knowledgeable about monitors.
<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.repticzone.com/caresheets/642.html">http://www.repticzone.com/caresheets/642.html</a><!-- m -->

 

[Lexi]

I dont own a sav But the imformation was awesome thank you!

 

[shiftylarry]

No sweat, it has the base information for a lot of monitors, but each one has their own variation, especially when considering substrate and cage furniture.

 

[dorton]

Thanks man

 

[shiftylarry]

No problem. Good luck with your monitor.

 

[dorton]

Yeah man, its doing awesome so far.

 

[shiftylarry]

OH! I should add, that there are some areas that need to be specified and other areas, that are opinion, not necessarily fact. My biggest problem is that it does not discuss the general attitude of monitors in full detail, but I can answer questions on a case by case basis.

 

[dorton]

This little guy eats like its going out of style!Rodents today invertibrates invertibrates tomorrow rotating throughout the week.

 

[shiftylarry]

Have I told you about crawfish? You can order them off the internet for $3 a lb. Much cheaper than mice, and a good staple.

 

[shabazz]

where can i get the crawfish from larry

 

[shiftylarry]

Search the internet. Buy them from Louisiana. They could use the business. They're usually seasonal, so buy in bulk when you find them.

Also, don't feed them unless your monitor is big enough to eat them.

Cheers

-Chris

 

[AB^]

I get my crayfish from asian markets, I always freeze them for a while before feeding them off too

 

[angelrose]

shiftylarry, what would you feed a 3 1/2 ft savannah :?: and how often iyo :?:

 

[shiftylarry]

I would feed a 3.5 ft Savannah Monitor a number of things. Savannahs do really well on an insect diet, so I would make sure to include a lot of hissing roaches in their diet. I would also make sure to give them some sort of seafood, be it herring, crawfish, shrimp, or crab (make sure these are whole bodied). And some mice would be fine as well, just keep in mind that a diet that is solely comprised of mice is not healthy and in some cases can lead to obesity.

In the wild bosc monitors will eat large land snails, which is why their jaws are larger and more powerful than other monitors, but I don't know where you could purchase them from. I know there is at least one place.

For an adult, I would feed a minimum of 5 times per week. I see some people saying that feeding 3 times per week is ok, but do you really think an animal that poops every day should be fed that infrequently?

I'd like to see some pics of your Savannah and setup. The "big puppy like" statement is a red flag for me. These animals are very often obese.

-Chris

 

[angelrose]

:thyo for some new ideas. he has been eating lg. mice and frozen/defrosted sm. rats. mice most of the time a rat for a treat and he also loves beef.
my daughter is helping me get pics on here, so soon I hope. he has been like a puppy about a month into having him. but .......
lately I am looking at him and I know he is obese. what do I do ?

 

[shiftylarry]

Well beef is the worst possible thing you could feed him. I bet his diet has a lot to do with his temperament. Of course he likes it. It is hardwired into his brain to survive. When he comes across a food source that is fatty and delicious, he's gonna eat it up because it will build up the fat in his body, enabling him to endure hardships to come. But the problem is that this isn't the type of food he would come across in the wild, and it will make him obese if he gets it regularly. I would never ever ever feed that stuff.

If I were you, I would stop feeding beef (period) and stop feeding mice for a while. Stick to insects such as roaches and nightcrawlers for a while, as well as seafood (which is lower in fat content and high in protein). In order to help you, I need to see full cage shots as well as humidity levels and basking surface temperatures (need a temp gun). Please describe your setup with as many details as possible.

-Chris

 

[shiftylarry]

bumping for Sav Season!

 

[Adams13]

Hey shiftylarry, if i were to feed night crawlers to my tegu, should i be weary of pesticides, fungicides, etc. if i were to buy them from somewhere like a bait shop. If so how could i ensure that they are pesticide free. Thanks!

Adams

 

[shiftylarry]

If you can't guarantee that the food item comes from a source that is free of pesticides, don't feed it. Buying from a bait shop is usually what I do.

 

[angelrose]

:brick ok, I have to ask what is night crawlers :?: sounds creepy