Savannah Monitor, Az

[Mr.Saturn]

Hello all, I've been looking in to getting a savannah monitor lizard. I was wondering if anyone knew a few stores in Phoenix that carry them. I'd prefer a younger lizard so that I may raise it. If anyone knows of some stores, I's greatly appreciate the feedback. Thank you

[infernalis]

This years imports will be arriving within the next month and a half or so.

May I ask if you are fully prepared yet? Like have you already built your cage and filled it with soil??

Correct Savannah Monitor Care (http://www.savannahmonitor.net)

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[Mr.Saturn]

I know the normal shipments are done in march. I have not built an enclosure for one yet, but I could make one before march. And I have a lot of dry dirt that I could sift to get rocks and stuff out of, and I know I'll also need some other substrate because my dirt is dry and crumbly.

[infernalis]

I ran my cage empty for two months while I dialed everything in, that allowed me to sort out any issues (and there were a few) prior to involving any animals.

easy fix for dry soil. :D

nn0xVixyyUE

[Mr.Saturn]

Okay thank you. About what size enclosure would you say is appropriate for 1 savannah monitor? And currently I have a 50 long terrarium, would that support a very young monitor for about a year?

[jarich]

Not really, no. They will reach adult size in about a year or so. It would take more work to adapt that tank to their needs for a couple months than it would just to build the adult enclosure and get it taken care of right away.

The general rule of thumb is to give it an enclosure twice the length of how long the adult will be, and as wide as it is long. So in that case you are looking at an enclosure around 8 feet by 4 feet. Youll also need about 2 feet of soil substrate and another two feet or so for lighting, so around 4 feet tall. Now that is the recommended minimum, and if you can give them more room, then that is even better.

[formica]

Okay thank you. About what size enclosure would you say is appropriate for 1 savannah monitor? And currently I have a 50 long terrarium, would that support a very young monitor for about a year?

my Sav grew from ~5inches to 21inches, in ~6 months, many grow significantly more than that, they grow really fast! with a adult growth potential of 36-48inches+

...I dont think a 4ft enclosure is fair on a Sav for a year...6 months tops, but, there isnt much point in doing that unless you have no other option, as you dont have the Sav now, you do have options, there are smaller monitors out there, or get building a big enclosure, 8x4x4 is recommended minimum, and many Sav owners feel that is not big enough

when I got mine, everything I thought I knew about monitor husbandry requirements was wrong, I wouldnt recommend putting one into a 4ft enclosure unless there was no other choice, but you have a choice! and plenty of time to get a big enclosure built :)

[Mr.Saturn]

I know they don't come in until march so arizona will have warmer weather, but would an enclosure be good to put outside if I don't have room in my house? Since it gets to be 100+ in the summer I'm sure that would work for a savannah monitor outside in an enclosure, but what about the winter? Would an outside encousure still work? I have plenty if room to build an enclosure larger than 8x4x4 and I could build a little canopy to keep it out of direct sun. Is this a good idea or a terrible one?

[poison123]

I'm not sure what the ambient temp is needed for a sav but I think 100F is to high.

AZ is a very dry state. Savs need aroung 60% humidity (?).

[Mr.Saturn]

It'll get to be more than 100 in the sun, but normally in the shade the temp is usually a lot cooler like 80 or 90, and it is very dry, but I could always have a humidifier or mister for the inside to keep it at a higher humidity along with wetting the soil to prevent it from getting too dry.

[KORBIN5895]

One word. Burrows.

[Mr.Saturn]

I'm not the home owner, I'll be moving out in a year. I'm still in high school. I was hoping to make an enclosure that was capable of being taken apart easily and transporting such as using acrylic, polycarbonate, or plexus glass for the actual terrarium, and using wood to give it stability and look better than a clear box with sand in it. And using epoxy on the inside like traditional terrariums, I could easily peel the epoxy when I need to transport it.

[formica]

check out the link infernalis posted up, savannahmonitor.net - there is allot of information there on what they need, I think you will mostly want to make it out of wood, it will be massively expensive to build an 8x4x4 entirely out of acrylic or polycarb, and it would scratch to hell with either matirial...plus it needs to hold a ton of soil (litrally a ton, or more), you'd need 8mm+ even with a wooden frame

had a quick check of arizona's average humidity, there is allot of variation, from low ranges, 10-30 all year around in some parts, to much higher, 50-70 in other parts - something to consider for an outdoor enclosure

One word. Burrows.

i'm sure you cant be suggesting that its ok for it to be dry above ground all year round, thats far beyond even my plans ;)

[Hannibalcanibal]

I'm not the home owner, I'll be moving out in a year. I'm still in high school. I was hoping to make an enclosure that was capable of being taken apart easily and transporting such as using acrylic, polycarbonate, or plexus glass for the actual terrarium, and using wood to give it stability and look better than a clear box with sand in it. And using epoxy on the inside like traditional terrariums, I could easily peel the epoxy when I need to transport it.

I'm sorry to say this, but.... savs need more food, care, time, and effort, not to mention enclosure space and money input than almost any other easily available reptile in captivity. The sheer amount of the above is too much for me to provide ( as a highschool student, like you) , and probably too much for you, as well.

Good for you for wanting a reptile, but may i suggest...

leopard gecko
bearded dragon
crested gecko

And if you really want a monitor, i would suggest looking into ackies- good lizards, small, but with all of the monitor personality.

[Mr.Saturn]

So if I make an enclosure out of wood, what kind of wood should be used?

[smy_749]

I'm willing to bet savs in the wild can and do burrow down deeper than three feet considering I found tiny lacertids that savs could eat for lunch with 2-3 foot burrows. I've also seen uromastyx burrows with 5 or more entrances over a 10 square foot area (estimating).

Go as deep as you can ;P

[infernalis]

So if I make an enclosure out of wood, what kind of wood should be used?

Savannah Monitor Housing (http://www.savannahmonitor.net/housing/)

standard building lumber.

[KORBIN5895]

My brother lives in Prescott and said average humidity during the "rains" is 60%-70% and it rains every three to four days.

[KORBIN5895]

The rains is the wet season and the average humidity during that period is 60%-70%.

[Mr.Saturn]

I'm sorry to say this, but.... savs need more food, care, time, and effort, not to mention enclosure space and money input than almost any other easily available reptile in captivity. The sheer amount of the above is too much for me to provide ( as a highschool student, like you) , and probably too much for you, as well.

Good for you for wanting a reptile, but may i suggest...

leopard gecko
bearded dragon
crested gecko

And if you really want a monitor, i would suggest looking into ackies- good lizards, small, but with all of the monitor personality.

I happen to have 2 fancy beardies that I give personal care to everyday. I also have a leopard gecko I've had for 6 years now as well as a wild caught garter snake. I was hoping for a reptile that required more care and would grow larger than 2ft which is why I wanted a savannah monitor. I have the capability of building it's enclosure as well as giving one a great home and plenty of personal care and enrichment.

[Mr.Saturn]

Wood a wooden enclosure be able to have 7mm thick wood? Or should I spend about $40 extra and have the sides 1" thick?

[Mr.Saturn]

Never mind. I found a cheap alternative that is the proper size and is 1.06cm thick. It doesn't look nice at all, but that can be fixed.

[Donnie]

Is the climate in Arizona that different to some of the parts of Africa these are found in?

[Mr.Saturn]

To prevent wood rot with the 3 ft of dirt in the bottom of the enclosure, would spackel and kilz paint primer work? Or just kilz or just spackel? I know the savannahmonitor.net an example is using a cow trough or a plastic storage bin, but I was hoping to use something that'd protect the wood while allowing the monitor to be Abel to burrow around all of the enclosure since the dirt layer will be 3ft deep I didn't want something that'd restrict the burrowing such as a rounded container like the cow trough. Any ideas on what I can line the wood with that will prevent rot but won't be a plastic storage bin?

[Mr.Saturn]

I looked up the pond paint and I could get it, I was just hoping for something a little cheaper. Is there any cheaper way to protect the wood? If not I'll get the pond paint to get the job done right.

[Pirarucu]

Is the climate in Arizona that different to some of the parts of Africa these are found in?Yes. Savs live in the savannas and thrive during the wet season, where humidity may reach 80-90%. Arizona never achieves that sort of humidity, and while some areas of AZ can be moderately humid, as Korbin pointed out (good taste in music by the way, Korbin) Mr. Saturn does not live in Prescott. His information says he is in Glendale, where humidity is often in the single digits. It is in no way a suitable area to keep a sav exposed to the elements.

[Pirarucu]

I'm willing to bet savs in the wild can and do burrow down deeper than three feet considering I found tiny lacertids that savs could eat for lunch with 2-3 foot burrows. I've also seen uromastyx burrows with 5 or more entrances over a 10 square foot area (estimating).

Go as deep as you can ;PDB's book says that the deepest burrow found was 43 inches deep.

[Donnie]

Yes. Savs live in the savannas and thrive during the wet season, where humidity may reach 80-90%. Arizona never achieves that sort of humidity, and while some areas of AZ can be moderately humid, as Korbin pointed out (good taste in music by the way, Korbin) Mr. Saturn does not live in Prescott. His information says he is in Glendale, where humidity is often in the single digits. It is in no way a suitable area to keep a sav exposed to the elements.

Thanks for the reply, it kind of read like a stupid question when I read it back the next day :hmm: I knew parts of Arizona are hot and dry but it is a big state so I was curious to know if there was areas that had similar conditions or not.

[Mr.Saturn]

So this cam across my mind the other day, monitors require 60-70% humidity. Would a gardening substrate such as vermiculite be a good substance to mix in the the soil? The purpose is to hold in moisture so would that help with the humidity and moisture for the soil not to collapse?

[infernalis]

So this cam across my mind the other day, monitors require 60-70% humidity. Would a gardening substrate such as vermiculite be a good substance to mix in the the soil? The purpose is to hold in moisture so would that help with the humidity and moisture for the soil not to collapse?

No, please don't...

Nothing beats dirt, plain ol dirt.

Nice thing about dirt, it cycles a little, the humidity goes up for a few days when you water it, then goes gradually back down, like nature does, humid days and not so humid days.

These lizards also rub their food into the dirt, and will eat the dirt, so you don't want anything artificial in the dirt.

http://www.varanuspark.com/HD/dirty.jpg


nn0xVixyyUE

[Mikoh4792]

nn0xVixyyUE

I know it's harder than it looks(to care for these guys) but your videos always tempt me to get one. The observation alone is fascinating. I'll just stick to snakes.

[Tsubaki]

Fascinating animals, maybe some day.. :D