She ate, but...

[SnowFoxx]

I got her to take one cricket first, and then two yesterday. She's acting like she has trohble swallowing them...she chews and shakes them, then spits them out, then eats the pile of mushy body. I tried giving her mealworms, but she acts like she doesn't even recognize them as food. We're going to stick to an all-cricket diet, I guess, because the movement stimulates her to chase and eat. She's either very lazy or very tired, however. She only takes one or two, then seems to tire of chasing and collapses for a nap. She's also lost her taste for waxworms, it seems. She is captive bred, so I'm not too terribly worried about parasites, but I will get that checked out.

How much humidity should there be in her cage? She's in a wire-topped tank,but she always has fresh water. She does get in it, too. I've never seen her do it, but every night I find tannish gooey stuff floating in there, which I guess is poop. Should I be misting, too?

- Victoria :w

[SnowFoxx]

She's a Sav, and the poo is only gooey and mushy because she insists on pooping in her water dish. When the poop falls on newspaper its perfectly normal. I'm now stupid, nor am I an irresponsible teenager - if my Sav was clearly very sick (as runny poop would suggest) she would have been to the vet already. I'm just working through "new-baby-blues" right now. She's my first lizard, so a lot of this is new for me...but not *that* new!

- Victoria :w

[SnowFoxx]

Sorry, I just bombed a major test, so I'm a bit upset right now:(. I keeo her on newspaper for feeding safety, but there is a large box of Carefresh inside the cage for her to burrow in...I just lift it out while feeding. I do dust my crickets, always.

It's nice to know that other lizards poo in their water, and not just my sloppy girl:) She's quite a mess...I have to change her papers every day for one reason or another. Spilled water, cricket legs all over, poop, etc.

I just can't wait until she's big enough to take pink mice. But that will be a loooonngg time from now. She's probably four inches long right now, tail included.

I'm not a teenager, btw. I'm 23 this July, and even older than that, really. Been on my own since 15, so I've gotten old(er) a bit faster than most!

- Victoria :w

[V.hb]

SnowFoxx.. It sounds as if he's got parasites. If hes eating then its coming out of his mouth "gushy" sounds as if hes regurgitating them. Go over this checklist
1. make sure his substrate is moist. You can do this with out door dirt, or mix some organic potting soil with certain mulches.
2. I find if your monitor wont dig burrows its usually because of stress. Get some cork bark, or something thats already formed and half burry it so he has a humid spot to hide in. Do the same with a hide under his basking spot, so he has options.
3. Make sure hes WELL hydrated achieve this by getting a small "stress free" rubbermaid with some luke warm water and let him sit and hydrate for awhile. I Say stress free meaning something he wont see you and be intimidated in.

Unfortunatly with an animal that small its a bit of a pain to medicate them.. So taking him too a vet of course is good, but you can probably accomplish alot more on your own just by doing a few things.

Also, not sure what kind of lid you're using but i find if its a wire lid (iam assuming you're using a tank for now?) make a plexi glass lid with holes in it for ventilation. will hold lots of humidity. It shouldnt be tropical, but should be "moist" use your judgement.

You say hes eating, which is a good sign he may snap out of it provided he has the proper husbandry!! good luck.

And just too add, it isnt very common for savannahs (From my own experience) to defecate in their water provided they are given the proper temps etc. They usually spend time in the water because their enclosure is far too dry.

[SnowFoxx]

Why does it sounds like she has parasites? She's not regurging, she just chews and spits, then eats the spits-out mess. She doesn't swallow and then spit up. Also, she doesn't sit in her water dish at all, nor have I ever seen her drink. I find evidence of a very small amount of poo in her water most days, but the majority of the poo is on the newspaper, and is absolutely normal.

As for her being intimidated...I doubt this very much. She wiggles a bit when I pick her up, but frequently falls asleep in my hand, and seems very curious about movement outside her tank. She never hides, and does not run away when I reach down to pick her up. She never acts agressive or whippy at being picked up, either. She's *very* calm and well-mannered.:)

I'm going to assume this is all normal. She's eating fine now...just doesn't seem to like mealworms, so I'll stick to crix.

- Victoria :w

[Dom]

Heres my oppinion

.. one -- get her off the newspaper - its propably confusing the heck out of her..

..Two, not to be rude Vic but don't put her on wood shavings.. again you will confuse the heck out of her.. shavings or newspaper .. to me u are simply killing your sav slowly. The only reason they survive for so long under inproper husbandry is because there so tuff.

As V.hb said.. DIRT IS THE KEY ..

High humidity .. lots of hides.. deep substrate.. and NO DISTURBANCE .. I find tanks to be the worst thing for them..

Mine almost never go to the washroom in there bowls.. ohh no screen top .. no need for high ventilation .. you lose humidity and heat..

High basking of up to 130+ and ambient of 85 ish ..

Sorry I know I am rambling things u already know ..

Bring it to the vet .. IT is a possibility that he has parasites.. almost all new imports do..

[SnowFoxx]

She's not an import, she is captive bred. I bought her from Regal Reptiles...they're legit.

- Victoria :w

[Dom]

Then chances are slimmer but not none.. U seem worried a bit.. to me thats enough to go .. If I have any doubts.. I act apon them .. If u think hes fine then he probably is..

Best of luck

[V.hb]

I highly doubt its CB, but if you say so... on top of that, I made the water dish comment because you said the animal defecates in the water bowl which is not common for this species!


No healthy monitor swallows a cricket then spits it out, maybe its not nessecarily spitting them out, maybe it is nothing too worry about.



most savannahs or any monitor for that manner that are "well mannered" are usually stressed right out, espeacially at the small size yours is.

it sounds to me like you have the first timer bug and are paranoid.. just relax