HELP Monitor to Monster

[deadpinkphish6]

Hey, as you all know I'm new to the forum I'd like to say hi to everyone to start off. Well I ask my question,

I have a Savannah Monitor it's about 2 feet long, and healthy, I've had him for over three months and for that full three months he had been my good buddy as he was tame as could be I could kiss him on the mouth trust him to walk around the house with me without running away, and he's fall asleep with me on occasion. Yes it's probably crazy but I trusted him fully. Well now as of late he has become a complete prick, but nothing has changed, he still gets his regular feedings and I've acctually gave him an extra mouse a week incase the feeding was begining to be not enough for him, I've also tried giving him differant treats to spice up his tastes, his tempatures are still the same, I was begining to wonder if the environment was not big enough for him anymore but a few people I've talked to said it's still sufficient enough for him. I am going to change the aquarium to a cage i have that is twice the size so that should make him a bit happier, but I'm not even sure how I'm going to switch him w/o getting tagged. I have yet to get bit by him because I'm conciderably quick, but I feel one day I won't be quick enough because as you all know they are extremely fast when they want to. If anyone has any ideas of what may be wrong or what I might want to do to calm him or if there is something I can do to handle him and try to calm him w/o getting bit. Or if his bite would not hurt too much at this size I'd like to know as well because if it's not too painful I would take the risk of being bit but I've been told it's quite painful even at his size, but I'd like to get him tame again before he reaches 3-4 or even 5 feet because then I am sure I will have a scar like Steve's little satan gave to him, and that's not quite what I want. I'd appreciate any bit of help, thanks alot.

[snakemann87]

Hey, I would like to hear some answers cause my baby Sav that was fine for 1 month is, like he said a TOTAL prick now.

[asphyxia]

Try weaing Welders gloves when handling... quick answer but its a start.

more later
Brian

[deadpinkphish6]

This could be a possible answer being that yours is the same at the moment, I read somewhere, how true this is I don't know but it could be their mating season and they're getting pissy that they can't get any lovin or whatever that's just what I read. idk how true it was

[lakeridgekennel]

Hi guys I think you just got lemons. I have two savs and they are perfect. Every one i know that has one said that they are really cool. BUT they are going threw there terible 2's they will be pricks. but all you can do is wear gloves and pick them up and try not to get bit and let me tell you it HURTS like a bitch.
hope this has been helpful
cheers
Sean

[Colonel SB]

That will depend on if your monitor is mature. The other thing has he been outside latley? My nile monitor used to go crazy after he had been outside, the natural sun light does wonders and some times makes them little terrors.

[deadpinkphish6]

Yeah acctually about a week ago I took him out to show some people, is that a problem? Should I continue to do so or no?

[snakemann87]

Nope mine hasn't been outside once. Ill just wear the gloves as suggested. BUT my bigger monitor hisses. But no open mouth, or trying to bite. I try and handfeed them maybe that will help

[deadpinkphish6]

Yeah it hisses, and snaps, it bit it's water dish today when I changed it, missed my finger by maybe an inch. I do hand feed him w/o gloves, or did, and he was pretty delicate about it concidering his hunger level, but as you might know hand feeding isn't the wisest thing when they're angry.

[TK2]

Hi Guys,
Feeding monitors with your hand only gets them used to your hand as a source of food and makes it more likely for you to get bitten when they mistake your hand for the food they are used to.
Even a 2' monitor (especially a mean or scared one) can do some very serious damage to soft flesh with a bite.

Be careful,

TK

[deadpinkphish6]

Thanks, I'm aware of that, I did at one time feed him with tongs but like I said he was no more ferocious than a puppy so hand feeding him was just like feeding a puppy he used to take it in a gentle manner as a matter of fact but now he's just mad.

[NiagaraReptiles]

Monitors are funny........what works for them today, may not tomorrow. Thier needs change as they grow/mature and also depeding on a few other aspects. Health issues, all aspects of husbandry as well as a few other things have a direct impact on behavior.

The question is, is your monitor truely a "prick" by nature (as some people are ;)) and wasn't acting "normal" prior to now or were the behaviors/atitudes you were seeing before the unatural?

I'd suggest changing the enclosure and maybe tweeking any other husbandry aspects that you feel may be off. It's interesting how little things can make all the difference.

If you're looking for excellent monitor reading, check <a href="http://www.varanus.net/faq/">HERE</a>.

Best of luck,

[Dom]

I'd tend towards some monitor husbandry change.. a switch of lightbulb.. increase humidity .. anything couldchange behavior.. in my oppinion an aggressive monitor is generally a very good eater and often but not always a heatlhy monitor.. so I don't really see a huge problem. Unless ure looking for a reptile to "pet"..

I agree with Jon .. check to see if theres any husbandry aspects that could be tweaked..

Mind ex[plaining your temps humidity .. set up.. That would help a lot

[V.hb]

I doubt very much its husbandry.. If your setups are right some savs are just more aggressive than others. For example, recently we aquired a baby that was malnourished, and kept in bad conditions. Started off with a nice temper now he tries to whip, hiss bite everything. I would be willing to bet that the monitor was probably very timid for awhile and has now come out of his shell.. Time to work on taming the best. Same goes for snakeman87's post, yours was a baby very small as well. Now that its growing its acquiring more instinct, and a healthy food response!

[V.hb]

I'll also add that if the temps are low there is no way the animal is going to be aggressive... Savannahs eat alot, hence they need high heat to digest so if he has no heat, hes not digesting and hes definatly not going to be lunging to bite.

Take Asphyxias advice and grab a pair of welders gloves, then begin handling him like that. Also, start feeding the sav off of tongs or a hook, not from your hands.


ahhh had to edit to add this, didnt notice he was outside. Alot of reptiles turn pyschotic when exposed to natural sunlight! I wouldn't stop doing it as its very healthy for the sav, But if you're going to get bit i would restrict the outdoor trips to your backyard, not to a park where there are many people to poke and prod him. good luck

[Mr.Lizard]

I had a sav a while back that I handled regularly and seemed
tame until he got around 2',which is when I started taking him
outside on a leash for excecise. He turned savage shortly after I started that. He was also getting a bit big for his cage too but
I've seen the change in other monitors with outdoor exposure
so I think that's to blame.
As far as bites go,their not pleasant but not nearly so damaging as some bites from some other species.
Good Luck.

[deadpinkphish6]

Well yesterday I found a winter glove and put it on and began petting him, and he did some hissing and whipping but then settled down then i picked him up and he tried to fight for a second untill i got a nice grip then he just sat in my hand for about a 1/2 hr then i put him back and he went and hid also I went and bought the supplies for his new cage today which I'm moving him in to.

[deadpinkphish6]

Today I just went in and changed his light, and put on the glove to pet him he did alot of hissing and backing away but let me pet him I didnt bug em too much because today is one of his feeding days and his mouse, and crickets will be her pretty soon.