BARE Minimum!?

[reptilez]

Can I keep an Adult Sav in a 6x2x2?

[Tim and Julie B]

No that is to small. Check out this thread it might help.

http://www.ssnakess.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=20478

[markb]

Yes you can - my V. exanthematicus bred in a 4x2x2 twice! You must have good deep substrate, clean water for them, and lots of live bugs make them happy...

cheers,
markb

[reptilez]

When you guys say deep substrate, How deep is deep? Like 5"?8"? Whats good depth?

[Jeff_Favelle]

For an adult Sav? Like 20-30".

[reptilez]

OK Last Question!
Does anyone know of anyone that Breeds Savs in or Around Toronto?
Thanks for your help,
-Reptilez

[JeffT]

Yup, 20"-30". So what size cage are you going to go with reptilez?

[V.hb]

20-30" of dirt? I dont think thats all nessecary to breed them..... If you just want to house one, I would go with a 6Lx2Wx3H and use about a foot of dirt.


Like Markb said, hes got records of them breeding in a 4x2x2.. Savs are not that large, most of the really large savs are just obece from improper temperatures and diet.

[JeffT]

Im just speaking from what a friend of mine uses, his are quite good breeders and burrow tons in that much dirt.

[LurkerAccount]

Hey, I was gonna post this exact same thing , thanks reptilz. Looks like were're both gonna be sav owners soon... almost exact same age too:D:D

Does anyone know how long it takes for them to reach full size
-Thanks

[Jeff_Favelle]

12 months >>>>>>never. All depends on your husbandry.

[LurkerAccount]

Really??, I was on a site and he had his for 4 years and said it was only 21 inches...

Can you tell me what factors affect the growth(well I guess heat and food eh?).
And is it bad for them to not reach full size?

-Thanks

[Jeff_Favelle]

Heat and food. Yep, that's pretty much it. I don't know if its bad, but they are BUILT to eat and grow and reproduce fast. Its what they do. So I would be surprised if stunting them was good for them.

Best of luck,

Jeff F.

[LurkerAccount]

Thanks Jeff :)

[Jeff_Favelle]

No probs. Let us know how everything turns out!!

[reptilez]

I think im gunna go with a 6x3x3. Thanks every and ill try to get some pics up as soon as possible. I should get him/her in about a week.
Thanks,
-Reptilez
P.S. Good Luck to you to aaashrimp!

[Bartman]

yea that size seems perfect. There is a pet store next to my house that specialize in reptiles. They do a really good job of housing all there animals not like most places i here of. Anyways they keep one full grown sav in a 6x3x4 so i figure since they are not aborial they dont need the extra foot of roof space so your new cage size would suit them perfectly IMO...good luck with your new sav and let us see pics of both the tank and sav when you get them :)

[reptilez]

I will indeed....
Also, if anyone breeds savs in or around the GTA please PM me. Im interested in a baby about 6" Long.
Thank,
and Happy Herping,
-Reptilez

[Jeff_Favelle]

You won't find CB Savs. Sorry. But your search will definitely be in vain.

[reptilez]

If they are WC what do i do?

[Dragoon]

Choose the healthiest looking one that tries to defend itself. You WANT the hissing, whipping biter in the tank. That's the one that is the least run-down. Its attitude will improve with maturity and trust in its keeper. (You have to earn that trust.)

Take a good look at how it is being housed before you decide. A cool reptile is a calm reptile. Maybe it is not run-down, but just too cool. Look for one with some fat in its tail, as monitors are prone to not eat when put in a different home/cage.

It will almost surely be carrying a parasite load, since that is normal for them. With good care, it will never become a health problem. With bad care, it will sicken, then you can deworm it, and make it even sicker. Dog and cat vets will want to deworm automatically for anything that they find. Be cautious about putting poison in a little baby, you may be doing more harm than good. As the keeper, its up to you to decide.

Good luck. D.

[LurkerAccount]

Are you sure that the hissing and whipping ones are the best?
Wouldn't a run down one be easier to handle, and therefore easier to tame?

[reptilez]

I understand what Dragon was trying to say.
If they are wippers, they are fighters. Fighters will live better lives.
-Reptilez

[LurkerAccount]

Hey I have some questions:

1) Can I keep a save from a baby-the rest of his life in an 8x2x3H?
Does the lenth make up for the smaller width?

2)I've heard Jeff say that monitors can't get obece(sp?) if kept proberly. In this size of enclosure, will I be able to do this if kept at a proper heat?

3)Is it essential for them to have rodents in there diet? Can feed them wild caught frogs?

4)Do they really need 30' of dirt? From reading most people keep them in a 2-3foot high enclosure, so they would only have 0-6" space between the celiene and the dirt?

[reptilez]

I think you need the width so they can turn around.
I will be keeping mine in about 5-6" of dirt.
-Reptilez

[markb]

I have seen V. exanthematicus full grown at 5'6", and at 27 inches! It depends on how they were treated when young. Also proper water, varied insect/mollusc diet, and male female ratio's. I had 1.1 and 2.3 groups breed successfully twice. Females must cycle and brumate or breeding and life of animal itself can be in jeapardy!

Wonderful animals, so much personality and great to work with. A very under-rated varanus. One of my top 5 favorites.

Cheers,
markb

[LurkerAccount]

Originally posted by reptilez
I think you need the width so they can turn around.


Yeah, thats what I was thinking, but I don't really have much of a choice because I'm building it out of two desks...

Where are you getting your savannah reptilez?

[reptilez]

Im getting mine off Monitor Boy, He has a friend that breeds them. Im not sure how many he has left, but there is one aside for me:D
-Reptilez
aaashrimp: Where are you getting yours?

[Dragoon]

Nope, sorry, you both misunderstood me.

It is said that only a tiny percentage of imported savs survive their first year. Know also that it is absolutely normal for a monitor to want to defend itself from you if it doesn't know you (baby, juvie or adult).

So, back to picking out a baby sav...
Most of those babies in the tank WILL die, and all of them WANT to defend themselves. But only a few of them CAN. By picking out a whipper, you might be picking out one with enough health to live.

If your main concern is how tame it will be, you really should be looking into other lizards. Monitors are cool for a lot of things, but liking people isn't one of them.
D.