feeding sav

[Lrptls]

I think my sav is under weight. First i read that they can grow almost there full size in one year. iv been keeping records for mine, hes only growing half an inch every other month (iv had him for 5 months) i feed him lots of crickets, meal worms and a pinkie once a week. usually feed him every other day. should i feed him every day? and i read feeding them a little canned cat food will help them gain weight. should i try that? also what are some other things he can eat while hes little (hes 5 1/2 inches snout to vent)

[V.hb]

raise temps, what are they at? lotsa water, and high basking spots

[Lrptls]

theres a thermometer in the middle and top of the cage, it usually reads 95, he has a slanted log to bask on so he can get as to the bulb as he wants, the very top is over 100 degrees (my thermometers only go up to 105) his water bowl is a large round bowl, he could submerge his whole body in it, but i'v never seen him in it, i know he gets in it, theres a rock in there to help him get out and its usually in a different spot.

[CHRISANDBOIDS14]

Well, you should have crikets readily availible. There should always be crikets running around the tank(even if its just 1 or 2). The crikets are good cause they feed him but keep him fit cause he has to chase them. Mealworms are good. Try adding superworms and waxworms(yumy to a baby sav). You can also keep with the cat food but i think you should try some canned dog food aswell. Also, you can try feeding scrambled eggs as a bimonthly treat. The pinkies sound fine. Keep with the weekly thing but as it gets a little bigger and older change it to about every week and ahalf at the most. I do not personally keep savannahs but i do take care of 3 at a petstore and have MUCH experience with reptiles and amphibians. This is my recomendation. Some may argue to this and everyone has a different opinion on the feeding but i recomend this. If you can find monitor foods(kind of like bearded dragon or iguana stuff) this could be used too. Good luck with ur little sav.

Chris

[CHRISANDBOIDS14]

He does look a little on the smaller size compared to his head as the baby i am looking after is quite abit thiker but as long as bones arent showing then he is fine.

[skinheaddave]

First of all, ensure he has access to a hotter basking spot. 130+ is good. Secondly, ensure that he can also bask at cooler temperatures and can escape to somewhere around 80 degrees.

Next, make sure he is actualy using his heat gradient. A shy sav might not use a basking spot if he doesn't feel secure. Thus, a hide-box in the heat would be a good idea.

Lastly, with that sort of growth rate you have to suspect that he is heavily parasitized. (please keep in mind for the next bit that I am not a vet, nor am I a pro. I don't want to get in a debate over dealing with parasites unless it is with someone who has some hard data or a sound argument). Some parasite loads can be dealt with through better husbandry. Having a 130+ basking spot would be a real help, since a temperature gradient can help the monitor pick its optimum temp for various physiological processes. Others can be treated by a vet but can also probably be ignored and dealt with through good husbandry. Others definitely require medical treatment. And lastly, there are those that can't be treated. Get your vet to run a fecal sample so that you at least know what you are dealing with and how prevelent it is. At five months, you should have seen notable growth by now. Even with better husbandry, I suspect you may need to get some meds.

Cheers,
Dave

[CHRISANDBOIDS14]

Hi Dave,
I guess i forgot about parasites, Lrpts, i have to agree with Dave. Dave, thanks for adding that(glad you did cause someone had too, all the better for the herp!). I was mainly adressing diet. Thanks again.

Chris

[Lrptls]

well thanks to all you guys for helping. i will definetly get him to a vet. but i am wondering how i can give him such a high basking spot, what wattage will go that high? and i'v never seen thermometers over 105 degrees, where can i get one of those? and do you agree about the scrambled eggs dave?

[CHRISANDBOIDS14]

Lrptls,
I know it does sound kind of strange, the scrambled eggs thing, but the owner of the store feeds that to her savanahs on occasion. I have heard lots of people say that they feed hard boiled eggs but again, im not sure. I figure if many people do feed the ocasional eggs to their savannahs it should be too bad. Good luck!

Chris

[skinheaddave]

My sav has two 100 watt halogen bulbs for a basking spot. They shine onto a rock which diffuses the heat slightly, leaving one hot spot and a lot of warm spots. For temperatures, I use a temp. gun I bought off Ravi (he's on the boards here). I think he may still have some. You can point it anywhere and it will tell you the temperature of the surface.

As far as scrambled eggs go, I've always used hard boiled but I see nothing against scrambled. Not as a staple, mind you, but as a treat. Warning: It may smell a bit on the way out. You have been warned.

Cheers,
Dave

[Lrptls]

ok, thanks for that info, will get him another bulb and the temp gun, better diet and a vet visit. also wanted to ask you, do you have a uvb light on your savs? mine does not have one because i read from alot of people they dont need one.

[skinheaddave]

I do not provide UV light for my sav, though he will be getting some once the weather warms up in the spring and he can go outside.

Cheers,
Dave

[eyespy]

I don't have hard data, but a slightly sound argument about treating parasites. Back in the mid-90s when I was working at Penn, there was a big debate between the "Frye guys" who advocated a wait and see approach and the "Klingenburg clones" who wanted to kill every last microorganism at whatever cost.

So half the residents took the Frye approach and half took the Klingenburg approach and it was going to last for the duration of their 18 month residency. But mortality rates of the Frye guys was something like 30% higher so the study was dropped after just a couple of months and Penn adopted the global thermonuclear war strategy when dealing with parasites.

To this day, parasites are fairly rare in Pennsylvania compared to other states in the US because our state Dept. of Agriculture adopted the same stance and the pet trade is subject to spot checks. Pinworms and hookworms are a bit of an ongoing problem but we have very few cases of protozoans, flagellates, flukes, roundworms, lungworms, etc. when compared to national averages.

[Lrptls]

sence my savs always been skinny like this, and the breeder probably knew something was wrong with him (they were selling them at the rep expo for $15) is there any thing i can do to them?

[CHRISANDBOIDS14]

If you havent yet, take him to the vet, thats probably the best you can do for now. $15!!!!!!! yah, there probably was something wrong with him. Normally they go for at least $150. But for now, the vet is your best bet.

[skinheaddave]

Actualy, I see them for $50-$100 retail. Regardless, $15 generally means "dying." Get it to a vet.

Cheers,
Dave

[eyespy]

Sadly, that $15 is around the average for a wild-caught or CH sav in the US. They wholesale for as little as $1.50 each when bought in lots of 100 or more. So they are abused and neglected because it's cheaper to order another 100 to replace the "morts" than it is to house them properly and keep their enclosures clean.

[mbayless]

It was the same for the slave-trade, and the routes, export cities are even the same; Bonny, Nigeria. Togo and Dakar Senegal - coincidence?

cheers,
markb

[Lrptls]

mbayless, i have no idea what your talking about....but ok...

[varanuskomodoen]

45 watt lightbulbs are surprisingly reawrding:).

[varanuskomodoen]

*rewarding