savannah monitor cage... suggestions

[RachelS.]

I have a sav that's in a 7x4 custom built cage, and all I have in the cage is a kitty litter box water bowl, half log hide box, stick/log, and 2 foot deep cypress wood chips substrate. I would really like to make this cage look really good, with maybe plants (fake ones, maybe?) and a few other pieces of wood and such. Think anyone here can help me out?

I also have an empty 50 gallon long aquarium, and a paper background that can fit on there that looks jungl-ish. I can also put one of these background things I bought from Petsmart in there that looks like rocks and where the animals can climb on it. I glued fake leaves on it to make it look better, and more realistic. I might need pics to show you what Im talking about. Anyway, I was wandering what I could keep in there and what I could do to make it look really nice. I was thinking maybe a scrub python? Who know. LOL, I hope you people are creative, because I'm not even though I try to be :p. Thanks a bunch and let me know...

-Rach

[Jeff_Favelle]

Ditch the wood chips and replace it with silty alkaline dirt. With wood chips, you'll only succeed in having a confused, pissed off, and unhealthy monitor. Dirt is the key to NOT killing these things.

[RachelS.]

I'll keep that in mind, and get some dirt. Would it be okay to dig out some dirt and sift out all the rocks? I do notice he loves to dig in the cypress mulch, though...

-Rachel

[Dom]

You can use the majority of soils from outside .. Just put as much as u can .. If u can .. 2 feet depp of soil instead of cypress would be great.

Just a suggestion .. Why clutter the monitors space with useless things to him like artificial plants? It may look nice to you but in the end . its just unsusable space for you moniotr no?

.. Sometimes simpler is better .. Whats better - what it looks like or whats best for the monitor ..

just my .02$

[Jeff_Favelle]

Not to be mean, but I'll give you a question to think about:

Just because he digs in the cypress mulch, does that mean he overly enjoys it? To put it another way, if I trapped you, shipped you to England in a cramped box with your own feces and dead compatriots and the only thing they fed you when they got you set up over there was catfood (and you ate it) would that mean you liked catfood? Nope. Dirt is for monitors, especially Savannah's! You will notice a remarkable improvment when you give him 24 inch deep dirt!

Good luck!

[RachelS.]

Thanks much Dom and Jeff! I'll forget the mulch and dump in a huge pile of dirt. He'll love it! I know the cage would look nice; I wouldn't clutter it. It was just a question I wanted suggestions on. I really just want him to be happy and healthy, and his cage to look a little more naturalistic and nice. Any more advice is greatly appreciated. Thanks a bunch!

-Rach