Signs of an unhealthy sav.

[Bradyloach]

So we all know what an unhealthy savannah monitor looks like, but what are some signs We can look for before it gets bad? By the time we usually notice them it's to late!

So i want to hear from you people what are some things I can look for In my sav?

I'm looking for any signs because I am focused on my savs health.


Who knows maybe this might be a sticky one day.

Thanks

[BarelyBreathing]

Not eating, inactive/sleeping all the time, basking too often, vibrating, wobbling, slow to eat, not focused when catching prey...

[infernalis]

swollen toes and knees.

[BarelyBreathing]

Swollen jaw, not pooping, runny poop...

[Bradyloach]

What about white in the poop?

[BarelyBreathing]

Those are urates.

[infernalis]

What about white in the poop?

Normal, I would be more concerned if that was missing from more than one poop session.

[Bradyloach]

Oh okay, then she's doing good, pooping ever day, and should be dry or wet?

[BarelyBreathing]

She should feel like... how do I describe this.. You know how when you put lotion on your hands and rub it in well so the lotion is dry, but it still feels hydrated? That.

More signs of illness: sunken eyes, loose skin, white, gray, or yellow patches.

[Bradyloach]

My sav has loose skin, around her joints
http://i627.photobucket.com/albums/tt351/bradyloach/b404dbae.jpg

[BarelyBreathing]

That's fine. She looks really good. I'm talking about looking like she's lost serious weight.

[varanus_mad]

bloated stomach not just fat but swollen

[Savvy1]

And what do these symptoms mean?

[BarelyBreathing]

They mean that your monitor is very, very ill. Each has a different meaning or group of possibly meanings. Just ask, and we'll try to answer as detailed as possible.

[Savvy1]

What does bloated Stomach mean?

[BarelyBreathing]

It could mean impaction, improper digestion, parasite overload, or several of these issues combined.

[mo9e64]

Overthinking just adds stress to you and your animal-look at it's basic needs there is no perfect care or enclosure.I think we make it too complicated,the thing that makes it difficult is not knowing what to look for or what is normal.Instead of looking at what's wrong with your animal look to see if you have an environment so if your monitor is ill it will recover-that's affirmative action.

[BarelyBreathing]

Overthinking just adds stress to you and your animal-look at it's basic needs there is no perfect care or enclosure.I think we make it too complicated,the thing that makes it difficult is not knowing what to look for or what is normal.Instead of looking at what's wrong with your animal look to see if you have an environment so if your monitor is ill it will recover-that's affirmative action.


So you don't feel like keepers should be able to recognize if their monitor is unhealthy?

[varanus_mad]

It could mean impaction, improper digestion, parasite overload, or several of these issues combined.

Yup yup yup yup and one very very odd case around 2 years ago of an import swelling up like a ballon and passing within 24hrs the PM never found a cuase either.

Overthinking just adds stress to you and your animal-look at it's basic needs there is no perfect care or enclosure.I think we make it too complicated,the thing that makes it difficult is not knowing what to look for or what is normal.Instead of looking at what's wrong with your animal look to see if you have an environment so if your monitor is ill it will recover-that's affirmative action.


LOL Frank is that you?

But yes i do agree having the correct set up plays a bigger part in getting your monitor well again...

It is worth knowing the causes and what to look out for though

The biggest worry for me is When a monitor stops eating and isnt due to lay eggs.

[mo9e64]

BarelyBreathing If beginners could identify problems with their monitors it would mean they understand them.You need to see a healthy monitor and how it reactes in a proper environment.What reference does a beginner have with their first monitor understanding that the monitors they saw other places probably weren't healthy.Look at shedding,monitors shed all the time,with patches everywhere-it would be easy to overreacte if you weren't aware what's normal in shedding.Next thing you are focusing in areas which may or maynot be a problem.A proper environment prevents alot of the visible symptoms.

[Bradyloach]

Honestly I've gotten to the point were I almost donated my savannah monitor to s family that could care for her properly. But I got some nads and said no, I'm going to learn and learn so hopefully I can be a great keeper one day, now I read books and books about savs and research them I also ask questions lots so I learn! The best thing a rookie monitor owner can do is talk to an experienced keepers yourself

[KORBIN5895]

Honestly I've gotten to the point were I almost donated my savannah monitor to s family that could care for her properly. But I got some nads and said no, I'm going to learn and learn so hopefully I can be a great keeper one day, now I read books and books about savs and research them I also ask questions lots so I learn! The best thing a rookie monitor owner can do is talk to an experienced keepers yourself

The problem with your last statement is how many experienced keepers are there? I can only think of four or five that seem to have two clues. I also do quite a bit of creeping on other forums so I have seen a lot of "experts " that are absolute idiots.

[varanus_mad]

The problem with your last statement is how many experienced keepers are there? I can only think of four or five that seem to have two clues. I also do quite a bit of creeping on other forums so I have seen a lot of "experts " that are absolute idiots.


Yup couldnt agree more there matey... people on another forum seem to think im some sort of expert...

im not far from it

[Bradyloach]

Yah! I got lucky here with wayne and Hedy :))

[varanus_mad]

Yah! I got lucky here with wayne and Hedy :))


You mean you havent looked for other sources?

Just taken what theyve said?

Sorry not saying there wrong or trying to be a **** about it but... go right round the houses not just the first two people who seem to know what there talking about...

Thats how you get newbies getting things so wrong...

Apologies if you have been round the houses and read eveything you can get your hands on including the bad stuff.

[Bradyloach]

Oh, I have read the good and the bad! A breeder told me I shouldnt have a basking lamp on her and I should keep her in a 8x4 because that could lead to stress, I should keep her on paper towels. I've heard it all! I've spent a day watching YouTube vids wich were discusting , I'm actually getting better! My sav doesn't eat rodents. I've read books, I've talked to Daniel Bennet, alot of keepers. I know the good and the bad :$

[BarelyBreathing]

I'm definitely not an expert. Not by any means.

[Bradyloach]

Your an experienced keeper! And you are an expert in my eyes. I'm a rookie! So I look up to you and Wayne. Mainly because you saved my savannh monitors life. If it wasn't for you and Wayne I would have already killed Cassie! We are forever great full

[infernalis]

I'm definitely not an expert. Not by any means.

and neither am I..

[BarelyBreathing]

Your an experienced keeper! And you are an expert in my eyes. I'm a rookie! So I look up to you and Wayne. Mainly because you saved my savannh monitors life. If it wasn't for you and Wayne I would have already killed Cassie! We are forever great full


I'm glad she's still here. I'm glad you took the time you did to better your husbandry. Wayne and I didn't do much but point you in the right direction. YOU are the one who saved Cassie. You did the footwork. Give yourself some credit.

[KORBIN5895]

See that's the twist. I said experienced, Brady said experienced and everybody assumes I mean expert. Usually the true experts don't want to be labeled and the ones that want the label are the true idiots.

[infernalis]

See that's the twist. I said experienced, Brady said experienced and everybody assumes I mean expert. Usually the true experts don't want to be labeled and the ones that want the label are the true idiots.


Bow to me oh unworthy filth.

Hahahhhhaaa

I have experience, I have produced 10,000 monitors from a single pair!!

Haaahhhaaa

Good day to you sir.

[KORBIN5895]

For forgot that you have data and proof to back it up. And. Although yo may not own a certain species your years of observing another species ( which took you less than three weeks) has given first hand experience on the species you have never owned.

[varanus_mad]

See that's the twist. I said experienced, Brady said experienced and everybody assumes I mean expert. Usually the true experts don't want to be labeled and the ones that want the label are the true idiots.


And theres the problem with dealing with people LMFAO everything we say or do is open to interpretation... in some ways thats how weve ended up with the Invert only attitude towards savs in captivity

But i digress this thread is on signs and symptoms of illness's or at least the most common ones...

[jarich]

Oooooh, ya thats a tricky digression, gotta be careful with that one! ;)

[Savvy1]

and neither am I..
BS i think you are lol

[infernalis]

BS i think you are lol

Thank you very much for the compliment, but I had to screw up, and I still do screw up..

Like last night, My little Monitor should not have even been able to get anywhere near that electrical, box. It was a learning experience, and I thank the stars above that I kept all the holes in that electrical box well covered, or I would have another dead lizard on my conscience.

[varanus_mad]

Thank you very much for the compliment, but I had to screw up, and I still do screw up..

Like last night, My little Monitor should not have even been able to get anywhere near that electrical, box. It was a learning experience, and I thank the stars above that I kept all the holes in that electrical box well covered, or I would have another dead lizard on my conscience.

I gotta ask why is it in the viv in the first place?

[infernalis]

I gotta ask why is it in the viv in the first place?

When I built the box, I wanted an easy access outlet so if I ever needed to plug in a humidifier, additional lighting, heater, etc...

Rather than have cords all over the place, an outlet way up high in the enclosure seemed like a decent idea.

as fate would have it, the additional plug ins did come handy, so I am glad it's there, but I have since moved it to a location on the ceiling where no monitor can get near it without a ladder.

Also, at the time I built the enclosure, I had an adult Bosc, he did not climb straight up walls like the babies do.

I'm just thankful I wired it safe, I used all the grommets, hole plugs and covers, so even though he got on top of the box, he could not get inside it near the wires.

http://www.varanus.us/outlet/outlet1.jpg

http://www.varanus.us/outlet/outlet2.jpg

[mo9e64]

I should clarify something,i think i am giving the impression that beginner can't identify problems with their monitors.It just if you start with an apparently alert eating vigorous healthy lizard most problems are created by the conditions we give them-and could be corrected changing the conditions.There are still things beyond our control that can lead to health problems.

As far as experts,i know Sav's are viewed as a highly specialized monitor than you should be taking the advice of Gregg he is the only one on here with longtime sucess with Sav's.The rest are still on their unexplored journeys yet to be determined

[crocdoc]

Bow to me oh unworthy filth.

Hahahhhhaaa

I have experience, I have produced 10,000 monitors from a single pair!!

Haaahhhaaa

Good day to you sir.

Its all how you interpit sign-tiffic infromashun hahahah. Biolgists know nuthing hahahaha. You have no success. I have success for 62 years hahahhahaha sir.

[Dehlida]

Animals are built the opposite of people- when sick or injured they will do as much as possible to conceal the fact. The moment the animal allows predators to see it's sick/injured it becomes a much better prey target.

If you've gotten to a visible stage, anything going on is already pretty bad.

[infernalis]

Animals are built the opposite of people- when sick or injured they will do as much as possible to conceal the fact. The moment the animal allows predators to see it's sick/injured it becomes a much better prey target.

If you've gotten to a visible stage, anything going on is already pretty bad.

Definitely right on target there...

Sadly, for the most part, by the time anyone notices they are sick, the reaper is already knocking on the enclosure's door.

[mo9e64]

I like Wayne,he is enthuiastic and shows great passion,but what makes him an expert?

[infernalis]

I like Wayne,he is enthuiastic and shows great passion,but what makes him an expert?

Wayne never said he was...

[mo9e64]

I never said you said you were,but people on here not everyone have that attitude.I just wish that some of the experts would call these people out on this-this isn't about you but i think someone like CrocDoc is very selective about not calling out beginners for giving advice-it's puzzling.

Let's look at his attack on me for saying that i was attacking Savannahmonitor.org for their rodent bias.They are a good site but give a biased view on diet.It's funny that he hasn't challenged you on this-has he changed his stance or is it something else

If i haven't said it before i am a beginner,i listened to experts advice and will not give advice.What i will do is challenge those that just believe something just because it's popular.Good advice is good advice,if it matters who it comes from that is more about EGO

[infernalis]

I never said you said you were,but people on here not everyone have that attitude.I just wish that some of the experts would call these people out on this-this isn't about you but i think someone like CrocDoc is very selective about not calling out beginners for giving advice-it's puzzling.

Let's look at his attack on me for saying that i was attacking Savannahmonitor.org for their rodent bias.They are a good site but give a biased view on diet.It's funny that he hasn't challenged you on this-has he changed his stance or is it something else

If i haven't said it before i am a beginner,i listened to experts advice and will not give advice.What i will do is challenge those that just believe something just because it's popular.Good advice is good advice,if it matters who it comes from that is more about EGO

No one said you were attacking Savannahmonitor.org, no one had to, you WERE, pointing out facts is not the same as "saying"

Look up the word "heresay" (loosly means he said she said)

Then look up "quote"

You were quoted as attacking savannahmonitor.org

Savannahmonitor.org puts the emphasis on diet instead of overall husbandry.

See the thing Moe is just not getting, and I don't understand why, the whole Savannahmonitor.org issue was never about the food choices.

He posted on RC that the site was all about diet and had no pages about husbandry, that was the only issue.

When in fact there were several pages there all about husbandry for as long as I can remember..

That's behind us, I really don't want to talk about that anymore, yeah it's there, but it's just muddy water under the bridge at this point.

Now as far as egos go, David (crocdoc), Robyn, Daniel & Ravi have been some of the most humble down to earth & kindest people I have ever had the sincere pleasure of communicating with.

The only one out there I have ever communicated with that has a big fat ego --- Nevermind, I don't want to bash your idol anymore either.

[KORBIN5895]

Wayne never said he was...

Applause on the edit.