PDA

View Full Version : Sav monitor

babyboa97
11-08-12, 09:40 PM
I'm not very experienced with monitors but he was eating 20-25 crickets daily but the last three days she has been eating 7-10 daily. Also every Saturday he gets a fuzzy. I was just wondering if this is normal.
War Machine
11-09-12, 04:52 AM
Do you handle him?

How long have you had him? Got a proper setup going? Share a run down of your enclosure, surface temps, air temps, humidity, substrate matter and depth etc and people can help you out a bit better
Lankyrob
11-09-12, 04:59 AM
Post pics and a full breakdown of your set up and there are plenty of keepers on here that will give you lots of good advice :)
infernalis
11-09-12, 05:40 AM
I'm not very experienced with monitors but he was eating 20-25 crickets daily but the last three days she has been eating 7-10 daily. Also every Saturday he gets a fuzzy. I was just wondering if this is normal.


No it's not normal, How big is the lizard?

Even a baby should eat 20-30 crickets in just one serving.

Can you please share your setup with us, it's the only way to give you accurate answers.

Thanks.
babyboa97
11-09-12, 06:25 PM
He is no bigger than ten inches I keep him in a 40 gal for now until I finish the permanent enclousure the hot side is 95, cool side mid 80s and basking 115. I handle home about three to four times a week. He has UVB and he is growing and shedding great. But he slowed down on food the last week to about ten daily crickets, I give him a fuzzy ones a week on sat.
babyboa97
11-09-12, 06:26 PM
Lots of hiding spots throughout the cage and a big water bowl
babyboa97
11-09-12, 06:27 PM
He also is active and basks regularly
Gungirl
11-09-12, 06:28 PM
What do you have the humidity at?
babyboa97
11-09-12, 06:48 PM
between 55%-65% depending on the day
EmbraceCalamity
11-09-12, 07:02 PM
between 55%-65% depending on the dayCan't say if that's right or not, but is that measured with a digital or analog hygrometer? Unless you're misting constantly, I'm pretty sure you can't maintain that in a regular 40 gallon tank with a screen lid and overhead light.

Just post pics of your setup. People can give you much better info that way.

~Maggot
babyboa97
11-09-12, 07:10 PM
i mist 2-3 times a day to maintain dampish substrate
War Machine
11-09-12, 10:45 PM
How much substrate are you offering? And what is it?

A monitor in general will rarely drink from a water dish. They hydrate from burrowing, if you don't offer a substrate your monitor can burrow in, he will dehydrate.

Also, don't handle the monitor, ever, until you establish a relationship via tong feeding and he is fully comfortable with you. Monitors have fantastic memory, and when you handle him against his will, he associates you as a bad time. You'll raise a resentful adult that will be difficult to deal with in the end.

You should also increase your ambient temps to about 95-100, and your baking surface to 130-150. Then you can feed him more rodents and get the growth going.
babyboa97
11-09-12, 10:57 PM
So what substrate should I be using??
babyboa97
11-09-12, 11:01 PM
I think I'm using reptibark but I'm not sure
iBaman
11-09-12, 11:32 PM
So what substrate should I be using??

dirt. lots and lots of dirt.
infernalis
11-10-12, 12:17 AM
So what substrate should I be using??


http://www.ssnakess.com/forums/varanid/95503-upgrading-dirt.html

http://www.ssnakess.com/forums/varanid/91028-littlefoot-cera-new-video-pictures.html

http://www.ssnakess.com/forums/varanid/91271-savannahmonitor-co-online.html

all three are great threads.

They MUST be able to burrow, from day one.

Savannah Monitors are BORN underground, they Live underground from birth and NEED soil or they die slow.

Captive Monitor Health! (http://www.varanid.us/gout/)

The above web page explains WHY they need this soil.