Newbie who needs help...LONG

[Chandra2]

Okay so ive posted over on repticzone but need a faster board.
Last week I decided to adopt a Bosc..I only had pictures so had no idea what I was getting except the guy thought he was a bluetongue skink (seriously). I knew right off from the pics it was a bosc.

Anyway I brought him home today.He is much bigger then I thought.At around 20 inches.He is in a 40 gal breeder with a 250 watt light.He is on redwood bark and has no hide. He is in shed but has what looks like some burns on his back and tail but It could be shed, hard to tell.

What worrys me the most is he is wobbly.Not horribly so but noticeable..They fed him boiled eggs and mice. He had no UVB but not sure if thats important or not based on what ive read..

I soaked him first thing when I got home for half an hour.He is hissy but handleable and seems pretty curious and active.


Here is what I am doing.Since he is so much bigger then I thought.I am making an emergency cage.I cut the ends off two 30 gal bins and bolting them together to make a 4ft cage.Still small but better then what he's got now..I am putting dirt(I was actually putting together some bioactive substrate to use in a ball python cage but will now use it for the Bosc. I will have to get some dirt from the yard as well but think I can get at least a foot of dirt in the bins/cage.

I bought a reptisun UVB bulb and 65 watt floodlight, might need a second one to get the heat up right, Herptivite and Calcium powder.I also got a digital thermo/hygrometer with a probe.

So what do you think, am doing okay for now?? What else should I do?
I did read the website Savannahmoniter.net

[infernalis]

Welcome aboard.

[infernalis]

That sounds like a lot of lights for a couple of bins secured together.

Be careful you don't set your home afire.

I would seriously look into making at least a plywood top for it.

Can you post any pictures of what you are doing, so we can give pointers??

[Chandra2]

Hi and thanks for the welcome. I wasnt going to use the 250 watt, its what was already on the 40 gal tank. I would just use the uvb(no heat) and the 65 watt but I dont know if that will be enough to heat it to the proper temps.. With the top of the bins I secured half inch wire mesh on one half the other is side is the lid.I can get pics Im just really tired at the moment..Long drive plus all this building. Ive used bolts with wing nuts and washers to keep the lid side down tight.It will be a pain to have to unscrew everyday but thats life..The wire side is bolted on using washers to keep the wire tight..

[infernalis]

You don't want any ventilation, monitor cages are sealed to keep in the humidity.

[MoreliAddict]

hi & welcome

[Chandra2]

Well it wont let me post pics at all.Says to many URLs or bad words? I am using photobucket and tried both img url and direct link.


Infernalis...If I dont have the wire side I cant put the lights on..

[Chandra2]

try once again..Here is Jim

[Chandra2]

I just kindled The Savannah Monitor book..5.00 bucks on Amazon that Sweet..The first good use Ive found for the stupid thing.

I still cant post pics, dh says its because I dont have enough posts.I think I need at least ten to post pics but not sure.

[War Machine]

why bother? Waynes site

Savannahmonitor.co
Savannahmonitor.net

Is probably the best source of information, and its free.

[Chandra2]

Its nice to get more then one persons opinion on anything.Ive got his sites bookmarked as well but you can never have too much information.

[War Machine]

Waynes website is a collaboration of many views of Exanthematicus keeping, and varanid keeping for that matter. Most literature on Savs are incorrect as it is.

[War Machine]

And to help with your Image crisis

Simply insert your HOSTED URL link from the browser of the direct image between these tags.

INSERT URL HERE WITH NO SPACES

[infernalis]

Waynes website is a collaboration of many views of Exanthematicus keeping, and varanid keeping for that matter. Most literature on Savs are incorrect as it is.

I do support purchasing Daniel's book... I heavily encourage it.

Purchasing the book supports Mampam and funds research.

Even if the information has been "added to" since it was written.

[War Machine]

I do support purchasing Daniel's book... I heavily encourage it.

Purchasing the book supports Mampam and funds research.

Even if the information has been "added to" since it was written.

I had no idea which book it was, I was thinking one of those "generic" books, like found at Pet stores to be honest :P

[infernalis]

I believe she's talking about the book I have linked to on my web site.

There are only two things on that whole site anyone can buy, temp guns & Daniel's book.

[infernalis]

Its nice to get more then one persons opinion on anything.Ive got his sites bookmarked as well but you can never have too much information.

Waynes website is a collaboration of many views of Exanthematicus keeping, and varanid keeping for that matter. Most literature on Savs are incorrect as it is.

War Machine is absolutely correct, the web site is NOT my opinion at all, it's a compilation of facts taken directly from the biologists who study the lizards on a regular basis.

[Chandra2]

I appreciate that your site is not opinion based Infernalis.
But truth is there is so much bull on the internet anymore its very hard to know whats real info and whats not.So its always been my habit to check out as many different resources as possible. Anyway your right the ebook was just okay.I just did a quick read of the whole thing while eating dinner, minus the breeding part, skipped over that.

[Chandra2]

http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a75/gerbig4/jim.jpg

[War Machine]

http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a75/gerbig4/jim.jpg

you forgot the / in the last IMG tag.

[War Machine]

You need to get on the substrate. He won't survive without the burrows. How did your rubbermaid enclosure work out?

[Chandra2]

Thanks for fixing it..So that is a pic of Jim. Here are the pics of the tank he came in.
And pics of the one I just finished.
http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a75/gerbig4/tank.jpg
http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a75/gerbig4/wholething.jpg

[infernalis]

His prior sub par care is evident, patchy skin and a kinda thin tail base.

Get him set up, and then let him eat, let him eat often.

[infernalis]

OK, I am looking at this objectively, the quickest way to get that lizard into proper conditions will be to put a sheet of plywood over the top of the tank, scrap the whole bin idea.

Give me a minute, I have some pictures of temporary tops that people have built.

Then put a bunch of dirt in the bottom, slope up one end so the lizard can dig into the side of the slope, and it will be so much better than anything it's ever had.

[Chandra2]

They fed him boiled eggs mostly and some mice. Ive got 4 inches of soil in the cage.ITs what I had mixed already.I will get the rest in tomorrow and give him another good soak and put him the new cage.I think I can get a foot of soil in it and that leaves about a foot of space for him...I will start a real cage after christmas.

[infernalis]

http://gi24.photobucket.com/groups/c24/TG68E3FWIF/005_zpse99b0c8b.jpg

[Chandra2]

But he can reach the top of the tank, its only a 40 gal. He also has noserub from running his nose on the screen top.Not arguing but by the time I build a wood top and get the light fixtures, I could have the other cage ready to go.
Is it because he cant see out of the plastic that it would be worse then the glass tank?

BTW I really do appreciate the time your taking to help out.

[Pirarucu]

But he can reach the top of the tank, its only a 40 gal. He also has noserub from running his nose on the screen top.Not arguing but by the time I build a wood top and get the light fixtures, I could have the other cage ready to go.
Is it because he cant see out of the plastic that it would be worse then the glass tank?

BTW I really do appreciate the time your taking to help out.No, in fact it's probably better for the moment that he wouldn't be able to see out. He's almost certainly quite terrified at the moment without any good places to hide such as burrows. If the bin idea would be quicker, go with that. You may also want to try to cover up some of that screen somehow, otherwise you will be losing a lot of humidity, which means it will simulate the dry season. As a result, he will spend much more time hunkered down in his burrows.

[War Machine]

Also, scrap the soaking, You're just stressing him out, and its really not needed. setup the burrowing, and his shedding will swing around.

[infernalis]

Speaking of stressing, I'm sure all of this is stressing Chandra2.... ;)

The reason we can't stress the burrows enough is that this species of lizard lives underground most of it's life.

For over a decade now, people have been forcing them to live above ground, and the end results are always the same every time.

To date, over one half million Savannah Monitors have perished in the pet trade due to improper caging and no opportunity to burrow.

So the subject does spark some very passionate responses.

[Chandra2]

I did read about the need to burrow. I can get the bin cage done by noon and full of dirt.So I will go with that.I can find some plastic to cover the mesh too.
Thanks so much.
He doesnt seem all that terrified really.He even came up to the glass to sniff our boston terrier. Also while he did hiss at me when soaking he didnt fight me when I picked him up..I hope his attitude stays calm but once he's feeling better he might decide to get frisky. I wont soak him tomorrow just in case it is freaking him out.
Thanks again, Im going to bed, its been a long day and I have to be up super early.I will finish up and get some pics of the finished product tomorrow...

[infernalis]

sleep well.....