Savannah Monitor shedding question

[Toothless]

Good day everyone,
I was wondering if anyone else's monitor fasts during the first few days of a shed? The past few sheds (which are about once a month now), I find he hides in his burrow and refuses to come out for 3-5 days. When he was shedding more frequently he never displayed this behaviour, but since his growth has started slowing down a bit, he seems to prefer staying in his burrow until the majority of his back sheds off. Once he comes out he immediately wants to eat and displays normal behaviour while the rest of the shed completes.
He's around 10 months old and 27 inches ToL. Humidity is 75-80% on the cool end, and 55-60% at the basking site.
Also, when do they stop growing? I know they start to slow down around this age, but was just wondering how long they continue to grow for until they reach their adult size?

[murrindindi]

Hi, in my experience Varanids usually don`t stop feeding at any time during the shedding process. Perhaps there`s another reason the monitor is staying below ground for days on end other than shedding, especially if it`s happeneing once a month?
Can you tell me what the temps are (surface and ambient) throughout the enclosure, and do you have a few very recent photos?

[Freebody]

my sav would eat during his sheds, would not stop eating for anything. they should grow for the first 3 years at least, at a pretty rapid rate till they hit 2.5 to 3 feet, then they slow right down to next to nothing, im not sure 100% but I don't ever recall reading that they actually stop growing through out their lives. whats your temps like maybe hes just conserving energy because the temps are too low? I had a hot spot for my sav that was around 120d and and cave under that platform that was around 90-100 give or take, and the tank stayed at 80+, so he was always nice and warm even in his burrow. or caves. always very active when I came around the cage, ie the guy who brings the treats lol

[smy_749]

Sounds like hes going down for humidity, to aid in his shedding no?

[Pirarucu]

Sounds like hes going down for humidity, to aid in his shedding no?This was my first thought as well.. Try bumping the humidity, that will probably do the trick.

[Toothless]

He only does this during his shed. When he disapears, the shed hasn't started yet, but when he comes out, most of the shed off his back is off, and the rest of him is starting to peel. I just figured it was related to his shedding since this is the only time he shows this behaviour- what else could be causing this?
Ambient temp on the cool side is 75 and goes up to 95 on the hot end. His burrow is on the warm side, under the basking platform, and I'm guessing its at least 80 there, but can't be sure. Humidity ranges from 80-55 usually (I never let it drop below 75% on the cool end and its usually 80% on the cool end and 60% on the hot end). He has a hide on the cool side of the cage, but doesn't use it often.
He's very active when out of the burrow, running around and leaping out of the enclosure when the doors are opened.
I just wan't to make sure something is not wrong with him. He defecates once or twice a week, and is fed mainly mice and roaches, with fish, grasshoppers, hornworms, and earthworms as a treat.
No recent photos, but I have a video I took last week that I'll upload in a few minutes.

[Pirarucu]

Sounds alright, probably just an individual behavior.

[Freebody]

best to take out the mice from his diet, a treat rarely at best, but I cant see this causing what your describing, switch out the mice and add crustaceans ie shrimps and whatnot.

[Toothless]

Ok, here are the videos, If you need any specific photos, let me know.
I forgot to mention in the last post, but his basking temp is 155F directly under the lights, and 130F off to the side.
Don't mind the talking in the second video, my friend was trying to come into the room when I had him out, and he will attack anyone besides myself if they come too close to him. He has a weird fasination with his enclosure doors for some reason...lol.

VID-20130316-00007_zps94655bc5.mp4 Video by gothicangel_69 | Photobucket (http://s42.photobucket.com/user/gothicangel_69/media/VID-20130316-00007_zps94655bc5.mp4.html)
VID-20130317-00011_zps73697b5a.mp4 Video by gothicangel_69 | Photobucket (http://s42.photobucket.com/user/gothicangel_69/media/VID-20130317-00011_zps73697b5a.mp4.html)

[Freebody]

im guessing its just his personality, sounds like your setup is good. video reminds me of my sav, about the same size and was always up against the glass like that when he seen me on the other side. I just got rid of him a few months back because im planning on moving to Calgary or Edmonton very soon.

[Toothless]

best to take out the mice from his diet, a treat rarely at best, but I cant see this causing what your describing, switch out the mice and add crustaceans ie shrimps and whatnot.
Thank you for the advice. I am aware of the rodent debate :freakedout: and have chosen to add them to his diet after much research. He gets two mice a week, and roaches or other inverts the other 4 days (sometimes I switch the mice up for fish or the roaches for earthworms, grasshoppers or other).

Yes, he does have a very quirky personality. lol. Its truely amazing how intelligent these guys are. This evening he actually scaled the wall of his enclosure to try and grab the roach container out of my hand- I'm not quite sure how he managed to dig his claws into the wood enough to get a grib...apparently I wasn't fast enough handing out the roaches.

[Freebody]

that's to bad, but to each his own. I never fed mine rodents at all, just roaches and insects and crustaceans, and I sold him and my colony only to someone who felt the same way about it that I did, I turned down a few buyers. I know baby rats are better for snakes than mice are because of better meat to bone ratio, maybe something to look into if your going to feed rodents.

[Toothless]

I'm actually getting 6 free gerbils this weekend, so figured I'd give a go at breeding those as they stink less and are a bit larger than those tiny mice you get from the pet store (also will be much healthier if I look after them myself).

[Toothless]

that's to bad, but to each his own. I never fed mine rodents at all, just roaches and insects and crustaceans, and I sold him and my colony only to someone who felt the same way about it that I did, I turned down a few buyers. I know baby rats are better for snakes than mice are because of better meat to bone ratio, maybe something to look into if your going to feed rodents.
I was originally planning to only feed inverts, molluscs, etc when I first purchased him, but after his food bill started getting up around $80 per week, I figured I needed to re-visit his diet. I did a bunch of research, and came to the conclusion that poor husbandry, rather than a specific diet (i.e. vert vs. inverts) causes most of the problems we see with savs.
I do respect both points of view, and figure if you're able to feed strictly no-rodents, then why not?

[Freebody]

maybe, but rodents are no good for savs anyways, so I don't think its going to be much better :P I would feed it rats as its the best meat to bone ratio. just my 2 cents.

[murrindindi]

best to take out the mice from his diet, a treat rarely at best, but I cant see this causing what your describing, switch out the mice and add crustaceans ie shrimps and whatnot.


Hi, why is it best to take out the mice in your experience?

[murrindindi]

I figured I needed to re-visit his diet. I did a bunch of research, and came to the conclusion that poor husbandry, rather than a specific diet (i.e. vert vs. inverts) causes most of the problems we see with savs.



Hi, you`ve got it in one, well done!! ;)

[murrindindi]

Can you tell me the SV length of the monitor, and take a few tailbase shots (from the side without the tail resting on anything)?
He/she is probably interested in the glass doors because it`s a way "out", so reaching up and "pushing" would be the natural thing to try and do, and maybe the reflection in the glass is catching the monitor`s attention, too?
Looks in nice condition, well done!

[jarich]

maybe, but rodents are no good for savs anyways, so I don't think its going to be much better :P I would feed it rats as its the best meat to bone ratio. just my 2 cents.

Sounds like you have some more research to do on both those assumptions Freebody.

To the OP, this looks like you are seeing the results of something more behavioral. Im just guessing, but do you only open the door when you have some food for it? It seems like when you come in the room your monitor is expecting food, and when you dont provide it, he is coming to get it on his own. Im also guessing, but it looks like you have touched some type of food (mouse, etc) to the outside of your cage door at some point. Your monitor in that second video is smelling something food related on the outside of your door. Might be that same thing that is making it want to get through the door in the first video.

[Freebody]

well im not professional, and I have really only kept a sav monitor for 3 years, but it seems like everyone who feeds rodents as a staple have 5 year old dead savs, and or grossly obese savs, their staple in the wind is insects and crustaceans with the odd rodents ever found my field examinations so this is why I say feed rodents as a rare treat but not a staple. and as far as me saying feed rats vrs feeding mice if you do choose to feed rodents as a staple, Nutrition Feeder Mice | Nutrient Composition of Feeder Animals (http://www.rodentpro.com/qpage_articles_03.asp)

[jarich]

I called you on saying that mice are no good. Which is false. I then called you on saying rats are better than mice, which that same website you just quoted above will show you is also false.

I actually agree that mice arent a great staple, but that is neither here nor there in regards to this thread.

[Freebody]

well i should have said unless you mouse is 3g or less, ie the neonatal mouse about a day two old, feed it rats they are better. problem solved :P

[Toothless]

Sounds like you have some more research to do on both those assumptions Freebody.

To the OP, this looks like you are seeing the results of something more behavioral. Im just guessing, but do you only open the door when you have some food for it? It seems like when you come in the room your monitor is expecting food, and when you dont provide it, he is coming to get it on his own. Im also guessing, but it looks like you have touched some type of food (mouse, etc) to the outside of your cage door at some point. Your monitor in that second video is smelling something food related on the outside of your door. Might be that same thing that is making it want to get through the door in the first video.

I have never touched a mouse to the doors, but can give them a wipe down and see if that makes a difference (they are due for a cleaning anyways:freakedout:). I had been only going into the enclosure mainly to feed and do cage maintenance, but after him becoming food frenzied every time I opened the door, it was suggested on here that I start spending time with him without food- which was started just the other week. I have been seeing an improvement already, but it should take a while until he stops trying to eat me whenever I open the doors :freakedout:.
In the first video, I was cleaning up my room, and he wanted to come out and explore I think. Not sure what was going on in the second vid- I think he may have been wondering what the heck the magnet on the door was, or your right that he could have been smelling some sort of food item. I'll see if there's a difference once I wipe down the doors.

I had posted some photos a while ago on another forum, and was told it was most likely a male, but can get some recent tail base shots and stick them up here when I get a moment.