Savannah monitor in need of care!

bighog85 · 03-07-10, 11:40 PM

Hey guys,

I recently acquired a very unhealthy sav from a guy near where I live. He had been in jail and supposedly a friend had been taking care of it and just did not do a good job. I am pretty sure he just threw some live mice or rats in with it because she has bite marks and scars all over and she is very dehydrated. Anyways, I will hopefully be able to fix all of that but I have a question about a cage that I am building for her. It is 8' x 3' x 3' and the inside is lined with the plywood that is used for roofs and other exterior purposes, I cant remember the exact name of it. I am needing to get her into the cage fairly quickly and am needing some advice on what I should treat the plywood with on the inside that wont take weeks or even days to dry and expel all of the fumes. I dont know if there is such a thing out there but I hope that you all might have some recommendations. Hopefully I can get this girl healthy and any help would be greatly appreciated.

allergenic · 03-10-10, 01:40 AM

Hi Mr. 85,

I know the material you're talking about. For the quickest way to waterproof the enclosure without waiting to seal the wood, use sheets of FRP. It's usually found in the same section as the paneling, it's a very hard plastic and usually has some texture to it. 8x4 sheets are available just like plywood. It's what they often use to line the walls of convenience store bathrooms. it will stand up to monitor claws and is obviously completely waterproof.

Affix the FRP to the wood with something like Liquid Nails, and seal the corners with aquarium sealant (also found at the home improvement store in the caulk section like Liquid Nails) or something like GE Silicone II clear.

Don't confuse the FRP with tileboard, sometimes used in showers. Though that has a similar white waterproof surface, the back of tileboard is cardboardish stuff and won't hold up to a good cut with monitor claws.

FRP is not terribly expensive ($18-20/sheet), and is an instantly way to seal your walls.

Check The Savannah Monitor, Varanus Exanthematicus – Housing for an example of what I'm talking about.

Hope that helps.

Geckogal · 03-10-10, 04:45 AM

I have my sav in a glass tank for now till he gets a bit bigger, how big is your gal? Be nice of you to post some photos of her, im very interested to see what they look like when they not all that healthy

infernalis · 03-10-10, 07:00 AM

Fill a bathtub so you have just enough WARM (Not hot) water that the monitor can still stand up without swimming, they like water.

I would go see a qualified vet ASAP and have the lizard checked out.

While building the enclosure, if you have the space why not go with 4 feet by 8 feet, less cutting and an extra foot of width for moving around in there.

Good luck!

bighog85 · 03-10-10, 06:52 PM

Ya she is not doing good I don't think. She eats just fine and defecates just fine, but I came home this afternoon and she was still laying down underneath her basking spot, literally had not moved an inch since last night. I got her out and put her in the tub with some water and again she just sat there. I feel like she would have drowned if I hadn't pulled her out because she just kept closing her eyes slowly and her head would go under the water. I can't figure this thing out! Any advice is greatly appreciated. I am new to the area but I will try to find a good herp vet and see if I can get her in. I attached some pics, I hope they work, I'm new the this forum thing.

infernalis · 03-10-10, 07:17 PM

That's breaking my heart, A lethargic Savannah is a really sick Savannah.

Is your basking spot 120-130 degrees??

They are from Africa and like it really hot.

Please don't delay in getting to a vet, those are really great lizards, and way too many die long before they get old.

What are you feeding her??

bighog85 · 03-10-10, 07:24 PM

Ya it is hot enough, 132 degrees, but I had to put her up there or she would have just stayed below. I fed her a couple hard boiled eggs when I first got her and then she ate two mice yesterday. I just tried to feed her another one and she wouldn't take it. I just want to beat the previous owner to a bloody pulp, this is why I hate people! What is it that these get sick with?

infernalis · 03-10-10, 07:38 PM

I don't like guessing, Parasites, respiratory infections, etc..

bighog85 · 03-10-10, 08:15 PM

I just got on the phone with a seemingly knowledgeable vet and he suggested soaking her and trying to get her hydrated. If nothing works tonight I will take her in tomorrow. I was wondering, since she is an adult and has lived in crappy conditions her entire life, is it possible that she just doesn't know how to regulate her own temperature very well? I mean if she has never seen a basking spot in her life might she just not associate light with heat? I ask this because she does not seem to know how to get up to her basking sight, but if I put her up there she will warm up and become fairly active. There is a wooden ramp going up to it but she doesn't seem to know how to use it because she won't go down once she is up and she won't go up once she is down. Is this weird or am I just looking past a sick lizard? And also she just pooped again which is not normal in a sick animal as far as I understand. Is there anything that I could notice in her feces that might give me some clues to something or does it take a vet with a microscope to see things? I really appreciate all the help I am receiving!

Will0W783 · 03-10-10, 08:21 PM

Oh man, that is awful- poor thing. Kudos to you for rescuing it though and I hope you can figure out what's wrong with her and get her back to health. I think your best bet is to get to the vet though- they can run tests and give meds if they suspect an infection or parasites. Keep us updated, and best of luck.

infernalis · 03-10-10, 09:12 PM

If that lizard has not had any heat for a long time, Heat is essential for proper digestion, so there is a chance that this poor animal has had undigested food rotting in its stomach.

I can quote the research on this if needed, but PH in the stomach is related to the temperatures of the animals surroundings.

If the digestive tract becomes filled with rotting flesh that is not digesting properly, the animal will get sick.

bighog85 · 03-10-10, 09:58 PM

That makes sense for sure. And I was also doing some reading and it appears to me that she could have an early case of metabolic bone disease. Everything that she does and does not do, such as not eating consistently, being lethargic, etc. point to that. I have also noticed that she will have small muscle spasms in her toes when she is resting which I have seen is also another symptom of MBD. I am going to get her a good UVB bulb tomorrow and that along with a whole prey diet that I am sure she has never had, should help remedy the situation. I also have her basking spot on a raised platform in her enclosure. I am going to take that out and figure out a way to lower the lights to her so that she does not have to climb anywhere to get to it. Thoughts?

infernalis · 03-10-10, 10:31 PM

Affixing the lights where she can get at them is not a good idea.

That may look cute, but they can get burned on the bulb, they can and will rip the wires out of the lamp, etc.

UVB is not necessary with a Savannah, In nature they are burrowing animals.

A common misconception, Monitors are worlds away from being Iguanas.

Food that is not digesting properly can and will breed bacteria and pathogens inside the animal.

bighog85 · 03-10-10, 10:43 PM

I have read in a lot of places that same thing, that they do not need it. But I have been doing a lot of research and there is some very convincing evidence pointing the other way. In nature, even though they are a burrowing animal, they still come out to bask in the sun which gives them the UVB rays that they need. I have no doubt that an animal that is raised really well from the beginning can get away with just what they get from their diet, but my thought is that my sav having been so neglected could possibly really benefit from the addition of UVB into her life. Your point of her possibly having bad food is well taken as well though because her original cage, which I highly doubt had been cleaned recently, had no sign of defecation anywhere in it. But as soon as I got her home and put some real heat on her, not two hours passed and she took a huge dump and has been doing so ever since. So I am not in any way ignoring your advice or trying to prove you wrong, I am just throwing as many options out as I can. I also put an infrared lamp on her tonight and misted the cage really well which brought up the humidity and now she will stay warmer too.

bighog85 · 03-10-10, 10:44 PM

Oh and I am definitely not going to put the lights where she can reach them. Just where it will bring her basking sight up to temp on the ground instead of on her raised basking area.