Suprise Savannah

CHRISANDBOIDS14 · 12-19-03, 05:53 PM

Hey everyone,

My dad just suprised me and bought me a savannah monitor yesterday (For Christmas). I knew i would be getting one but not this soon. Anyways, i still havent decided what substrate im going to use. What do/would you guys use? I have a few ideas but i want to get the highests scoring type of substrate. Thanks.

Chris

V.hb · 12-19-03, 09:27 PM

since its too cold to dig anything up now, go buy some cypress mulch. Once the summer hits dig up some dirt.
Good luck

jim mcallister · 12-19-03, 09:30 PM

I like paper and shredded paper cause it's so easy for cleanup!!

nguyen_inc · 12-20-03, 02:52 PM

i use 50/50 small mulch, fine soil mixed together and i also throw some med. rocks in it too. it allows the monitor to dig and keeps them warn and the rocks help them to shed(they will rub on them). hope you have fun with your sav. monitor as much as i do!
~John~

CHRISANDBOIDS14 · 12-20-03, 03:08 PM

Thanks All,

Since two of you have said cypress mulch and dirt, and thats what i thought, them im gonna do that(with rocks).

Thanks again everyone.

Chris

Bartman · 12-20-03, 04:46 PM

the only problems i run by with the cypress mulch i use on my guy is during feeding. When feeding things such as silks worms, he likes to make sure its dead before he eats them..He'll claw and them, which will rip them open and its not a pretty site..the problem with the mulch is it gets stuck to it and he ends up swallowing some..after i saw this i began feeding him outside the cage..its harder but saves him from swallowing to much mulch

good luck with your guy, and show some pics if you've got any!

nguyen_inc · 12-20-03, 10:49 PM

yea that happens to me too. thats why i also feed mines out side or i would put their food on a plate.
~John~

rustysdragons · 12-21-03, 07:16 PM

we keep our varanids on a usual mixture of cypriss mulch and potting soil (no chems. added) Our nile and water and the savs that come through are on said substrate. (Argus on sand mixture)
what we do here is:
each animal that comes here goes into isolation, it's kept on newspaper untill we get a fecal exame done. if the blood and fecal tests are clear it can then go onto said substrate.
I like to keep them on their most "natural" substrate, i think that digging and / or burrowing helps them to be more comphtorable in captivity.
we feed our varanids out of ceramic dog bowls. that way we can give them a good diet, without getting the mulch mixed into it. the Nile likes to break our theory on that, but it seems to work for us.
Thanks
Rusty

CHRISANDBOIDS14 · 12-21-03, 08:43 PM

Thank all. I have put a about half astro turf in the tank but now i am going to feed outside(i decided to since the substrate). Thanks all.

Chris

dean_h00 · 01-04-04, 04:45 PM

lol
NEVER USE PAPER OR ASTRO TURF OR ANY HARD SUBSTRATE
Savannahs naturallr make burrows for their dens and it is not good for their psychological health to keep them on hard substrates...
Cypress Mulch or Soil is key (not top soil)

CHRISANDBOIDS14 · 01-04-04, 09:46 PM

Thanks, well i am using that partly because of quarenteen, in week he will be going back to mulch and soil. I have several other animals in the house so i had to quarentine and thats what i use, but it was like half and half for the bottom, it was not the tank he was supposed to be in either.

dean_h00 · 01-05-04, 01:22 AM

thats iight

reptiguy123 · 01-15-04, 05:30 PM

Post some pictures when you are done your setup. I would love to see the finished product!!