Getting a Savannah Monitor

casey15 · 08-05-12, 06:05 PM

Hello I'm new here and am 17, I've spent months researching and thinking about it and have decided to get a Savannah Monitor. I'm young, I'll admit that but I'm dedicated to this lizard. My question is this, I know a Savannah needs an 8x4x4 cage but that's the minimum size, to be honest I've seen pictures and an 8x4x4 still seems like it would be sort of small. What would be the ideal cage size all the sites just say that the 8x4x4 is the minimum.

I know as big as possible but what would be an ideal size where I could still get the proper temperature gradients? I've researched and have spoken to people who know monitors, I know theres a lot of incorrect information on the internet. I was thinking of having an 8x6x6, whatever cage size I'd want to put in at least 3 feet of substrate. I don't have my Savannah yet, he's currently staying with a friend. This friend is not a teenager, she and her husband breed reptiles, I met her at an expo. She's holding him for me, I'm going to get him after our vacation. Right now he's a baby and is about 3.5 maybe 4 inches long, he's not even as long as a hand, including the tail.

I'm going to house the baby in a 5x4x3. It's 5 feet in height, 3 in width, and is 4 feet long. The top is plywood, the whole cage is plywood but the doors are glass. I've already checked and double checked to make sure the cage can keep the right temperatures and humidity levels, I am not bringing the lizard home until I know the temps can be maintained.

The cage is made from plywood and holds humidity extremely well. I know it's to small for an adult, but I'm keeping the baby in there temporarily until his adult enclosure is built. The cage is deep enough to hold 2 feet of substrate. For the substrate I'm going to use a mix of topsoil (pesticide free)/playsand/ and a bit of cypress mulch to keep humidity this way he can dig but also the substrate can hold a burrow. He will have an elevated basking spot, I'm using a 50 watt halogen flood light bulb. I'm using a Retes stack underneath, the temps of the basking spot range from 150 at the top, and gets 10 degrees cooler per level of the stack, the lowest level gets 110. Since he's a baby the basking spot light is enough to cover his whole body. For the adult I'm going to use 3 halogen bulbs. All of the lighting fixtures have a ceramic socket to take the heat. I'm going to put on ceramic light guards to cover the bulbs. Over the basking spot is an 18 inch fluroscent light fixture with a 10.0 UVA/UVA Repti- Sun light. On the top level I also have a slate rock near the basking spot, the rock is a bit father from the bulb but is still warmed, I put no substrate on the basking shelf/level since I didn't want him to dig under the rock and be crushed.

For Night time heat, I'm using a ceramic heat emitter which doesn't emit any light so his sleep cycle isn't disrupted. At night the basking light and the UVA/UVB lights are turned off, there is no light in the cage at night, only heat bulbs are on. I set up the lights to turn on and off automatically and for the temperatures to be adjusted.

The day temps are 80-85, night temps are 72-80 (temp varies depending on place in cage, he can thermoregulate and chose his temps)

the hot side of the cage ranges from 90-100, I limited ventilation holes to avoid making a dehyrdration machine

the cool side ranges from 73-80

The humidity levels range from 65%-70%, the basking spot area has low humidity.

I have a metal tub large enough for him to fit his whole body in, that's used as the soak tub. I have multiple hide boxes for him, one is a piece of cork bark small enough so it touches all sides of his body. The Retes Stack is another hidespot, I have a clay plant base as another which touches all sides of his body/back.

To monitor temps I have a digital thermometer on hot side, a digital thermometer on the cool side, I use another digital thermometer/hygrometer that has a probe, I also have a temp gun which can get surface not just air temps.

I am going to feed him mostly insects, I'm going to set up a dubai roach colony, and a night crawler colony I will feed him other insects but mostly dubias. I'm gut loading the bugs and dusting them with a D3 free supplement prior to feeding him. I've made a feeding schedule, and have hemostats. I'm not feeding him inside his cage, or ever putting in bugs and leaving them in.

I have spray bottle to mist the enclosure regularly.

I'm not going to stress him by handling him, I'm going to leave him alone for weeks, I'll just be around his cage so he can get used to my visual presence, then go from there. I will not force handle him.

Does it sound like I have everything alright? I'd appreciate any feedback or constructive comments.

infernalis · 08-05-12, 06:06 PM

Hello again.

Great to see you here.

casey15 · 08-05-12, 06:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by infernalis

Hello again.

Great to see you here.

Nice to see you too!

Pirarucu · 08-05-12, 06:16 PM

Sounds like you're all set, everything looks great to me.
As for the cage size, I would shoot for 12x6 or 16x8 if it were me and I had the money. I agree 8x4 just seems too small.

casey15 · 08-05-12, 06:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pirarucu

Sounds like you're all set, everything looks great to me.
As for the cage size, I would shoot for 12x6 or 16x8 if it were me and I had the money. I agree 8x4 just seems too small.

If I had the money I'd convert the basement, but that's not happening. I'm going to build it as big as I can, but I need to be realistic with how large I can build it while still keeping temps right. I also could always build a large one, then just expand it when I had more money! Right now I don't have the money to make him a 16x8, I think the adult cage will be 8x8x6, I can just make it larger when I have the cash.

infernalis · 08-05-12, 07:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pirarucu

I agree 8x4 just seems too small.

Yeah, that's just the recommended minimum size.

jarich · 08-05-12, 07:12 PM

Sounds like you've done a good amount of research. Good job! I can't really tell but it seems like you are saying you have the smaller enclosure already. Can you post some pictures of it?

Just as a little fine tuning, but I would say block off any ventilation holes altogether instead of just limiting them. It seems strange, but is best for their habitats.

Also, why would you say that you won't feed it in its enclosure? Taking it out everyday to feed it can be a stressful thing to a new monitor. I would recommend just leaving it in there to feed.

It sounds like you are well on your way to a happy, healthy monitor. I look forward to seeing pictures of your little one.

casey15 · 08-06-12, 10:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jarich

Sounds like you've done a good amount of research. Good job! I can't really tell but it seems like you are saying you have the smaller enclosure already. Can you post some pictures of it?

Just as a little fine tuning, but I would say block off any ventilation holes altogether instead of just limiting them. It seems strange, but is best for their habitats.

Also, why would you say that you won't feed it in its enclosure? Taking it out everyday to feed it can be a stressful thing to a new monitor. I would recommend just leaving it in there to feed.

It sounds like you are well on your way to a happy, healthy monitor. I look forward to seeing pictures of your little one.

Hi, yeah I already have the smaller enclosure, I had it all set up with everything in it to check temps/humidity then took all out since we still need to move the cage upstairs. This way it's less heavy and nothing will break. I'm not sure when It'll be upstairs and when I'll be able to put everything back in, my mom's boyfriend/his friend are carrying it up. I will post pics when its re set up but for now I could post pics of the empty cage if you like?

casey15 · 08-06-12, 10:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jarich

Sounds like you've done a good amount of research. Good job! I can't really tell but it seems like you are saying you have the smaller enclosure already. Can you post some pictures of it?

Just as a little fine tuning, but I would say block off any ventilation holes altogether instead of just limiting them. It seems strange, but is best for their habitats.

Also, why would you say that you won't feed it in its enclosure? Taking it out everyday to feed it can be a stressful thing to a new monitor. I would recommend just leaving it in there to feed.

It sounds like you are well on your way to a happy, healthy monitor. I look forward to seeing pictures of your little one.

About feeding out of the cage without handling, I had a plan for that but I learned from other's the monitor would be to smart to keep falling for it, I was going to set up pen, and lead him there with food then back in the cage with food. It won't work so I will just be feeding him inside the cage so he's not stressed. Thanks I'm very excited! I'm building another smaller Retes Stack to use in different part of cage as another hidebox (honestly he probably doesn't need another retes stack but I just like building!)

SnakeyJay · 08-05-12, 11:21 PM

Welcome...

Strutter769 · 08-06-12, 11:28 AM

Hi Casey! Great to see you here! You're gonna love it here on SsnakesS! Your little guy had a hu-uge meal yesterday! I made him a stew with ground turkey, chicken liver, snails, caterpillars, and night crawlers (fortified with vitamins and calcium). He *loves* it!!

casey15 · 08-06-12, 01:36 PM

Hey, Roy I'm posting pics of Savannah now!