big sav

Lrptls · 06-07-05, 03:58 PM

i just brought home a big savannah monitor. very sweet and easy to handle. iv had a sav before but it was only a little baby, kept it till it was almost a foot but due to moving and things i gave him away. most of his diet was crickets, super worms, pinkies and fuzzies and some other things. my friend at the pet store who GAVE me this monitor recomended raw chicken, ocasional rats, large feeder fish (though i know those dont have much nutrional value). but any ways hes about 2.5 feet, could any one recomend a good diet?

V.hb · 06-07-05, 05:35 PM

hey!

Savannahs are fun, and even better when docile. I would't advice a strict diet of chicken. Stick to whole meals such as rodents and insects. Superworms, crickets' basically your prior diet X10, heheh they eat alot, and need alot of food when kept properly!

Feeder goldfish are dirty. They carry tons of parasites. If you want to feed fish go with something cleaner, like frozen smelts, or some sort of seafood mix.

Good luck with it!

Lrptls · 06-07-05, 06:50 PM

thanks, could you give me an example of what i would feed him in a week, like give crickets every day or give mice once a week, something like that would help alot.

kap10cavy · 06-07-05, 07:26 PM

At that size, I would feed it adult mice, large dusted roaches, quail, fertile eggs and chicken peeps. I feed mine every other day, either 20 or so roaches or one or two mice or birds depending on how they look and how hungry they are.

Scott

Lrptls · 06-07-05, 08:28 PM

thanks, what kind of fertile eggs and do you know where i can buy them? i already know a few websites i can buy quail and chicken peeps.

new question- i have a large basement thats safe for critters to run around, i let my beadrie run around all the time and i know its safe because i also let ferrets out every day to run around. i would love to let my sav out to get some exercise and i would be able to let him stay out for a long time. is there too long of a time to let him free roam?

BoidsUnlimited · 06-07-05, 11:24 PM

Hmmm...in my opinion as long as your are 110% POSITIVE there is no way he could get into mischief then I'd say quite away. Offer him a nice place to bask for some heat....and maybe a carboard box to fuss around in and I'd let him roam for 30 minutes or maybe even an hour. Thats just me though....I use to let my Sav out for quite away. Heck I know this sounds irresponsible....but I fell asleep with my Sav on my belly one day and I woke up to her chilling out on my floor haha

Lrptls · 06-08-05, 02:55 AM

thanks for your input Don =) though iv only had the sav about 12 hours now hes done nothing but sleep and i know my last sav slept alot too. when he starts moving around his cage a bunch ill take him out and let him roam for like an hour or if he falls asleep (like my beardie always does) ill just plop him back in his cage. i do have to be careful because i have mammals and i know savs can open cages. i was actually scared while i was working that id come home to see my sav escaped and ate some of my pets =\ hope it doesnt happen!

kap10cavy · 06-08-05, 06:44 AM

I get my eggs from a farmer friend that raises chickens and quail.
I wouldn't worry about the roaming thing just yet.
The poor critters is stressed right now. Give it time to get accustomed to it's new home before messing with it.
I give all my new critters atleast 2 weeks before doing anything except, spot cleaning, waterchanges and offering food.

Scott

V.hb · 06-08-05, 11:53 AM

I agree with Scott. Letting a newly acquired animal free roam when you just recieved it is a recipe for disaster. You want it to remain docile, letting it roam will only stress it out and elicit a very different response from the animal..

My feeding regim is almost the same as Scotts. I feed my monitors every 2 days basically as much as they'l eat (be careful with this, not setup properly monitors become fat gluttons) This consists of rats, mice, chopped up guinea pigs/hamsters (if too big to swallow) superworms, crickets etc..... I can;t seem to keep roaches, they bug me too much LOL, I'am a wuss....

Lrptls · 06-08-05, 08:13 PM

thanks guys, today i fed him raw chicken and superworms. he sucked that chicken right down but i think i will only feed that very ocasionaly and mostly rodents and bugs.

sean0101 · 06-09-05, 05:44 PM

Another thing savs like is fish. I am a comercial fisherman and we get tons of junk in our nets so i take it home for her and she loves it with skin or cut fillits she doesn't care.

crocdoc · 06-09-05, 08:29 PM

Sean, are you on the coast or inland? If you are inland, I'd cut down on the amount of freshwater fish you give your monitor as they are rich in thiaminase, an enzyme which can lead to vitamin B deficiencies in reptiles.

kap10cavy · 06-09-05, 09:23 PM

You sure about that Dave? I feed my lizards bass and crappie fingerlings from a hatchery a couple times a month.

Scott

Lrptls · 06-09-05, 09:53 PM

can you give canned dog and cat food as very ocasional treats? (like once a month or even less)

sean0101 · 06-10-05, 12:33 PM

Croc doc I'm on lake winnipeg. I diden't know that. All my monitors are adults and the are all healthy as a horsebut do get fish maybe once a week. I also feed rats and mice insects