Hey! Most of you have probably seen this because I've cross-posted, but I think seeing what happens to monitors when they're kept in conditions typically suggested by pet stores is important.
I'm thinking the new sav is male, but who knows lol I'm calling it a 'he' for simplicity's sake.
He was recently tossed out in a dumpster, inside his enclosure. I'm assuming someone went to take out their trash only to find a live lizard. The correct authorities were notified, and I was asked to rehabilitate him. As you can imagine, he's in poor shape (maybe an understatement). As far as I can tell, he was housed in the same terrible way 99% of savs are housed--- in a small glass aquarium (~20 gallons) with a mesh top on an inch of dry substrate with a half log hide, without humidity and the appropriate heat gradient for thermoregulation. But, he's quite defensive, and tried to end me while I was cleaning him up (biting, hissing, tail-whipping all the way).
He's already seen a vet. She gave him a clean bill of health as far as ecto-parasites, and suggested that he be stabilised in the right environmental conditions before further testing.
DAY ONE
Trying to bite me during his antiseptic bath... He has a mouth wound.
Overgrown claws on his front paws, while he's missing claws on his rear paws.
Old scars from spot burns... arise from cool basking spots too small to cover snout to vent length. His skin is mostly black, and he's covered in stuck shed.
His lower jaw protrudes slightly. Could be indicative of MBD.
Emaciated with sunken eyes (severe dehydration and likely organ damage) Hissing at me after entering his new enclosure.
Enjoying a warm spray shower... He actually moved into the spray.
Threaded Mode